The officers, directors, and staff of The Amphion Foundation, Inc. are sad to announce the passing of Board Member Emeritus Virgil Blackwell. Virgil was an accomplished clarinet and bass clarinet player. In 1971, he became a close colleague of Amphion's founder and first president, Elliott Carter. After Carter's death in 2012, Virgil assumed the presidency of Amphion and led it through a period of development into a national foundation supporting contemporary classical music. Virgil remained active in the foundation’s affairs until his death in late April. We will all miss his insights, his love of the music and musicians whom Amphion supports, and his very special devotion to maintaining the work that Elliott Carter began. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.
June 1, 2026