Final Cadence: Spring 2022

Eliot Wadopian '79 of Asheville, NC, died September 13. He was 63. A professional bassist for over 40 years, he won two Grammy Awards and appeared on more than 120 albums. In addition, he taught at Western Carolina University, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Brevard College, and Mars Hill University, and performed in several orchestras. Wadopian leaves his wife, Kathryn Potter; mother, Curry Jamison; children, Joan Wadopian, Erin Godleski, Lael Kafsky, and Joel Wadopian; stepson, Ivan Potter-Smith; and five grandchildren.

John Luke Stevens Jr. of Collingswood, NJ, died September 27 from congestive heart failure. He was 73. He taught in Berklee’s Songwriting Department 1976 to 2013. His favorite time of year was the songwriting show each spring. He moved to New Jersey in 2020 to work on an opera with colleagues from Berklee. He leaves his brother, Darryl T. Stevens; sister, Jan S. Hinson; and several nieces and nephews.

Mike Renzi ’64 of Middletown, R.I., and Boca Raton, FL, passed away September 28 after a long and successful career as a pianist, accompanist, arranger, music director, and recording producer. He was 80. Renzi had worked with Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Mel Tormé, Tony Bennett, and Lady Gaga, and others, and was the music director for Sesame Street, for which he won four of his seven Emmy Awards. Conservatory alumna Denise Decaro, who worked with Renzi for years, shares her thoughts in a recent blog post at blogs.berklee.edu/2022/03/mike-renzi.

Student Liam Crone of Fairfax, VA, died unexpectedly on October 20. He was 21. A talented drummer, he came to Berklee on a Berklee World Tour Scholarship in January 2020. He enjoyed writing and recording his music and performing with his band, Commander Salamander. He leaves his parents, Tim and Tricia Crone; siblings, Ryan and Lucy; all four of his grandparents; and many aunts and uncles.

Benjamin F. Elkins ’68 of Marion, MA, died November 23. He was 81. A bass trombonist, he studied at Berklee and joined the faculty in 1973, becoming a professor in the Contemporary Writing and Production Department. In 1979, Elkins formed his own big band, the Back Bay Brass Jazz Orchestra, for which he composed and wrote arrangements.

Student Jared Rodríguez Calderón of Caguas, Puerto Rico, died January 1 as the result of a fireworks accident. He was 21. A talented fifth-semester vocalist, he came to Berklee after winning a scholarship at the Berklee in Puerto Rico program. He was also a pianist and composer, writing and producing his own music, and he planned to work in production. He leaves his mother, Jasmin Calderón Veguilla; father, Domingo Rodríguez; and many other family members.

Woody Mann of New York City died January 27. He was 69. A longtime visiting artist in the American Roots Program, he gave free, biweekly extracurricular lessons to all interested Berklee students since the program’s inception in 2010. He also held listening sessions and played alongside students in campus performances. Mann leaves his wife, Valerie Lettieri Mann, and his stepchildren, Morgan and Cameron O’Brien.

George Mallalieu B.M. ’07 of Hampden, MA, died January 29. He was 77. He was an accomplished seven-string jazz guitarist, and studied with Barry Galbraith and Allen Hanlon. He performed throughout New England and was part of the duo Alone Together with his wife, Joan Corbin B.M. ’07. He worked as a consultant for the Bose Corporation for 22 years. Along with his wife, Mallalieu leaves his daughter, Sandy.

Student Daniel Salazar of Cedar Park, TX, died February 23. He was 19. Salazar, a second-semester student, was the drummer for Archon Theory, a hard-rock group formed with fellow students that was gaining a following in the Berklee community and had recently released its first single.