Juergen Hocker, the former GSM president, died unexpectedly on
February 10th, 2012.

In 1978 Juergen became a member of the German society GSM, which had
been founded three years earlier.  Two years later he was elected as
president and executed this office until 2000 with lots of expertise,
skill, and devotion.  During this period he steered the GSM and its
journal towards international acknowledgement and reputation.  By
means of his enthusiasm and his passion for mechanical music he has
rendered outstanding services in the field of player pianos, including
their composers and arrangers.

It was his objective to spread the knowledge about the cultural
tradition of self-playing musical instruments to a broad public.
His special interest belonged to reproducing pianos and to its music.
In numerous concerts in Germany and adjacent European countries he
presented compositions of contemporary and classical composers with
a preference for music that was not playable by hand.

One of his biggest achievements was the promotion of the previously
virtually unknown composer Conlon Nancarrow and his oeuvre, culminating
in the preparation and publication of Nancarrow's biography.

Another book by Juergen Hocker, "Faszination Player Piano", was
published in 2009 and presents the an overview of the development and
importance of the player piano.

We are still shocked and paralyzed by his death and are trying to bear
the prospect of being without this outstanding man.

Walter Tenten
Linnich, Germany
http://www.musica-mechanica.de/ 

 [ At http://www.juergenhocker.eu/ :
 [ Conlon Nancarrow: Leben und Werk eines mexikanischen Einsiedlers
 [ (The Life and Work of a Mexican Recluse)
 [ With many English contributions.
 [
 [ MMD articles about his book, "Faszination Player Piano", are indexed
 [ at http://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/KWIC/H/hocker.html 

 [ More about his life in a short biography (in English) at
 [ http://www.juergenhocker.eu/buch.htm#English%20version  and
 [ http://www.playerpianokonzerte.de/vitae_juergen_hocker.htm#Curriculum%20Vitae%20J%C3%BCrgen%20Hocker 
 [
 [ -- Robbie