Cellist Eugene Osadchy, 68, a professor of cello at UNT since 1999, died Oct. 3. He was hailed by the New York Times as having "the most refined and balanced string playing" and was called "a paragon of Russian élan" by the Vancouver Sun. He served as a principal cellist with the Plano Symphony, Dallas Chamber Orchestra and Richardson Symphony and regularly performed and gave master classes around the world.

He was born in Kiev to a family of professional musicians and started his own musical education at the age of 5 on the piano and a year later on the cello. After graduating from The Special Music School for Talented and Gifted Children, he continued his education at the Kiev State Conservatory of Music, graduating with honors, and became a Laureate of the Republic of Ukraine Cello Competition.

He also recorded with the award-winning CBC Radio Orchestra, composed film scores, made more than 100 arrangements for various cello ensembles and presented an annual Summer Cello Clinic in Dallas. He and pianist Anastasia Markina won critical acclaim for their CD Russian Romances: Joys and Sorrows in 2010 (Medtner's Insomnia, op. 37, no. 1 from that album) and released a CD of German Lieder, Nacht und Träume, in 2014.

A memorial concert featuring faculty, students, alumni and guest artists is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in the UNT Music Building's Recital Hall.