Bernard Opperman Memorial Scholarship Fund
Bernard Opperman was born in Austria on December 28, 1900. As a young man he studied music theory and composition at the Vienna Conservatory, while also devoting himself to his favorite instrument, the flute. Mr. Opperman became a member of the Vienna Philharmonic at age 28. He left Austria in 1933 when Jews were becoming targets of anti-Semitic acts. In 1940 he moved to South Bend, Indiana, where some of his relatives resided. Ironically, his passport was stamped by U.S. Immigration: "born in Germany, enemy alien." Because of this label, he was confined to South Bend for the duration of the war and could not find work as a musician. In order to make a living in a country whose language he had not yet mastered, Mr. Opperman entered his cousin's business in South Bend. Until his death in 1974, he continued to play chamber music, taught students privately, both on the flute and in music theory, and always believed himself a professional musician. Rita Grunwald of Bloomington established this scholarship fund in honor of her uncle.
The Bernard Opperman Memorial Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for flute students at the Jacobs School of Music, and/or benefits flute workshops and other flute-related activities at IU Jacobs School of Music.