Roger Clark Bradley

Roger Bradley, a third generation Californian, was born on October 19, 1946 and grew up in San Jose. He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School, class of 1964. He went on to attend The University of California at Santa Barbara, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Music. Roger lived and worked in Santa Barbara for over 50 years, by which he established a large community of friends and students. He was an accomplished concert pianist, a published composer, a piano teacher, and a dynamic individual.

Roger composed and published classical music, and taught piano privately since 1972. He loved teaching and was an inspiring, patient, and encouraging teacher to generations of students. Roger played several combined recitals and solo concerts at Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. He loved to play and listen to Brahms, Mozart, Chopin, and Bach. Even so, he was known to play and sing to Pink Floyd with friends on rare occasions. Roger’s musical legacy includes his 24 Preludes, chamber music, music for films, and original music to accompany the poems of Byron, Shelly, Rossetti, Whitman and Poe.

A particular favorite of Roger’s own compositions included his Cello Sonata. Roger gave a premier performance of this at the Lobero Theatre with The Music Academy of the West alumnus and preeminent cellist Misha Bodnar. Later in Madison, Wisconsin, a good live recording was made of the same performance in a concert venue. Subsequently, this recording was submitted and awarded Roger a prestigious Fulbright Grant to work and travel in India, but he declined the grant for personal reasons.

Roger valued classical music as well as the Arts and science. He greatly enjoyed the Theater, especially Shakespeare. Roger was an avid reader and was in a book club; his own library included an eclectic variety of books. He wrote poetry and lyrics. He even proposed complex philosophical essays on energy and life which were based on mathematics, chemistry, physics, and cosmology. And whether it was over music, art, philosophy, poetry, or politics, Roger always relished a good conversation.

Roger was fit, active, and high spirited with an absolute love of life. He loved his home in the Santa Barbara Mountains with its great view of the coast. He got up before dawn to compose or to study his science. He loved the beach, sunshine, a soft breeze, and a leisurely trip down Highway 1. He loved tennis, jogging, and walks. He savored walking through Shoreline Park while on his lunch breaks from teaching. During the holidays, he mercilessly trounced his family at cards and Yahtzee games, with a gleam in his eye. Roger considered himself a free spirit and an “old hippie,” and invariably took pride in his ponytail. He carried a pocket watch without a chain. He could be defiant and stubborn, but everyone appreciated his terrific sense of humor. Roger was most often considered to be a kind and reliable friend. He was supportive of his friends, other musicians, dancers, writers, and artists. And yet, with himself Roger was a taskmaster and a perfectionist. He regretted leaving some of his musical recordings unpolished, although they are all certainly beautiful as they are.

Roger is predeceased by his parents. His father, Clark L. Bradley, was a lawyer in San Jose, served as Mayor of San Jose for 2 years, and served in the CA Legislature for 22 years. Roger’s mother, Carol M. Bradley, was a homemaker and a community volunteer in San Jose. Later, she lived in Santa Barbara. She played the organ and the piano.

The youngest of four siblings, Roger is also predeceased by his brother and sister-in-law Lynn and Norma Bradley of Sunnyvale, CA. Roger is survived by his sister Sherill Hellman and brother-in-law Carl Hellman of Palo Alto, CA, and his sister Maureen Jones, of San Jose. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews: Sherilyn and Mark Koss, Erik Hellman, Glenn Jones, Kristina and Ted Wolcott, Diana Hellman, and Carolyn and Matt Shields. Roger is also survived by his eight grandnieces and grandnephews. In addition to his blood-relatives, Roger also leaves behind a family of beloved friends and students throughout Santa Barbara and California. He will be greatly missed by everyone.

A celebration of Roger’s life is tentatively scheduled for March 2018.

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Arrangements under the direction of NEPTUNE SOCIETY - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA.