BEAUMONT, Texas — A violinist had a heart attack during the opening piece of the Symphony of Southeast Texas Saturday night in the Julie Rogers Theater.
The rest of the performance was cancelled. Doctors, nurses and EMTs as well as other first responders gave CPR, eyewitnesses said. However, he did not survive.
The symphony's maestro Chelsea Tipton said in a Facebook post that the violinist died on scene. His wife was also part of the symphony.
The violinist is identified as Yu Zhao Gu in an online fundraiser for funeral expenses.
"[The] beloved violinist tragically passed away during our final concert of our season Saturday night doing what he loved, performing music alongside his wife, Ying Zhao," the fundraiser said. "A dedicated member of the Symphony of Southeast Texas (SOST) family, Yu and Ying have been playing with the symphony for well over a decade and as regular members of the Galveston, Corpus Christi, Lake Charles, and Victoria symphonies."
"The passing of Yu is devastating for our orchestra and all those he has touched, as we truly are a family," the organizers said. "While no amount of money will help ease this loss, we hope to at least be able to give Ying peace of mind that she is not alone and her musical family and community are here for her during her time of need."
This is a developing story. 12News will update with more if and when we receive confirmed information.
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