In Memory Of Igor Pelse

All of us at Lyric were shocked and saddened to learn that Igor Pelse, our friend and associate, died suddenly at his New Jersey home sometime during the night of March 18th.

The first hint of a problem came when, on the morning of the 19th, Igor didn’t arrive at our Manhattan store, where he had worked since 2011. Since he was the consummate professional, with a true passion for his duties at Lyric, his absence was completely out of character, so we began making inquiries. By Saturday evening, our worst fears were confirmed.

Igor was known to most of us at Lyric, as he was to many in the Northeastern and national audiophile communities, since the 1980s. At that time, he made a major career transition — he had been a perfume formulator — and joined our industry, which benefited from his passion for music and the equipment that faithfully reproduces it.

That passion, along with a solid, scientifically grounded knowledge of audio/video equipment, was a boon to our customers as well, since both elements informed the guidance Igor provided.

Igor’s camaraderie with co-workers was admirable. He was always the joker, and he always kept us on our toes, obliging us to step up and do our very best.

We’ll always remember Igor for his passion. First and foremost, he was passionate about his children: his son, Ian, and his daughter, Elena, who survive him along with his mother, a sister and her husband. He was also an ardent vintage motorcycle enthusiast, and he had restored several bikes.

Just a few weeks ago, he was showing people pictures of the classic Honda motorcycle he had bought for Ian. It was his son’s first, and when a mutual friend asked if he was worried about the young man navigating it on the busy New Jersey highways, Igor said he’d made a point of training Ian to be a safe rider.

Igor was also passionate about Mexican food. He habitually brought in Tostitos and salsa for us to snack on, and he celebrated Guacamole Wednesdays at a nearby Mexican restaurant. He ultimately persuaded us to move our annual yearend holiday party there.

Happily, Igor’s passion remained steadfast and unwavering throughout his life. Sadly, it was a life that ended far too soon.