- Oct 8 Harry Carney, American tenor and baritone jazz saxophonist (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1927-74), dies at 64
- Oct 12 Hendrik Diels, Flemish conductor, dies at 73
- Oct 12 Joseph Frederick Wagner, American composer, conductor (Boston Civic Symphony, 1925 to 44), and teacher, dies at 74
- Oct 13 Josef Krips, Austrian conductor (London Symphony, 1950-54; Buffalo Philharmonic, 1954-63; San Francisco Symphony, 1964-70), dies of lung cancer at 72
- Oct 16 Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, noted Carnatic musician (b. 1895)
- Oct 24 David Oistrakh, Soviet violinist considered one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th century (Moscow Conservatory), dies at 66
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