Curtis Institute of Music

The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, USA. It was founded in 1924 by Mary Louise Curtis Bok, and received its name in honor of her father, Cyrus Curtis. 1928 agreed Józef Hofmann and Mary Louise Curtis Bok, to drop the course fee of $ 500. Mrs. Bok added $ 12 million to the $ 500,000 of the donation to support a full scholarship. The admission of students was now looking Talent - " we want the best ," said Hofman.

Josef Hofmann conducted the opening concert for the " Casimir Hall" with 250 seats, which was named after his father. The hall was later renamed the Curtis Room and then in Field Concert Hall.

1929 came two well-known violinist from St. Petersburg to the Institute: Leopold Auer and Efrem Zimbalist, whose former students.

On March 8, 1929, the " Curtis orchestra" debuted at Carnegie Hall under the baton of Artur Rodzinski. Some concerts were broadcast nationwide by Columbia Broadcasting System and the National Broadcasting Company. From 1942-47 it was resolved, as many students were called up for military service. 1949, played for the 25 - year anniversary with Efrem Zimbalist and Gregor Piatigorsky as soloists. Alexander MoP conducted and members of the Philadelphia Orchestra reinforced by the student orchestra.

In the Music Hall of the Library of Congress the " Curtis Quartet" occurred, consisting of members of the faculty in the composition with Carl Flesch, Emanuel Zetlin (violin), Louis Bailly ( Violia ), Felix Salmond. The teachers played Haydn, Beethoven and Bach.

Louis Bailly founded the student orchestra "The Swastika Quartet".

1933, " Curtis String Quartet" was founded, the first quartet, which consisted of American-trained strings. They were invited by President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt in the White House and played there on February 12, 1934.

1943 was the faculty gain more eminent musicians as teachers: the pianist Mieczyslaw Horszowski, the violinist Ivan Galamian and William Primrose and Gregor Piatigorsky the cellist.

The Curtis Institute serves mainly the training of orchestral musicians, but is also open to solo artists and composers. The Institute has always only between 150 and 170 students, as the shooting conditions are considered particularly difficult and one of the lowest acceptance rates has worldwide.

Directors

Artistic Director (since 1995 with the title of president )

  • Johann grudges, 1924-25
  • William E. Walter, 1925-27
  • Josef Hofmann, 1927-38
  • Randall Thompson, 1939-41
  • Efrem Zimbalist, 1941-68
  • Rudolf Serkin, 1968-76
  • John de Lancie, 1977-85
  • Gary Graffman, 1986-2006
  • Roberto Diaz, 2006 -present

Known graduates

  • Samuel Barber, composer
  • Leonard Bernstein, composer and conductor
  • Jorge Bolet, Pianist
  • Shura Cherkassky, pianist
  • Young- Chang Cho, Cellist
  • Juan Diego Flórez, tenor
  • Hilary Hahn, violinist
  • Felix Hell, Organist
Music school Artur Rodziński Otto-Werner Mueller Young-Chang Cho Lang Lang (pianist)
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