Musician. Born in the Czech Republic, he was a concert pianist hailed as a child prodigy, when he made his first public debut at the age of 12. He began a regular concert career in 1920, performed throughout Europe and made his first USA appearance at the Coolidge Festival in Washington, D.C. in 1933. In February 1936, he launched a solo concert career in the USA and became a naturalized USA citizen in 1939. He was appointed as head of the piano department at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and was its Director from 1968 to 1976. He appeared as a soloist with all the major orchestras of the world, gave recitals in the leading music centers, played in numerous chamber music settings and also made many solo recordings with Columbia Records. He was the founder of the Marlborough School of Music in Vermont, is an honorary member of the Philharmonic's Symphony Society of New York and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1988. He died in Guilford, Vermont.
Musician. Born in the Czech Republic, he was a concert pianist hailed as a child prodigy, when he made his first public debut at the age of 12. He began a regular concert career in 1920, performed throughout Europe and made his first USA appearance at the Coolidge Festival in Washington, D.C. in 1933. In February 1936, he launched a solo concert career in the USA and became a naturalized USA citizen in 1939. He was appointed as head of the piano department at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and was its Director from 1968 to 1976. He appeared as a soloist with all the major orchestras of the world, gave recitals in the leading music centers, played in numerous chamber music settings and also made many solo recordings with Columbia Records. He was the founder of the Marlborough School of Music in Vermont, is an honorary member of the Philharmonic's Symphony Society of New York and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1988. He died in Guilford, Vermont.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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