Vladimir Sokoloff (pianist)
Vladimir Sokoloff (pianist) | |
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Dr. Vladimir Sokoloff and pianist Ruth Butterfield-Winter in front of the Curtis Institute of Music | |
Background information | |
Born | New York, New York, United States |
Died |
October 27, 1997 Philadelphia |
Genres | Classical |
Instruments | Piano |
Vladimir Sokoloff, (Dr. Vladimir Sokoloff), (1913 – 1997) was a pianist and accompanist on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his teaching work with the accompanying, piano and chamber music students, he was an active performer, collaborating with such artists as the violinists Efrem Zimbalist,[1] Jaime Laredo, Toshia Eto and Aaron Rosand, the violist William Primrose, the cellists Gregor Piatigorsky and Emanuel Feuermann, flutist Julius Baker, William Kincaid, oboist Marcel Tabuteau as well as soprano Marcella Sembrich.[2]
Life
Born in New York in 1913, Sokoloff entered the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia in 1929, studying with Abram Chasins, Harry Kaufman and Louis Bailly. He joined the faculty in 1936. In 1942, he took part in the founding of the New School in Philadelphia, (now the Esther Boyer School of Music at Temple University) with his colleagues Jascha Brodsky, Max Aronoff and Orlando Cole. From 1938 to 1950 he was pianist for the Philadelphia Orchestra. As a recital accompanist and pianist with a career of over 70 years, his repertoire spanned all instrumental and vocal genres and styles. He was known for his humour, versatility and, according to the singer Donald Collup, the "sheer beauty of tone coupled with a life of music making with everyone who came through the doors of Curtis"[3] As a piano, accompanying and chamber music teacher he worked with most of the Curtis students in one way or another. The accompanying department of the Curtis Institute was terminated upon his retirement.
Family and Private Life
Vladimir Sokoloff's cousin was the composer Noel Sokoloff.[4] He was Nephew of the conductor Nikolai Sokoloff.[5] Sokoloff married pianist Eleanor Blum (Eleanor Sokoloff, who at 102 is still on the faculty of Curtis[6] They performed as a duo until the birth of their daughters.
Vladimir Sokoloff was commonly referred to as “Billy”. He was awarded a doctorate by the Curtis Institute of music. His daughter Laurie Sokoloff is a flutist currently teaching at the Peobody Institute.[7] Dr. Sokoloff died in 1997 in Philadelphia, after a long illness.
Students
Vladimir Sokoloff’s most famous non-classical student was Nina Simone.,[8][9] Who was not admitted to Curtis as a piano Student despite Dr. Sokoloff's efforts on her behalf. Other students include Ruth Butterfield,[10] Michael Etoi,[11] Thomas Jaber, Robert Koenig, David Antony Lofton, Elizabeth Manus,[12] Ghenady Meirson, Norman Mittleman, Alan Morisson, Christi Muse,[13] Chie Nagatani,[14] Orlando Otey, Eytan Pessen, Cherry Rhodes, Paul Romero, David Shunski, Barry Snyder, Nozomi Takashima[15] and Christy Zuniga.
Discography
- Dohnanyi, The Curtis String Quartet, Vladimir Sokoloff, Westminster XWN 18514, 1957
- Scriabin, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, Gilbert Johnson, Vladimir Sokoloff, RCA, 1971
- Mason Jones, Vladimir Sokoloff, Music for French Horn, Music Minus One, MMO 8044, 1973
- Mason Jones, Vladimir Sokoloff, Music for French Horn, Music Minus One, MMO 8047, 1973
- William Kincaid, Vladimir Sokoloff, Philadelphia Orchestra Solo Flutist: Platti, Handel, Bach, Mozart, Gluck, SKU BR1058 Boston Records, N.D.
References
- ↑ Sokoloff as accompanist
- ↑ NY Times Obituary
- ↑ Donald Collup
- ↑ Ned Rorem
- ↑ Nikolai Sokoloff
- ↑ Curtis Institue
- ↑ http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/faculty/sokoloff/
- ↑ Nina Simone and Dr. Sokoloff
- ↑ ‘’Nadine Cohodas’’ ‘Princess Noire: The Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone’, The University of North Carolina Press (15. Februar 2012) ASIN: B016L9VZ6G, Page 56,
- ↑ http://www.sbmp.com/ComposerPage.php?ComposerNum=221
- ↑ https://archive.org/stream/recitalprograms1982curt/recitalprograms1982curt_djvu.txt
- ↑ http://www.elizabethmanus.com/biography.html
- ↑ https://archive.org/stream/recitalprograms1988curt/recitalprograms1988curt_djvu.txt
- ↑ https://archive.org/stream/recitalprograms1982curt/recitalprograms1982curt_djvu.txt
- ↑ https://archive.org/stream/recitalprograms1982curt/recitalprograms1982curt_djvu.txt
Sources
- Eleanor Sokoloff: Sharing Her Gift
- Ebony and ivory - and longevity: A master's influence reverberates over 73 years at Curtis., Peter Dobrin, The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 15, 2009
- NY Times Obituary
External links
- Vladimir Sokoloff
- Piano Solo with Henri Rene
- with Oscar Shumsky
- Flute Sonata on Youtube, with Julius Baker
- quartett, with the Curtis Quartett, Westminster
- recording with Oscar Shumsky, youtube
- recording with Jaime Laredo, You tube
- Sokoloff playing Brahms Haydn with his future wife, Eleanor Blum, in 1938