Curtis Institute of Music: Difference between revisions
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==Controversies== |
==Controversies== |
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In 2013, alumna [[Lara St. John]] wrote to |
In 2013, alumna [[Lara St. John]] wrote to Roberto Diaz, president of Curtis, to allege that she was raped by her instructor, [[Jascha Brodsky]], in 1986, when she was a 14-year-old student at Curtis.<ref name=Ms.>{{cite web|title=Time’s Up in Classical Music|url=http://msmagazine.com/2019/11/01/times-up-in-classical-music/|work=[[Ms.]]|accessdate=12 November 2019}}</ref> She additionally alleged that her complaints to Robert Fitzpatrick, who was dean of Curtis in 1986, were dismissed and she was told to keep quiet. In response to the letter, the school commissioned a limited independent investigation in 2013 but declined to make the findings public. The case subsequently received public attention in a detailed investigative article published by [[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] in 2019.<ref name=PhilInq>{{cite web|title=Abused, then mocked|url=http://www.inquirer.com/news/a/lara-st-john-sexual-abuse-jascha-brodsky-curtis-institute-philadelphia-20190725.html|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|accessdate=12 November 2019}}</ref> |
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Following the report by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Curtis retained a law firm to conduct an in-depth review of the school's history of any form of sexual misconduct.<ref name=PhilInq>{{cite web|title=Curtis Institute hired a law firm to investigate sexual assault claims. Will it be enough?|url=https://www.inquirer.com/arts/curtis-institute-sexual-assault-claim-investigation-lara-st-john-20191107.html|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|accessdate=12 November 2019}}</ref> |
Following the report by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Curtis retained a law firm to conduct an in-depth review of the school's history of any form of sexual misconduct.<ref name=PhilInq>{{cite web|title=Curtis Institute hired a law firm to investigate sexual assault claims. Will it be enough?|url=https://www.inquirer.com/arts/curtis-institute-sexual-assault-claim-investigation-lara-st-john-20191107.html|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|accessdate=12 November 2019}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 22:18, 12 November 2019
| File:Curtis Institute of Music (logo).png | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Established | 1924 |
| Endowment | $110.9 million (2017)[1] |
| President | Roberto Díaz |
| Director | Roberto Díaz |
| Students | 167 |
| Location | , Pennsylvania |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | Official website |
The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia that offers courses of study leading to a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, or Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. It is among the most selective institutes of higher education in the world[2] with an admissions rate between 4 and 5%.[3]
History
The institute was established in 1924 by Mary Louise Curtis Bok, who named it in honor of her father, Cyrus Curtis, a notable American publisher. After consulting with musician friends including Josef Hofmann and Leopold Stokowski on how best to help musically gifted young people, Bok purchased three mansions on Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square and had them joined and renovated. She established a faculty of prominent performing artists and eventually left the institute with an endowment of US$12 million ($210,000,000 in current dollar terms) in 1927.[4]
Admission
The institute formerly served as a training ground for orchestral musicians to fill the ranks of the Philadelphia Orchestra, although composers, organists, pianists, guitarists, and singers are offered courses of study as well.
All pupils attend on full scholarship and admission is extremely competitive. With the exception of composers, conductors, pianists, and guitarists, admission is granted only to the number of students to fill a single orchestra and opera company. Accordingly, enrollment is in the range of 150 to 175 students. According to statistics compiled by U.S. News & World Report, the institute has the lowest acceptance rate of any college or university (4%), making it among the most selective institutions of higher education in the United States.[2][3]
Administration
Past directors
Past directors of the institute have included:
- Josef Hofmann (1926–38) – pianist
- Randall Thompson (1938–40) – composer
- Efrem Zimbalist (1941–68) – violinist
- Rudolf Serkin (1968–76) – pianist
- John de Lancie (1977–85) – principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra for many years
- Gary Graffman (1986–2006) – pianist, continues on the piano faculty
Current administration
Roberto Díaz is president and director of the Institute. Díaz is also a Curtis alumnus and faculty member. He was principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1996 to 2006 and is a member of the Diaz Trio.[5] Paul Bryan started his tenure as interim dean in January 2013.[6]
Controversies
In 2013, alumna Lara St. John wrote to Roberto Diaz, president of Curtis, to allege that she was raped by her instructor, Jascha Brodsky, in 1986, when she was a 14-year-old student at Curtis.[7] She additionally alleged that her complaints to Robert Fitzpatrick, who was dean of Curtis in 1986, were dismissed and she was told to keep quiet. In response to the letter, the school commissioned a limited independent investigation in 2013 but declined to make the findings public. The case subsequently received public attention in a detailed investigative article published by The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2019.[8]
Following the report by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Curtis retained a law firm to conduct an in-depth review of the school's history of any form of sexual misconduct.[8]
Notable alumni
Many Curtis alumni have gone on to distinguished careers. See the category for an exhaustive list.
References
- ^ As of May 31, 2017. "The Curtis Institute of Music Financial Statements 2017 and 2016" (PDF). The Curtis Institute. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ^ a b Michael Tanenbaum (January 29, 2016). "Curtis Institute of Music ranked most selective college in U.S." Philly Voice. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Curtis Institute of Music". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- ^ Stoddard, Maynard Good (2000). "A Legacy of Music". The Saturday Evening Post. 272 (1). Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013 – via vLex. "A Legacy of Music". Retrieved 14 August 2019 – via Free Online Library.
- ^ "Roberto Díaz, President". Curtis Institute of Music. Archived from the original on 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
- ^ Dobrin, Peter (January 8, 2013). "Curtis Institute dean exits". philly.com. Interstate General Media, LLC. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^ "Time's Up in Classical Music". Ms. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Abused, then mocked". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 12 November 2019. Cite error: The named reference "PhilInq" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
External links
- Official website
Media related to Curtis Institute of Music at Wikimedia Commons
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