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Curtis Institute of Music

Coordinates: 39°56′56″N 75°10′14″W / 39.9488°N 75.1706°W / 39.9488; -75.1706
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Curtis Institute of Music
TypePrivate
Established1924
Endowment$130.5 million[1]
PresidentRoberto Díaz
DirectorRoberto Díaz
Students167
Location
Philadelphia
,
Pennsylvania
CampusUrban
Websitecurtis.edu

The Curtis Institute of Music is a 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.

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.[2]

Looking southeast from Rittenhouse Square toward the Curtis Institute's main building at the corner of Locust Street (on the left) and South 18th Street (on the right) (2006)

Admission

The institute has served as a training ground for orchestral musicians to fill the ranks of the Philadelphia Orchestra, although composers, organists, pianists, 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, and pianists, 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 170 students. According to statistics compiled by U.S. News & World Report, the institute has the lowest acceptance rate of any college or university, making it the most selective institution of higher education in the United States.[3]

The Curtis Institute accepts students of all races, although there is some evidence that suggests that this policy wasn't very strictly enforced several decades ago: Nina Simone claims that she was rejected in the early 1950s because of her race despite excellent credentials and audition performance, even though, as the Nina Simone article states, George Walker had already graduated from Curtis by the time Simone had applied.[4]

Administration

Main category: Curtis Institute of Music faculty

Past directors

Past directors of the institute have included:

Current administration

Roberto Diaz is President and director of the Institute. Diaz 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]

Notable alumni

Main category: Curtis Institute of Music alumni

Many of its alumni have gone on to notable careers including:

A–L

M–Z

References

  1. ^ As of June 30, 2009. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  2. ^ Stoddard, Maynard Good (2000). "A Legacy of Music". Saturday Evening Post. 272 (1). vLex. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  3. ^ "Best Colleges: Top 100 – Lowest Acceptance Rates" (as of "Fall 2011 Acceptance rate"). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  4. ^ Eric Wendell. "Simone, Nina (Eunice Kathleen Waymon)". Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians. jazz.com. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  5. ^ "Roberto Díaz, President". Curtis Institute of Music: Administration. Curtis Institute of Music. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
  6. ^ Dobrin, Peter (January 8, 2013). "Curtis Institute dean exits". philly.com. Interstate General Media, LLC. Retrieved October 30, 2013. {{cite news}}: |section= ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Council". Archive.is: Curtis Institute of Music. Curtis Institute of Music. 2004. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  8. ^ "Artistic Leadership". Curtis Institute of Music. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  9. ^ "Michael Houstoun" (PDF). Timaru District Council. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Amanda Majeski". Oper Frankfurt Season 2013/2014. Oper Frankfurt. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  11. ^ "Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, Viola (Biography)". Instant Encore. InstantEncore.com. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  12. ^ "Dover Quartet". The Dover Quartet. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  13. ^ "Eytan Pessen". Opera Narodowa. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  14. ^ Daniel J. Wakin, "A Tearful (and Lucrative) Parting of Virtuoso and Violin", The New York Times. October 21, 2009.
  15. ^ "Peter Wiley, Faculty Bios by Name". The Curtis Institute of Music. Retrieved October 31, 2013.

39°56′56″N 75°10′14″W / 39.9488°N 75.1706°W / 39.9488; -75.1706

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