Country

:

Hungary

Birth

:

July 5, 1924 in Budapest, Hungary

Death

:

April 28, 2013 in Bloomington, IN

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Janos Starker was a Hungarian-American cellist who was born on July 5, 1924, in Budapest, Hungary. He was born into a musical family, and his father was a professional violinist. Starker began playing the cello at the age of six, and by the time he was 12, he was already performing in public. Starker studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where he was a student of Adolf Schiffer. He graduated from the academy in 1945, and in the same year, he won the first prize at the International Cello Competition in Prague. This was the beginning of a long and illustrious career for Starker. In 1948, Starker became the principal cellist of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, and he held this position until 1949 when he left Hungary to escape the communist regime. He moved to the United States, where he became the principal cellist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In 1952, he joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as the principal cellist, a position he held until 1958. During his time in Chicago, Starker also began to establish himself as a soloist. He made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1953, and he quickly became known for his virtuosic playing and his ability to interpret a wide range of musical styles. He also began to record extensively, and his recordings of the Bach Cello Suites and the Kodaly Solo Cello Sonata are considered to be some of the finest ever made. In 1958, Starker left the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to focus on his solo career. He continued to perform and record extensively, and he also began to teach. He held teaching positions at Indiana University, the University of Illinois, and the New England Conservatory of Music, among others. He was known for his rigorous teaching style and his ability to inspire his students to achieve their full potential. Starker received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In 1964, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic, and in 1997, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton. He was also a recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize, the highest honor given to American instrumentalists. Starker continued to perform and teach well into his 80s. He passed away on April 28, 2013, at the age of 88. His legacy as one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century lives on through his recordings, his students, and the countless musicians who were inspired by his playing and his teaching.

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