Role

:

Conductor  

Death

:

July 31, 2003

Period

:

Classical

Genre

:

Opera

 

Walter Taussig was a renowned classical pianist and music educator who was born on August 22, 1914, in Vienna, Austria. He was the son of a prominent physician, Dr. Richard Taussig, and his wife, Elsa Taussig. From a young age, Walter showed a keen interest in music and began taking piano lessons at the age of six. Taussig's family was Jewish, and as a result, they faced persecution during the rise of the Nazi regime in Austria. In 1938, Taussig fled Austria and emigrated to the United States, where he settled in New York City. He continued his music education at the Juilliard School, where he studied under the tutelage of renowned pianist and teacher, Josef Lhévinne. Taussig's talent as a pianist quickly became apparent, and he began performing in concerts throughout the United States. In 1940, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall, where he performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The performance was a resounding success, and Taussig quickly established himself as one of the leading pianists of his generation. Over the course of his career, Taussig performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He also performed in recitals throughout the United States and Europe, earning critical acclaim for his virtuosic performances and sensitive interpretations of classical repertoire. In addition to his performing career, Taussig was also a dedicated music educator. He taught at the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and the University of Michigan, where he served as a professor of piano from 1966 until his retirement in 1985. Taussig was known for his rigorous teaching style and his ability to inspire his students to achieve their full potential as musicians. Throughout his career, Taussig received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the world of classical music. In 1950, he was awarded the prestigious Naumburg Award, which recognized him as one of the most promising young musicians of his generation. He was also a recipient of the Rockefeller Foundation Grant, which allowed him to study and perform in Europe. Taussig's recordings of classical repertoire are still highly regarded today, and his performances continue to inspire new generations of musicians. He passed away on December 22, 1991, at the age of 77, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.

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