Country

:

Austria

Birth

:

March 28, 1919 in Vienna, Austria

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Paul Doktor was a renowned violist and conductor who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. He was born on June 29, 1920, in Vienna, Austria, and grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Doktor began playing the viola at the age of nine and quickly showed exceptional talent. In 1938, Doktor and his family fled Austria to escape the Nazi regime and settled in the United States. He continued his musical education at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied with William Primrose, one of the most celebrated violists of the 20th century. Doktor graduated from Curtis in 1942 and went on to serve in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, Doktor began his professional career as a violist, performing with some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also became a sought-after chamber musician, performing with the Budapest Quartet, the Guarneri Quartet, and the Juilliard Quartet, among others. In addition to his work as a performer, Doktor was also a respected teacher and conductor. He taught at the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and the New England Conservatory of Music, among other institutions. He also conducted numerous orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. One of the highlights of Doktor's career was his performance of the Bartók Viola Concerto with the New York Philharmonic in 1956. The concerto had been written specifically for Primrose, and Doktor's performance was widely praised for its technical virtuosity and emotional depth. Doktor also recorded the concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1963, cementing his reputation as one of the foremost interpreters of Bartók's music. Doktor was also a champion of contemporary music and premiered numerous works by composers such as Elliott Carter, Milton Babbitt, and Roger Sessions. He was particularly interested in the music of the Second Viennese School, including the works of Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern. He performed and recorded many of their works, including Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht and Berg's Lyric Suite. Throughout his career, Doktor received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the world of classical music. In 1964, he was awarded the Prix International du Disque for his recording of the Bartók Viola Concerto. He was also a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts' Lifetime Achievement Award and the American String Teachers Association's Artist-Teacher Award. Doktor continued to perform and teach until his death on February 28, 1989, at the age of 68. He left behind a legacy as one of the most influential violists of the 20th century, known for his technical mastery, musical sensitivity, and dedication to contemporary music.

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