Birth

:

May 14, 1927 in Detroit, MI

Death

:

November 16, 2015 in Blue Hill, ME

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

Seymour Lipkin was a renowned classical pianist and conductor, born on May 8, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan. He was the youngest of three children born to Russian-Jewish immigrants. Lipkin's parents were both musically inclined, and his father played the violin while his mother played the piano. Lipkin's musical talent was evident from a young age, and he began playing the piano at the age of four. Lipkin's family moved to Los Angeles when he was six years old, and he continued his musical education there. He studied with renowned pianist and teacher, Artur Schnabel, who had a significant influence on Lipkin's musical style. Schnabel was known for his interpretation of Beethoven's music, and Lipkin adopted this approach in his own playing. Lipkin made his debut as a pianist at the age of 11, performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. He continued to perform throughout his teenage years, and in 1942, he won the Los Angeles Philharmonic Young Artists Competition. This win led to his debut with the orchestra as a soloist, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4. In 1943, Lipkin was drafted into the United States Army and served in Europe during World War II. While in the army, he continued to play the piano and gave concerts for his fellow soldiers. After the war, Lipkin returned to the United States and resumed his musical studies. Lipkin studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied with Rudolf Serkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski. He also studied conducting with Fritz Reiner and George Szell. Lipkin graduated from the Curtis Institute in 1948 and began his career as a concert pianist. Lipkin's career as a pianist took off in the 1950s, and he performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He also performed as a soloist with many of the world's leading conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, George Szell, and Eugene Ormandy. In addition to his career as a pianist, Lipkin was also a respected conductor. He served as the music director of the Joffrey Ballet from 1978 to 1984 and was the principal conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Curtis Institute of Music from 1986 to 1992. He also conducted many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Lipkin was known for his interpretations of Beethoven's music, and he recorded all 32 of Beethoven's piano sonatas. He also recorded the complete piano works of Brahms, Schumann, and Schubert. Lipkin's recordings were highly acclaimed, and he won many awards for his recordings, including a Grammy Award in 1986 for his recording of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Lipkin was also a respected teacher, and he taught at the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music. He was known for his dedication to his students and his ability to inspire them to achieve their full potential. Lipkin continued to perform and teach until his death on November 16, 2015, at the age of 88. He was remembered as a brilliant musician, a respected conductor, and a beloved teacher. His contributions to the world of classical music will be remembered for generations to come.

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