Genre

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Chamber

 

Raphael Hillyer was an American violist and founding member of the Juilliard String Quartet. He was born on March 22, 1914, in New York City, to a family of musicians. His father was a violinist and his mother was a pianist. Hillyer began playing the violin at the age of six, but later switched to the viola. Hillyer studied at the Juilliard School of Music, where he was a student of Louis Bailly. He also studied with William Primrose and Emanuel Feuermann. In 1946, Hillyer became a founding member of the Juilliard String Quartet, along with Robert Mann, Joel Krosnick, and Clyde Shaw. The quartet quickly gained a reputation for their innovative interpretations of classical music. The Juilliard String Quartet made their debut performance in 1947 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. They went on to perform at major concert halls around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Royal Festival Hall in London, and the Berlin Philharmonic. The quartet also recorded extensively, releasing over 100 recordings during their career. Hillyer was known for his virtuosic playing and his ability to blend seamlessly with the other members of the quartet. He was also a respected teacher, and taught at the Juilliard School of Music for over 40 years. Many of his students went on to have successful careers in music. In addition to his work with the Juilliard String Quartet, Hillyer was also a soloist and chamber musician. He performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, among others. He also collaborated with other musicians, including pianist Rudolf Serkin and cellist Pablo Casals. Hillyer received numerous awards and honors during his career. In 1964, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Lyndon B. Johnson. He was also a recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize, the highest honor for classical musicians in the United States. In 1986, he was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Hillyer continued to perform and teach until his death on January 5, 2010, at the age of 95. He left behind a legacy as one of the greatest violists of the 20th century, and as a founding member of one of the most influential string quartets in history.

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