Bernard Greenhouse facts for kids

Bernard Greenhouse (born on January 3, 1916; died on May 13, 2011) was a famous American cellist. He was especially known for playing chamber music, which is classical music played by a small group of musicians. Bernard Greenhouse was one of the first members of the Beaux Arts Trio. This group included three musicians: a pianist, a violinist, and a cellist.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Bernard Greenhouse was born in Newark, New Jersey. His family loved music, and he started learning the cello when he was nine years old. He studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City with a teacher named Felix Salmond. Later, he also learned from two other very important cellists: Emmanuel Feuermann and the legendary Pablo Casals. It was very special to be taught by Casals, as only a few students had that chance.

When he began his music career, Bernard Greenhouse became the main cellist for the CBS Symphony Orchestra from 1938 to 1942. He also played chamber music with a group called the Dorian String Quartet. Even though he performed many solo concerts, he always loved playing chamber music the most.

A Famous Trio

In 1955, Bernard Greenhouse met violinist Daniel Guilet and pianist Menahem Pressler in New York. They decided to form a new group called the Beaux Arts Trio. This trio quickly became famous around the world. Bernard Greenhouse played with them for many years, until 1987.

At that time, some string quartets were well-known, but it was unusual for a piano trio to become so successful. However, the Beaux Arts Trio was very popular. They were first asked to play 10 concerts, and soon after, they were offered 80! Before long, they were performing in Europe and all over the world. They played about 130 concerts each year in the USA alone and made many recordings.

Teaching and Legacy

Besides performing, Bernard Greenhouse also loved to teach. He taught music at famous schools like the Juilliard and Manhattan schools of music in New York. He also taught at several other music schools across the USA.

When he retired from performing, he moved to Massachusetts. There, he continued to teach talented young cellists. He never charged them for his lessons, showing how much he cared about helping new musicians. Bernard Greenhouse received many important awards for his contributions to music, including the Prix Mondial du Disque and the US Presidential Medallion in 1985.

Bernard Greenhouse continued to play the cello even when he was 95 years old. He passed away in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, on May 13, 2011.

See also

In Spanish: Bernard Greenhouse para niños