Beryl Rubinstein facts for kids

Beryl Rubinstein (born October 26, 1898 – died December 29, 1952) was a talented American pianist, a person who plays the piano. He was also a composer, meaning he wrote music, and a teacher. He taught many students how to play and understand music.

Early Life and Amazing Talent

Beryl Rubinstein was born in Athens, Georgia. His father, Isaac Rubinstein, was a rabbi there. From a very young age, Beryl showed incredible musical talent. He was known as a child prodigy on the piano.

He gave his first big concert in New York City in 1911. He played at the famous Metropolitan Opera House. After this, he traveled to Berlin, Germany, to study piano with great teachers like Ferruccio Busoni.

In 1916, he returned to New York City for another important concert. This time, he performed with the famous violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. Beryl then went on many tours, playing concerts across America and Europe. He even toured with the Duncan Dancers, a dance group led by Isadora Duncan.

A Leader in Music Education

In 1921, Beryl Rubinstein joined the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM). This is a special school where people learn to play music. He became a teacher there.

Later, in 1932, he became the director of the Cleveland Institute of Music. He led the school until he passed away. He also wrote a book called Outline of Piano Pedagogy in 1929. This book helped other teachers learn how to teach piano better.

Beryl Rubinstein also wrote his own music. He composed a piano concerto, which is a piece for piano and orchestra. He also wrote a string quartet, a piece for four string instruments. He created many other pieces and studies for solo piano. One of his students was the composer Jane Corner Young.

Serving His Country

When the United States joined World War II, Beryl Rubinstein wanted to help. He was 43 years old when he joined the U.S. Army. He became a captain.

His job was to organize musical activities for the soldiers. From 1942 to 1944, he traveled a lot. He went about 20,000 miles and performed in 75 concerts. These concerts were for servicemen in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He helped bring music and joy to soldiers during a difficult time.

Later Years

After the war, Beryl Rubinstein returned to Cleveland. He continued his work as the director of the Cleveland Institute of Music. Under his leadership, the school grew a lot over the next ten years.

Beryl Rubinstein passed away in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1952. He was buried at Mayfield Cemetery. He left behind his wife, Elsa, his son David, and his daughter Ellen.