Efrem Zimbalist facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Efrem Zimbalist
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Zimbalist with his violin, circa 1915–1920
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Efrem Aleksandrovich Zimbalist (Russian: Ефрем Александрович Цимбалист)
21 April [O.S. 9 April] 1889 |
| Died | February 22, 1985 (aged 95) Reno, Nevada, U.S.
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| Occupation | Violinist |
| Spouse(s) | Alma Gluck Mary Louise Curtis Bok |
| Children | 2, including Efrem Zimbalist Jr. |
| Relatives | Stephanie Zimbalist (granddaughter) |
Efrem Zimbalist Sr. (born April 21, 1889 – died February 22, 1985) was a very famous violin player. He was also a composer (someone who writes music) and a conductor (someone who leads an orchestra). Later in his life, he became the director of a well-known music school.
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Early Life of Efrem Zimbalist
Efrem Zimbalist Sr. was born in a city called Rostov-on-Don in the Russian Empire. His father, Aron Zimbalist, was a conductor. This meant music was a big part of Efrem's family life.
By the time he was nine years old, Efrem was already playing the first violin in his father's orchestra. This is a very important role in an orchestra! When he was 12, he went to the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, a famous music school. There, he studied with a great teacher named Leopold Auer.
Efrem graduated from the Conservatory in 1907. He won a gold medal and a special prize. By the age of 21, many people thought he was one of the best violinists in the world.
Efrem Zimbalist's Music Career
After finishing school, Efrem Zimbalist started performing in big cities. He played his first concerts in Berlin and London in 1907. In 1911, he came to the United States and performed with a symphony orchestra.
He helped make classical music more popular in the United States. He played many concerts and shared his amazing talent. In 1917, he became an honorary member of a music fraternity called Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Efrem stopped performing as a violinist in 1949. But he came back in 1952 to play a new violin concerto. A concerto is a piece of music for a solo instrument and an orchestra. He retired again in 1955. He also helped judge music competitions, like the International Tchaikovsky Competition.
Early in his career, he owned a very special violin. It was a "Titian" Stradivarius, made by the famous violin maker Antonio Stradivari.
Teaching at Curtis Institute
In 1928, Zimbalist started teaching at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. This is a very respected music school. He became the director of the school in 1941 and stayed in that role until 1968.
Many of his students became famous musicians themselves. Some of them include Aaron Rosand, Oscar Shumsky, and Joseph Silverstein. He helped many young musicians become great artists.
Zimbalist's Compositions
Besides playing the violin, Efrem Zimbalist also wrote his own music. He wrote a violin concerto and a piano concerto. He also composed pieces like the American Rhapsody and a tone poem called Daphnis and Chloe. A tone poem is a piece of music that tells a story or describes something.
He also wrote a fantasy based on themes from the opera Carmen. In 1956, his own opera called Landara was performed for the first time.
Music Dedicated to Zimbalist
Some other composers wrote music especially for Efrem Zimbalist. This shows how much they respected his talent.
- František Drdla's Guitarrero
- Edvard Grieg's 4 Humoresques
- Victor Küzdő's Promenade Grotesque
- Cyril Scott's Tallahassee
- Willem Willeke's Chant Sans Paroles
Public Involvement
Efrem Zimbalist was also involved in public life. The famous cellist Pablo Casals wrote that Zimbalist was part of a committee. This committee was created to help people during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
Efrem Zimbalist's Family Life
Efrem Zimbalist married a famous American singer named Alma Gluck. They even toured and performed together for a while. Sadly, Alma Gluck passed away in 1938.
In 1943, Efrem married Mary Louise Curtis Bok. She was the person who founded the Curtis Institute of Music, where he taught. Her father was a well-known publisher.
Efrem and Alma's children, Efrem Jr. and Maria, were christened at an Episcopal Church. The family regularly attended this church. Efrem Jr. later became involved in religious broadcasting.
Efrem Zimbalist Sr. passed away in 1985 when he was 95 years old. His son, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and his granddaughter, Stephanie Zimbalist, both became popular actors. They were known for their roles in television shows. Efrem Jr. was in Maverick and The FBI. Stephanie played the lead in Remington Steele.
See also
In Spanish: Efrem Zimbalist para niños
