Eugene Istomin facts for kids
Eugene George Istomin (born November 26, 1925 – died October 10, 2003) was a famous American pianist. He won a special award called the Leventritt Award. Eugene Istomin made many recordings, both by himself and as part of a piano trio. In this trio, he played with two other amazing musicians: Isaac Stern (a violinist) and Leonard Rose (a cellist).
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Early Life and Training
Eugene Istomin was born in New York City. His parents were from Russia and Ukraine. He was a child prodigy, which means he was incredibly talented at a very young age. He started playing in public when he was just six years old, often with his mother.
When he was 13, he went to the Curtis Institute, a famous music school. He learned from great teachers like Rudolf Serkin and Mieczysław Horszowski. He also got advice from the famous pianist Alexander Siloti.
First Performances and Recordings
In 1943, when Eugene Istomin was 17, he won the Leventritt award and the Philadelphia Youth Award. This was a big deal! In the same week that year, he played with two major orchestras:
- He played with the Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Eugene Ormandy. He performed a concerto by Chopin.
- He also played with the New York Philharmonic, led by Artur Rodziński. For this concert, he performed Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2.
His first recording was a piece by Bach. This recording became very popular and helped him become well-known.
Working with Other Musicians
Starting in 1950, Istomin regularly joined the Prades Festival. This festival was organized by the famous cellist Pablo Casals.
Eugene Istomin also had new music written just for him! Composers like Roger Sessions and Henri Dutilleux created piano pieces that he performed for the first time.
The Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio
One of the most famous parts of his career was the trio he formed with Isaac Stern and Leonard Rose. They were known as the Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio. They made many recordings together, especially of music by Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert. In 1970, the trio won a Grammy Award for their recordings of Beethoven's music.
As a soloist, Eugene Istomin played many concerts with orchestras. He worked with famous conductors like Eugene Ormandy, Leonard Bernstein, and Leopold Stokowski. He recorded many solo pieces and chamber music (music for small groups) for Columbia Records.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1975, Eugene Istomin married Marta Montañez Martinez. She was the widow of Pablo Casals, the famous cellist. Marta Casals Istomin later became the president of the Manhattan School of Music and worked at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.. Eugene Istomin moved to Washington in 1980.
Eugene Istomin loved to read and collect books. He even advised a publishing company on special editions of books.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he did something very unique. He traveled to 30 cities across America, mostly in the Midwest. He used a large truck to carry his own Steinway pianos and a piano tuner. He believed that classical music should be enjoyed by everyone, not just in big cities. He was also a big fan of the Detroit Tigers baseball team!
Eugene Istomin was more famous in Europe than in the United States. In 2001, he received a high honor from France called the Légion d'honneur.
He passed away in 2003 at his home in Washington from liver cancer.
Awards and Recognitions
- Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance:
- Eugene Istomin, Leonard Rose & Isaac Stern for Beethoven: The Complete Piano Trios (1971)
See also
In Spanish: Eugene Istomin para niños
