Mischa Levitzki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mischa Levitzki
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| Born | May 25, 1898 Kremenchuk, Russian Empire
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| Died | January 2, 1941 (aged 42) Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey, United States
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Pianist |
Mischa Levitzki (sometimes spelled Levitski) was a very talented concert pianist. He was born in Ukraine, which was then part of the Russian Empire. He later moved to the United States and became an American citizen. Mischa Levitzki lived from 1898 to 1941 and was known for his amazing piano playing around the world.
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Early Life and Musical Training
Mischa Levitzki was born on May 25, 1898, in Kremenchuk, Ukraine. At that time, Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire. His parents were Jewish and became American citizens.
Mischa started playing the violin when he was only three years old. But he soon became very interested in the piano. He began studying piano in Warsaw with a teacher named Aleksander Michałowski. He made his first public performance, called a debut, in Antwerp in 1906.
Becoming a Professional Pianist
When he was in New York City, Mischa's father introduced him to Walter Damrosch. This led to Mischa getting a special scholarship to study at the Institute of Musical Art. This school is now known as the Juilliard School, a very famous music school. He studied there from 1907 to 1911 with his teacher Zygmunt Stojowski.
In 1913, Levitzki went to the Berlin Hochschule für Musik. He was the youngest student of a famous musician named Ernst von Dohnányi. In 1915, he won the Mendelssohn Prize, which is a special award for talented musicians. By this time, he had already performed in many countries across Europe and Scandinavia.
Mischa Levitzki made his American debut in New York City on October 17, 1916. He performed at Aeolian Hall. After this, he made the United States his permanent home and later became an American citizen.
Worldwide Concerts and Compositions
Mischa Levitzki traveled and performed in concerts all over the world. He toured in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. He became very famous for playing pieces from the Romantic period of music.
Besides playing the piano, Levitzki also wrote his own music. He arranged many pieces for the piano. He also wrote a special part, called a cadenza, for Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto. He wrote several smaller pieces for the piano too. Some of his most popular compositions include The Enchanted Nymph, Valse in A, Valse tzigane, and a gavotte.
In the 1920s, he also made many recordings for the AMPICO Piano Roll Company.
Mischa Levitzki passed away suddenly from a heart attack in 1941. He was 42 years old and was at his home in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey. His musical papers and notes are kept at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Compositions (selective list)
Piano solo
- Valse de concert, Op.1 (1924)
- Valse, Op. 2 (1921)
- Gavotte, Op. 3 (1923)
- Ah, Thou Beloved One, Op. 4 (1929)
- Arabesque valsante, Op. 6 (1934)
- Valse Tzigane, Op.7 (1935)
- Dance of the Doll, Op. 8 (1937)
- Do You Remember?, Op. 9 (1940)
- The Enchanted Nymph (1928)
