Peter Serkin facts for kids

Peter Adolf Serkin (born July 24, 1947 – died February 1, 2020) was an American pianist who played classical music. He was famous for playing very well and for loving new music. Peter Serkin won a Grammy Award in 1966. He taught music at several big schools, like the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School.

Growing Up

Peter Serkin was born in Manhattan, New York City, on July 24, 1947. His father, Rudolf Serkin, was also a famous pianist. His grandfather, Adolf Busch, was a well-known violinist. Peter was named Adolf to honor his grandfather. He spent a lot of his childhood on his parents' farm in Guilford, Vermont.

When he was 11 years old, Peter started studying music. He went to the Curtis Institute of Music in 1958. His teachers there included his own father and other great pianists. He finished his studies and graduated when he was 16, in 1964.

Music Career

Peter Serkin started his concert career in 1958. He first played at the Marlboro Music Festival. This festival was started by his father and other musicians. After that, Peter was asked to play with big orchestras. These included the Cleveland Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

In 1966, when he was 19, Peter won a Grammy Award. This award was for being a very promising new classical recording artist. He also received other awards for his recordings. In 1983, he was the first pianist to win the Premio Internazionale Musicale Chigiana award.

In 1968, Peter decided to stop playing music for a while. He moved to a small town in Mexico with his family. About eight months later, he heard music by Johann Sebastian Bach on the radio. He said listening to it made him realize he should play music again. So, he returned to the U.S. and started his music career once more.

After returning, Serkin played all over the world. He performed with famous orchestras and conductors. He made many recordings, especially for RCA Victor. He recorded Bach's Goldberg Variations five times over his life. He also recorded music by many other composers. These included Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. He also played music by more modern composers.

Peter Serkin loved to play new music. Some composers wrote pieces especially for him. He was known for playing both old and new music with great skill. He was one of the first pianists to try playing on older types of pianos called fortepianos. He even recorded Beethoven's sonatas on both modern and older pianos.

Serkin worked with many other famous musicians. He taught at several music schools, including the Juilliard School and Yale School of Music. He also taught at the Bard College Conservatory of Music.

Later Life and Death

Peter Serkin was married twice and had five children. He passed away on February 1, 2020. He died from pancreatic cancer at his home in Red Hook, New York.

See also

In Spanish: Peter Serkin para niños