- Jacques Abram
Jacques Abram (
August 6 1915 –October 5 1998 ), an American classical pianist, was born inLufkin, Texas [ [http://musicsack.com/PersonFMTDetail.cfm?PersonPK=100042845 The Music Sack] Entry for Jacques Abram accessed March 12, 2008] and died inTampa, Florida [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E6D6113AF934A25753C1A96E958260] Kozinn, Allan, "Jacques Abram, 83, a Pianist Of Crisp Modernist Precision," "The New York Times", October 17, 1998] .Abram began improvising at age 3 and performing in public at age 6. At the urging of
Ignace Jan Paderewski andJosef Hofmann , who had heard Abram in concert, his parents enrolled him in theCurtis Institute , where he studied withErnest Hutcheson . At age 13, Abram transferred to theJuilliard School , where he continued his studies with Hofmann andDavid Saperton . TheNational Federation of Music Clubs awarded Abram itsSchubert Memorial Award in 1937.During
World War II , Abram was stationed with a special services unit inSan Antonio, Texas [Schorr, Daniel, "Staying Tuned" (Simon and Schuster, 2001)] . He served as Artist in Residence atToronto, Canada 'sUniversity of Toronto andRoyal Conservatory of Music in the 1950s, and in 1963 he moved toTampa, Florida , where he was on the faculty of theUniversity of South Florida . [ [http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/08/Hillsborough/Iorio_s_dad__a_noted_.shtml] James, Joni, "Iorio's dad, a noted USF prof, dies at 82," "St. Petersburg Times", February 8, 2007]In 1948, Abram gave the American premiere of
Benjamin Britten 's piano concerto inSalt Lake City, Utah . In 1949 he gave the work its New York premiere under the baton ofLeopold Stokowski , and on January 25, 1956 he was soloist in the work's first recording, with thePhilharmonia Orchestra underHerbert Menges .EMI has reissued that recording oncompact disc . [ [http://www.andante.com/article/article.cfm?id=15827 Andante International Record Review 2002] Review of EMI British Composers CDZ5 74781-2, Britten andRubbra Piano Concerti.] According to the composer, Abram also gave the first English and US performances ofArthur Benjamin 's 1949 Concerto quasi una Fantasia; in Benjamin's words, "Jacques Abram, the American pianist, gave it its first English performance at theCheltenham Festival in 1952 and the first American performance in San Antonio in 1953." [ [http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/dec00/ArthurBenjamin.htm MusicWeb-International] Barnett, Rob, "Benjamin - Australian Symphonist" accessed March 13, 2008]References
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