Berl Senofsky
Berl Senofsky (April 19, 1926 − June 21, 2002) was an American classical violinist, active during the twentieth century.
Biography
Senofsky was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 19, 1926, the son of Russian immigrant violinists. He received his first music lessons from his father at the age of three. By the time he was six he had won a scholarship to study with Louis Persinger, a former pupil of Eugène Ysaÿe. At the age of twelve he received a scholarship to the Juilliard School to study with Ivan Galamian, with whom he remained for twelve years. Following military service in World War II, Senofsky made his New York recital debut as the winner of the coveted Walter Naumburg Award in 1946. Shortly thereafter, he appeared as a soloist for the first time with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. He remained as assistant concertmaster there from 1951 to 1955.
In 1955, Senofsky became the first and only American violinist to win the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. Since then, he has become a permanent member of the jury for the Belgian competition.
Senofsky performed regularly on the international concert circuit. In the United States he has played with the New York Philharmonic, the American Symphony Orchestra, and the orchestras of Chicago, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh, among others. He has also performed in Europe, South America, and the Far East.
In addition to extensive touring, recording, and teaching duties at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he started in 1965, Senofsky was the founder and prime mover of the American Artists International Foundation, Inc. Established to help prepare young American musicians for international competitions, the organization has made it possible for American violinists to participate in the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition. In 1983, Senofsky was invited by the director of the Shanghai Conservatory to start a new school of violin playing; he remained in the People's Republic of China for three months giving master classes and performances.
Newsweek once called Senofsky a "giant of a man...an American musical hero of Bunyanesque proportions." Consistently praised for his tone, virtuosity, and musicianship, Berl Senofsky's artistry has won him the admiration of colleagues and audiences alike.
Senofsky died from complications from heart and lung disease on June 21, 2002, aged 77, at his home in Baltimore, Maryland.[1]
References
External links
- Senofsky at Cembal D'Amour Classical Recordings
- Obituary of Senofsky in NY Times
- New York Times review of the documentary The Winners
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