Rudolf Serkin

Rudolf Serkin (1903-1991) was one of the great pianists of the 20th century. As Director of the Curtis Institute and the Marlboro Music School and Festival he had a major impact on American musical life in the decades after the Second World War. As a musician Serkin famously demanded a great deal of himself and also of others. He practiced obsessively and felt that performers were “dwarves” in comparison to the composers whose music they played. Musicians held him in great esteem for his integrity and intense dedication.