Leonora Jackson McKim

Leonora Jackson McKim (born Leonora Jackson, February 20, 1879, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States; died January 7, 1969, in Baltimore, Maryland, United States) was one of the first American women to achieve international acclaim as a concert violinist, and was credited with improving the perception of American artists in Europe: "Leonora Jackson was the first American violinist whom European opinions recognized to equal any of its great artists and who conquered all prejudice as to the supposed inferiority of American talent."

Biography Leonora Jackson McKim was born in Boston to Charles P. Jackson, a wealthy engineer, and Elisabeth Higgins, an aspiring singer. She was decorated by Queen Victoria, and performed throughout Europe and the United States with leading orchestras including the London Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony.

Leonora Jackson as a child in the 1880s. Photo: McKim Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress

Early life and violin studies Leonora Jackson studied violin from age seven, beginning in Chicago with Carl Becker for four years followed by S. E. Jacobsohn of the Chicago Symphony. In 1891, she traveled to Paris to study with Léon Desjardins, Charles Dancla at the Paris Conservatoire and Carl Markees in Berlin. In 1893, Joseph Joaquim had the opportunity to listen to Jackson during a visit to the United States; he later took her on as a student at the Royal Academy of Music in Berlin.

In 1898, Jackson won the Mendelssohn Scholarship, awarded by the Leipzig Conservatory in support of foreign students, receiving a prize worth approximately $90,000 in today's dollars. This funding along with the help of her patrons, including First Lady Frances Folsom Cleveland and industrialist George Vanderbilt, allowed her to study in Chicago, Paris, and Berlin. Once more she was acclaimed: ‘Unquestionably we have to do here with no ordinary talent […]. From the proofs both musical and technical which the young lady offered […] she is sure of a career.’ In 1898, Jackson's London debut was another great success. Afterward, she performed in various German cities, as well as in Switzerland, Belgium and Austria.

On July 17, 1899, Leonora performed before Queen Victoria and the Royal Family at Windsor Castle as a part of a tour of England. The Queen presented Leonora with a jeweled, star-shaped brooch bearing the royal monogram. She frequently wore the Victorian Star during performances, concerts, and photographs. and a member of a prominent Baltimore merchant family.

Legacy The McKim Fund After Leonora's death in 1969, the McKim Fund was established in 1970. The fund was based on the bequest of the McKim family and intended to commission new music for violin and piano. Since 1970, over 50 new works emerged as an outcome of the McKim fund. Among them are works such as Second Sonata for Violin by William Bolcom and Two4 for violin and piano by John Cage.

Collections and holdings The Maryland Historical Society holds three collections related to Leonora Jackson McKim – the Leonora Jackson McKim Photograph Collection, containing photographs from 1883 to 1942 with the bulk of the collection from the 1890s; the Leonora Jackson McKim Manuscript and Ephemera Collection, and the William Duncan McKim Photograph Collection. Since 1983, Philip Setzer of the Emerson String Quartet and Jan Talich of the Talich String Quartet have used 'Leonora' for several recordings. Oleh Krysa, David Taylor, Eugene Fodor, and Chee Yun have also performed on 'Leonora'. Scott Yoo played the 'Leonora' for 'The Riddle of Bach' episode on the PBS series 'Now Hear This'.