Ralph Kirshbaum

Ralph Henry Kirshbaum (born March 4, 1946)

Early life and education Kirshbaum was born in Denton, Texas, and raised in Tyler. His father, Joseph Kirshbaum (1911–1996), was a professional violinist, composer, conductor, music educator, and an alumnus of Yale University, where he had also taught. From 1944 to 1947, Joseph Kirshbaum was on the faculty of University of North Texas College of Music, where he also conducted its symphony orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Kirshbaum has collaborated with artists such as Yefim Bronfman, Peter Frankl, György Pauk, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Midori, Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham, Vadim Repin, Lang Lang, Leif Ove Andsnes, Garrick Ohlsson, as well as the Juilliard String Quartet, Emerson String Quartet and the Tokyo String Quartet among many others. In particular, his longtime piano trio collaboration with Frankl and Pauk has generated a large number of concerts and recordings. The BBC commissioned Fourteen Little Pictures by James MacMillan to mark their 25th anniversary in 1997.