Vladimir Sokoloff

Vladimir Sokoloff (February 21, 1913 – October 27, 1997) was an American pianist and accompanist on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his teaching work with the accompanying, piano and chamber music students, he was an active performer.

Life

Born in New York in 1913, Sokoloff entered the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia in 1929, studying with Abram Chasins, Harry Kaufman and Louis Bailly. He joined the faculty in 1936. In 1942, he took part in the founding of the New School (in Philadelphia, now the Esther Boyer School of Music at Temple University) with his colleagues, Jascha Brodsky, Max Aronoff and Orlando Cole.

From 1938 to 1950, he was pianist for the Philadelphia Orchestra. As a recital accompanist and pianist with a career of over 70 years, his repertoire spanned all instrumental and vocal genres and styles. Sokoloff collaborated with such artists as the violinists Efrem Zimbalist, (with whom he had a 27-year collaboration, accompanying recitals all over the world), Jaime Laredo, Aaron Rosand; violists William Primrose and Joseph di Pasquale; the cellists Gregor Piatigorsky and Emanuel Feuermann; flautist Julius Baker, William Kincaid, oboist Marcel Tabuteau, and soprano Marcella Sembrich.

Family and private life

Vladimir Sokoloff was a cousin of composer Noel Sokoloff. He was a nephew of conductor Nikolai Sokoloff. Another first cousin was pianist Theodore Saidenberg. The couple performed as a duo until the birth of their daughters: Kathy, director of development at the Settlement Music School, and Laurie, principal piccolo player with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and professor at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.

Vladimir Sokoloff died in 1997 in Philadelphia, aged 84, after a long illness.

Students at the Curtis Institute Sokoloff's most famous non-classical student was Nina Simone, who was not admitted to Curtis as a piano Student despite Sokoloff's efforts on her behalf. Other students included Ruth Butterfield, Ruth Crane Friedberg, Thomas Jaber, Robert Koenig, Joan Lippincott, Alan Morrison, Chie Nagatani, Ghenady Meirson, Norman Mittelmann, Eytan Pessen, Paul Romero, Barry Snyder, Susan Starr, and Christi Zuniga.

Quote On Nina Simone: "She was not a genius, but she had great talent. I accepted her on the basis of her talent, and with the understanding that I would prepare her for [another] audition at Curtis. It was during that early period that she demonstrated, at one lesson, her ability to play jazz. I remember distinctly telling her, 'why don't you pursue this as your profession?' And she said, 'Oh no, my first love is classical music and I want to be a pianist'."

Selected discography Dohnanyi, Curtis String Quartet, Vladimir Sokoloff, Westminster XWN 18514, 1957 Scriabin, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, Gilbert Johnson, Vladimir Sokoloff, RCA SB 6854, 1971 Mason Jones, Vladimir Sokoloff, Music for French Horn, Music Minus One, MMO 8044, 1973 Mason Jones, Vladimir Sokoloff, Music for French Horn, Music Minus One, MMO 8047, 1973 William Kincaid, Vladimir Sokoloff, Philadelphia Orchestra Solo Flutist: Platti, Handel, Bach, Mozart, Gluck, SKU BR1058 Boston Records, N.D. Camilla Williams, Al Goodman and his orchestra (Rib), Guild Choristers, 'Summertime' 'Raphsody in Blue'(Gershwin), RCA Victor 46-0004, 78 mono, 1947? Al Goodman and his orchestra, Träumerei & Undercurrent,(Brahms theme from 3rd Symphony) RCA Victor 46-0008, 78 mono, 1947?