Elaine Comparone is an American

harpsichordist A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord. Harpsichordists may play as soloists, as accompanists, as chamber musicians, or as members of an orchestra, or some combination of these roles. Solo harpsichordists may play unaccompanied son ...

. Born in 1943, in Lawrence Massachusetts, she is known for playing in a standing position before a specially adapted

Dowd Dowd is a derivation of an ancient surname once common in Ireland but now not readily found. The name Dowd is an Anglicisation of the original Ó Dubhda (pronounced ), through its more common form O'Dowd. The Uí Dubhda are one of the Clann Uí Fia ...

instrument.

Background

Born into a family of musicians in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Comparone began playing piano at aged four, while studying other instruments during childhood. However, while attending

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , ...

she began to learn the harpsichord and, subsequently, was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study under

Isolde Ahlgrimm Isolde Ahlgrimm (31 July 1914 in Vienna – 11 October 1995 in Vienna) was an Austrian harpsichordist and fortepianist. In 1975 she was awarded the Austrian Gold Medal. Musical education Ahlgrimm pursued her early piano studies from 1922 at ...

at the Vienna Academy. Comparone made her recital debut as a Concert Artists Guild award winner in New York, in 1970, and has since been the recipient of Solo Recitalist and Recording Grants from the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

. As founding director of Harpsichord Unlimited, a non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating interest in the harpsichord and teaching audiences about the instrument, its history, and its music, she has directed and performed an annual series of concerts.

References

Elaine Comparone in 1974Elaine Comparone in 1980Elaine Comparone In 1974Elaine Comparone in 1997Elaine Comparone in 1975Elaine Comparone in 1983Linda Comparone in 1979

External links

Picture of Elaine Comparone 2019.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comparone, Elaine American harpsichordists Living people People from Lawrence, Massachusetts Musicians from Massachusetts Women harpsichordists 1943 births