Ivan Alexander Galamian ( hy, Իվան Ղալամեան; April 14, 1981) was an Armenian-American violin teacher of the twentieth century who was the violin teacher of many seminal violin players including

Itzhak Perlman Itzhak Perlman ( he, יצחק פרלמן; born August 31, 1945) is an Israeli-American violinist widely considered one of the greatest violinists in the world. Perlman has performed worldwide and throughout the United States, in venues that hav ...

Biography

Galamian was born in

Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quru River valley in Iran's historic Azerbaijan region between long ridges of vo ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

to an Armenian family. Soon after his birth, the family emigrated to Moscow, Russia. Galamian studied violin at the School of the Philharmonic Society with Konstantin Mostras (a student of Leopold Auer) and graduated in 1919. He was jailed at age fifteen by the

Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

government. The opera manager at the

Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, literally "Big Theater", p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈatər) is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and ope ...

rescued Galamian; the manager argued that Galamian was a necessary part of the opera orchestra, and subsequently the government released him. Soon thereafter he moved to Paris and studied under Lucien Capet in 1922 and 1923. In 1924 he debuted in Paris. Due to a combination of nerves, health, and a fondness for teaching, Galamian eventually gave up the stage in order to teach full-time. He became a faculty member at the

Conservatoire Rachmaninoff The Conservatoire Serge Rachmaninoff de Paris (English translation: Sergei Rachmaninoff Conservatory of Paris) is a professional music school in Paris, which conducts its courses in both French and Russian. The Conservatoire offers individual i ...

where he taught from 1925 to 1929. His earliest pupils in Paris include Vida Reynolds, the first woman in Philadelphia Orchestra's first-violin section, and

Paul Makanowitzky Paul Makanowitzky (June 20, 1920 Stockholm – February 24, 1998 Freeport, Maine) was an American violinist, and violin teacher. Life He studied with Ivan Galamian, and Jacques Thibaud. He made his debut in 1929, in Salle Gaveau, Paris, and New Y ...

. In 1937 Galamian moved permanently to the United States. In 1941 he married Judith Johnson in New York City. He taught violin at the

Curtis Institute of Music The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on full scholarship. Hi ...

beginning in 1944, and became the head of the violin department at the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely ...

in 1946. He wrote two violin method books, ''Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching'' (1962) and ''Contemporary Violin Technique'' (1962). Galamian incorporated aspects of both the Russian and French schools of violin technique in his approach. In 1944 he founded the

Meadowmount School of Music The Meadowmount School of Music, founded in 1944 by Ivan Galamian, is a 7-week summer school in the town of Lewis (mailing address Westport) in Upstate New York for accomplished young violinists, cellists, violists, and pianists training for prof ...

, a summer program in Westport, New York. The school has remained operational and has trained thousands of world-class musicians. Galamian taught concurrently at Curtis, Juilliard, and Meadowmount schools. He did not retire and maintained an active full-time work schedule. He died at the age of 78 in 1981 in New York City. His wife subsequently took on an active role in managing the Meadowmount School. Galamian's most notable teaching assistants — later distinguished teachers in their own right — were

Margaret Pardee Margaret Pardee Butterly (May 10, 1920 – January 26, 2016) was an American violinist and violin teacher. Life and career Pardee was born in 1920 and grew up in Valdosta, Georgia. She graduated from the Juilliard School where she studied with ...

Dorothy DeLay Dorothy DeLay (March 31, 1917 – March 24, 2002) was an American violin instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School, Sarah Lawrence College, and the University of Cincinnati. Life Dorothy DeLay was born on March 31, 1917, in Medicine L ...

, Sally Thomas, Pauline Scott,

Robert Lipsett Robert Crawford Lipsett Jr. (born October 23, 1947) is a violin teacher in Los Angeles, California. He holds the Jascha Heifetz Distinguished Violin Chair at the Colburn School of Performing Arts. He also serves on the faculty at the Aspen School o ...

Lewis Kaplan Lewis Kaplan (born November 10, 1933) is an American violinist, and pedagogue. He is a senior professor in violin and chamber music at the Juilliard School and has been on the faculty at Mannes School of Music since 1987, both located in New Yor ...

David Cerone David Cerone was a co-founder of the ENCORE School for Strings, where he co-directed and served as faculty member since 1985. Mr. Cerone serves as a juror for many prominent national and international violin competitions and presents master classes ...

, and Elaine Richey. Galamian held honorary degrees from the

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the United States and the second oldest continuously operating coeducational institute of highe ...

, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He was an honorary member of the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke ...

, London.

Notable pupils

Sando Shia *

William Barbini William (Bill) Barbini (born 1947) is an American violinist. He took his diploma from Juilliard School in 1970, studying with Ivan Galamian among others. He thereafter became one of the youngest members selected to the New York Philharmonic violin ...

Betty-Jean Hagen Betty-Jean Hagen (October 17, 1930 – December 29, 2016) was a Canadian-born violinist and musical educator living in the United States. Early life Hagen was born in Edmonton and studied violin there with Alexander Nicol. Hagen won awards at the ...

* * Serge Blanc (violinist) *

Anker Buch Anker Buch (25 March 1940 – 1 April 2014) was a Danish violinist. He was born in Vejgaard. He gained international recognition and played more than 7,000 concerts in most parts of the world. When Buch was 10 years old, he made his debut as a ...

* Robert Canetti *

Stuart Canin Stuart Canin (born 1926 in New York City) is an American violinist and conductor. On December 30, 1936, at the age of 10, he performed on the Fred Allen radio hour.Alex Walsh, "STUART CANIN: "...An Excellent Violinist." — Harry Truman," Dec. 10, ...

Jonathan Carney Jonathan Carney is an American violinist, violist, and conductor. Carney studied at the Juilliard School with Christine Dethier and Ivan Galamian. He is the concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Career Carney moved to London on ...

* José Francisco del Castillo *

Charles Martin Castleman Charles Martin Castleman (born 22 May 1941) is an American violinist and teacher. Born in Quincy, Massachusetts, he began violin lessons at the age of four with Ondricek. When he was six he appeared as a soloist with Arthur Fiedler and the Bost ...

* Kyung Wha Chung *

Glenn Dicterow Glenn Dicterow (born December 23, 1948), is an American violinist and former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He is on the faculty of the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music where he holds the Jascha ...

* Charles Avsharian * Michael Avsharian * Philippe Djokic * Eugene Fodor *

Miriam Fried Miriam Fried (born 9 September 1946) is a Romanian-born Israeli classical violinist and pedagogue. Biography Miriam Fried was born in Satu Mare, Romania but moved with her family to Israel when she was aged 2. Her family settled in Herzliya. H ...

Erick Friedman Erick Friedman (16 August 1939 – 30 March 2004) was an American violinist. He performed around the world as guest soloist with orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Chicago Symphony Orches ...

* Gregory Fulkerson * Joseph Genualdi * Shirley Givens * Heimo Haitto * Daniel Heifetz *

Ulf Hoelscher Ulf Hoelscher (born 17 January 1942 in Kitzingen) is a German violinist. He has been Solo (music), soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He has recorded numerous conc ...

Carmel Kaine Carmel Kaine (22 March 193721 April 2013) was an Australian classical violinist. She was born in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales and studied at the New South Wales Conservatorium, graduating at age 17 with the prize for the most outstanding student ...

* Kaoru Kakudo * Dong-Suk Kang * Martha Strongin Katz *

Ani Kavafian Ani Kavafian ( hy, Անի Գավաֆեան, born May 10, 1948, Istanbul) is a classical violinist and professor at the Yale School of Music. Early life and education Born in Istanbul of Armenian heritage, Ani Kavafian began piano lessons at t ...

Ida Kavafian Ida Kavafian ( hy, Այտա Գավաֆեան) (born October 29, 1952 in Istanbul) is an American classical violinist and violist. Biography Kavafian was born in Turkey to Armenian parents. She moved with her family to America in 1956, and began ...

Chin Kim Chin Kim (born 1957) is a Korean-born American classical violinist, largely educated in the United States through the Juilliard School, and the Curtis Institute of Music. Activities Chin Kim performs extensively throughout the North America, Euro ...

* Young Uck Kim * Helen Kwalwasser *

Fredell Lack Fredell Lack (February 19, 1922 – August 20, 2017) was an American violinist. Noted as a concert soloist, recording artist, chamber musician, and teacher, she was the C. W. Moores Distinguished Professor of Violin at the Moores School of ...

* Jaime Laredo *

Isidor Lateiner Isidor Lateiner (January 8, 1930, Havana, Cuba – May 26, 2005, Amsterdam, Netherlands) was a Cubans, Cuban-United States, American violinist. He was the brother of pianist Jacob Lateiner. Lateiner showed exceptional musical talent at a ver ...

Sergiu Luca Sergiu Luca (4 April 1943, in Bucharest – 6 December 2010, in Houston) was a Romanian-born American violinist, renowned as an early music pioneer; during his career he performed and recorded on both baroque violin, baroque and violin, modern vio ...

* * Gil Morgenstern *

David Nadien David Nadien (March 12, 1926 – May 28, 2014) was an American virtuoso violinist and violin teacher. He was the concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic from 1966 to 1970. His playing style, characterized by fast vibrato, audible shifting noi ...

Sally O'Reilly Sally O'Reilly (born 1971) is a writer, critic, teacher and editor. She publishes and distributes text in conventional and expanded forms, from art magazines to performance lectures to opera. Her divergent subject matter contributes to an ongoing ...

* Michael Rabin *

Gerardo Ribeiro Gerardo Ribeiro (born 1950, Oporto, Portugal) is a violinist who serves on the faculty of the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. He studied at the Juilliard School of Music under Ivan Galamian. He previously taught at Central Mich ...

* Berl Senofsky * Simon Standage *

Arnold Steinhardt Arnold Steinhardt (born 1937 in Los Angeles, California) is an American violinist, best known as the first violinist of the Guarneri String Quartet. Steinhardt made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 14. He studie ...

* Albert Stern *Eva Szekely * Michel Tagrine *

Arve Tellefsen Arve Tellefsen () (born 14 December 1936) is a Norwegian violinist who has worked with conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Arvid Jansons, Herbert Blomstedt, Gary Bertini, Evgeny Svetlanov, Bryden Thomson, Neeme Järvi, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Paavo ...

*Sally Thomas * Gwen Thompson * Andor Toth *

Charles Treger Charles Treger (May 13, 1935 – January 12, 2023) was an American violinist and teacher. He studied with violin pedagogue Ivan Galamian, Szymon Goldberg, William Engel and William Kroll. He was the first and only American to win first place in t ...

* Rebekah Yoon * Robert Vernon (musician) *

Donald Weilerstein Donald Weilerstein (born 1940) is an American violinist and pedagogue. Early life and education Weilerstein was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Berkeley, California. He began playing the violin at the age of four and earned a Bachelor o ...

* Pinchas Zukerman * Simon Shaheen

Edited works

*Bach, Concerto No. 1 (A minor). New York: International Music Company, 1960. *Bach, Concerto No. 1 (D minor). New York: International Music Company, 1960. *Bach, Concerto No. 2 (E major). New York: International Music Company, 1960. *Bach, Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin. New York: International Music Company, 1971. (Includes facsimile of the original) *Brahms, Sonatas, Op. 78, 100, 108. New York: International Music Company. *Bruch, Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46. New York: International Music Company, 1975. *Conus, Concerto in E minor. New York: International Music Company, 1976. *Dont, Twenty-four Etudes and Caprices, Op. 35. New York: International Music Company, 1968. *Dont, Twenty-four Exercises, Op. 37. New York: International Music Company, 1967. *Dvořák, Concerto in A minor, Op. 53. New York: International Music Company, 1975. *Fiorillo, Thirty-six Studies or Caprices. New York: International Music Company, 1964. *Galaxy Music Company, 1963 and 1966. *Gaviniés, Twenty-four Studies. New York: International Music Company, 1963. *Kreutzer, Forty-two Etudes. New York: International Music Company, 1963. *Mazas, Etudes Speciales, Op. 36 Part 1. New York: International Music Company, 1964. *Mazas, Etudes Brilliantes, Op. 36 Part 2. New York: International Music Company, 1972. *Paganini, Twenty-four Caprices. New York: International Music Company, 1973. *Rode, Twenty-four Caprices. New York: International Music Company, 1962. *Saint-Saëns, Caprice, Op. 52, No. 6. New York: International Music Company. *Sinding, Suite in A minor, Op. 10. New York: International Music Company, 1970. *Tchaikovsky, Three Pieces, Op. 42. New York: International Music Company, 1977. *Vivaldi, Concerto in A minor. New York: International Music Company, 1956. *Vivaldi, Concerto in G minor, Op. 12, No. 1. New York: International Music Company, 1973. *Vivaldi, Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, Op. 3, No. 11. New York: International Music Company, 1964. *Vivaldi, Concerto for Two Violins in A minor. Piccioli-Galamian, New York: International Music Company, 1956. *Vieuxtemps, Concerto No. 5 in A minor, Op. 37, New York: International Music Company, 1957. *Wieniawski, Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22. New York: International Music Company, 1957. *Wieniawski, Ecole Moderne, Op. 10. New York: International Music Company, 1973.

Publications

* * * The book principles of violin playing and teaching is translated to several languages in the world. Chinese version is done by Professor Peter Shi-xiang Zhang, Spanish by Renato Zanettovich, Persian by Dr. Mohsen Kazemian.

References

External links