Pamela Frank (born June 20, 1967) is an American
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
ist, with an active international career across a varied range of performing activity. Her musicianship was recognized in 1999 with the
Avery Fisher Prize
The Avery Fisher Prize is an award given to American musicians for outstanding achievement in classical music. Founded by philanthropist Avery Fisher in 1974, it is regarded as one of the most significant awards for American instrumentalists. Th ...
, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists. In addition to her career as a performer, Frank holds the Herbert R. and Evelyn Axelrod Chair in Violin Studies 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 ...
, where she has taught since 1996, and is also an Adjunct Professor of Violin at the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...
's
Thornton School of Music since 2018.
Biography
She was born in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, the daughter of two pianists,
Claude Frank
Claude Frank (born Claus Johannes Frank; December 24, 1925 – December 27, 2014) was a German-born American pianist.
Biography
Of Jewish ancestry, Frank was born in Nuremberg, Germany. His father emigrated to Brussels after the advent of the ...
and
Lilian Kallir
Lilian Kallir (May 6, 1931 – October 25, 2004) was a Czech-born American pianist. Born in Prague in 1931, she moved to New York in 1940, where she studied the piano under Isabelle Vengerova and Herman de Grab, and composition and theory under ...
. She studied under
Shirley Givens using the
Givens Method, unlike many of her contemporaries, who generally begin with the
Suzuki Method
The Suzuki method is a music curriculum and teaching philosophy dating from the mid-20th century, created by Japanese violinist and pedagogue Shinichi Suzuki (1898–1998). The method aims to create an environment for learning music which para ...
as children. In 1983 and 1984 she attended the
Music Academy of the West summer conservatory.
[She is also an alumna of the Juilliard Pre-College Class of 1985.
] She began her performing career in 1985, when she appeared with
Alexander Schneider and the
New York String Orchestra at
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
.
Pamela Frank has performed regularly with today's most distinguished soloists and ensembles, including the orchestras of Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Baltimore, as well as the Berlin, St. Petersburg, and Israel philharmonics. Her chamber music projects include performances with such artists as
Peter Serkin
Peter Adolf Serkin (July 24, 1947 – February 1, 2020) was an American classical pianist. He won the Grammy Award for Most Promising New Classical Recording Artist in 1966, and he performed globally, known for not only "technically pristine" pl ...
,
Yo-Yo Ma,
Emanuel Ax, and her father,
Claude Frank
Claude Frank (born Claus Johannes Frank; December 24, 1925 – December 27, 2014) was a German-born American pianist.
Biography
Of Jewish ancestry, Frank was born in Nuremberg, Germany. His father emigrated to Brussels after the advent of the ...
, and frequent appearances with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields,
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Musicians from Marlboro. In 1999 Pamela Frank was awarded the
Avery Fisher Prize
The Avery Fisher Prize is an award given to American musicians for outstanding achievement in classical music. Founded by philanthropist Avery Fisher in 1974, it is regarded as one of the most significant awards for American instrumentalists. Th ...
, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists.
She is on the faculties of the
Peabody Institute of
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...
, 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 ...
, and the
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system's ...
.
Since 2012 Pamela Frank is chair of the jury of the
Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists.
She is married to physical therapist Howard Nelson.
Discography
On Argo:
* Kernis Lament & Prayer, with David Zinman and the Minnesota Orchestra (1999)
On Arte Nova:
* Mozart Violin Concertos 1-5 with
David Zinman
David Zinman (born July 9, 1936, in Brooklyn, NY) is an American conductor and violinist.
Education
After violin studies at Oberlin Conservatory, Zinman studied theory and composition at the University of Minnesota, earning his M.A. in 1963. He ...
and the
Tonhalle Orchestra Tonhalle is a German word meaning "tone hall", a concert hall. It may refer to:
*Tonhalle Düsseldorf
*Tonhalle Orchester Zürich
*Tonhalle, Zürich
The Tonhalle is a concert hall in Zurich, home to the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, one of Switzer ...
(2000)
* Schubert: Works for Violin and Piano, with Claude Frank (2005)
On
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...
:
* Dvorak Violin Concerto, Romance, Suk Fantasy with Sir Charles Mackerras and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (1998)
* Brahms Complete Violin Sonatas, with Peter Serkin (1998)
On Delos:
* Herrmann "Souvenirs de Voyage" for Clarinet and String Quartet (1992)
* Prokofiev Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Bass in G minor, Op. 39 (1993)
On Hänssler Classics:
* Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26 with Neville Marriner and The Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields (2004)
On MusicMasters:
* Beethoven 10 Sonatas for Violin & Piano, with Claude Frank (1999)
On
Naxos Records
Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about 1 ...
:
* Zwilich Violin Concerto, with Michael Stern and the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra (2005)
On
Sony Classical:
* Chopin Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 8 (1994)
* Schubert Quintet in A Major, D. 667 "Trout" (1996)
* Schubert Quintet in C Major, D. 956 (1990)
References
External links
Official Website*
ttps://archive.today/20060902025010/http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/408 Professional bioReview of 2012 recital with Emanuel Ax
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frank, Pamela
1967 births
American classical violinists
Curtis Institute of Music faculty
Jewish classical musicians
Living people
Music Academy of the West alumni
Peabody Institute faculty
Musicians from New York City
Stony Brook University faculty
Women classical violinists
Classical musicians from New York (state)
Women music educators
21st-century classical violinists
21st-century American women musicians
American women academics
21st-century American violinists