Vern William Steck (February 18, 1934 in Powell, Wyoming – April 13, 2013) was an American violinist. He was encouraged almost from birth to play music. His father was a violinist who had returned to his family's farm during the Depression, and his mother held a variety of jobs to finance their only child's musical education. At times, his parents were forced to choose between buying their son new toys and taking him to concerts by such violinists as Jascha Heifetz and Yehudi Menuhin. His family settled in Philadelphia, where Steck studied 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 ...

. He graduated from the Philadelphia Musical Academy in 1952 and received a master's degree in music from the University of Texas in

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

in 1957.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steck, William 1934 births 2013 deaths American male violinists 20th-century American violinists People from Powell, Wyoming 20th-century American male musicians