Curtis Institute

A virtuoso factory

Top Classical, November 2022
The Curtis Institute of Music was founded in 1924 by Mary Louise Curtis Bok, who named it in honor of her father, Cyrus Curtis, an American publisher. After consulting with musician friends Josef Hofmann, who later became the first director, and Leopold Stokowski on how best to help musically gifted young people, Bok purchased three mansions on Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square and had them joined and renovated.  

Bok had worked with the very poor in Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School and found that many of the students there, though culturally and financially deprived, were very musically talented. Based on her experiences there, she assembled a highly talented staff and by 1928 had made the school tuition free. Today it continues this tradition, accepting students based solely on merit only, and providing them with the financial freedom to attend Curtis and have a future in music. 

The institute formerly served as a training ground for orchestral musicians to fill the ranks of the Philadelphia Orchestra, although composers, organists, pianists, guitarists, and singers are offered courses of study as well. Annual enrollment, all merit-based and tuition-free, numbers about 160 students from a myriad of nations and ranging in age from 10 to 26 years old. All pupils attend on full scholarship and admission is extremely competitive. 

Such noted composers as Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, Gian Carlo Menotti, and Vincent Persichetti have studied at Curtis. Legends like pianists Josef Hofmann and Rudolf Serkin have taught here, and the Curtis Institute of Music is still turning out virtuosos like violinist Hilary Hahn. 

“It’s a professional atmosphere,” said soprano Joslin Romphf. “The quality of the productions is very high, and we get to work with great directors and conductors who have different styles. All in all, it ends up being a wonderful educational experience.” 

The institute’s library contains more than 65,000 books, music scores, and records, and its orchestra library houses the Leopold Stokowski Collection.

Curtis graduates perform in most major orchestras in the world, often as principals; half of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s musicians are Curtis alumni. Dozens of events are open to the public including the Curtis Symphony Orchestra (with guest maestros such as Sir Simon Rattle); productions by the Curtis Opera Theatre; and faculty, student and alumni recitals. 

Field Concert Hall seats 240 people and has pretty amazing acoustics Concerts and recitals perform there weekly from October to May. 
Visit https://www.curtis.edu/ to learn more about this great music institute.