Serkin, Rudolf, 1903–91, Austrian-American pianist, b. Bohemia. Serkin gave joint recitals with Adolf Busch (his father-in-law from 1935) and made his U.S. debut (1933) with the Busch chamber players. He was a soloist (1936) with the New York Philharmonic under Toscanini. Serkin and Busch brought the entire cycle of Beethoven piano-and-violin sonatas to New York audiences in 1938. In 1939 he joined the staff of the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, and was later (1968–75) its director. He also was director (1951–91) and cofounder of the Marlboro School of Music in Vermont. His son Peter Adolf Serkin, 1947–2020, b. New York City, also was a concert pianist, known for his performances of the standard classical repertoire and of contemporary works. He taught at the Mannes School of Music, Juilliard, Bard College, and other schools.
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