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Ruth Slenczynska

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Ruth Slenczynska
Slenczynska, c. 1957
Born(1925-01-15)January 15, 1925
Sacramento, California, U.S.
DiedApril 22, 2026(2026-04-22) (aged 101)
Cupertino, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
Occupations
  • Classical pianist
  • Academic teacher
OrganizationsSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville
Spouse(s)
George Born
​
​
(m. 1944; div. 1953)​

James Kerr
​
(died 2000)​

Ruth Slenczynska (January 15, 1925 – April 22, 2026) was an American classical pianist and the last living piano student of Sergei Rachmaninoff. She was a child prodigy, pushed by her father, debuting with a full orchestra at age seven. She abandoned a career as a concert pianist at age 15, married at age 19 and began studies. She returned to performing in 1951 after a break of more than 10 years, and began to teach piano, from 1964 to 1987 as artist-in-residence at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Her final album was released in 2022.

Life and career

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Slenczynska was born in Sacramento, California, on January 15, 1925. Her Polish father, Joseph Slenczynski (Józef Ślenczyński), was a violinist. Pushed by her father and starting at age three, Slenczynska was forced to practice the piano relentlessly.[1] At age three, her father took her to Europe to study.[2] She made her recital debut at age four.[2][3] She played her debut in Berlin at age six and made her debut with a full orchestra in Paris at age seven.[4][5][6] In 1934 she met Sergei Rachmaninoff after having stepped in for him for a concert.[2] She then studied with him and also with Artur Schnabel, Egon Petri, Alfred Cortot, and Josef Hofmann. Slenczynska became Rachmaninoff's last living pupil.[2][7]

At age 15, Slenczynska was overwhelmed by the pressure of a career as a concert pianist; she left home, abandoned her career as a musician, and studied psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.[2][4] In 1944, when she was 19, she married a student, George Born. She returned to performing in concerts in 1951 after a break of more than 10 years.[4] That same year, she took part in the Carmel Bach Festival.[8] After the marriage ended in a divorce in 1953, she started teaching piano for a living.[4]

Slenczynska was accepted as a music student by the University of California, Berkeley. In 1957, she published a book of memoirs, Forbidden Childhood, which deals with life as a child prodigy, and a book on piano technique, Music at Your Fingertips: Aspects of Pianoforte Technique.[1][2][9] That same year she clarified the pronunciation of her surname for the Los Angeles Times: "Slen-chin-ska."[10] In 1964, she accepted a full-time position at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) as artist-in-residence, a title she retained until 1987.[11] A large assortment of her memorabilia and recordings constitutes a Special Collection in the Lovejoy Library at SIUE.[12] Slenczynska contributed articles to trade journals including Clavier, Piano Quarterly, and Keyboard.[13] In 2022, at age 97, she recorded her first album in nearly 60 years, My Life in Music.[2][14] Slenczynska received an honorary doctorate from the Curtis Institute of Music the same year.[15]

Personal life

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In the 1960s, she married the political scientist James Kerr, who died in 2000.[2] She turned 100 on January 15, 2025.[16] Slenczynska died at an assisted living facility in Cupertino, California, on April 22, 2026, at the age of 101.[2][3][17]

Recordings

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Slenczynska made recordings with Decca Classics between 1959 and 1963 that were reissued on ten CDs to mark her 96th birthday.[18]

  • Complete American Decca recordings, containing:[18][19][20]
    Decca (1956/1962). 10 CD DG Eloquence 2020. OCLC 1444357840 Diapason d'or 2021.
  • My Life in Music, works by Bach, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Debussy, Barber, and others, Decca 2022[2] OCLC 1313911945

Slenczynska also recorded for Aca digital, Ivory and Deutsche Grammophon.[21][22][23]

Publications

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  • with Biancolli, Louis: Forbidden Childhood, NY, 1957.[2] OCLC 3860198
  • Music at Your Fingertips, NY, 1961 (1976, 1986), Da Capo Press.[2] ISBN 978-0-306-80034-4 OCLC 993507225
  • On Preparations for a Piano Competition. Seventh National Chopin Piano Competition, March 2005[13]
  • Thoughts on Memorizing, herberttsang.com[24]

Articles in trade journals

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Slenczynska contributed articles to trade journals including Clavier, Piano Quarterly and Keyboard[13]

  • Haydn's Sonata No. 35 in A Flat. Clavier, 1972, Vol. 11, Issue n. 5, pp 18–25.
  • Follow-up on Haydn. Clavier, 1972, Vol. 11, Issue n. 7, pp 18–26.
  • The Opening of the Rachmaninov Second Concerto. Clavier, 1973, Vol. 12, Issue n. 7, p 18.
  • Practice and Performance Suggestions for Rachmaninoff's Etude-Tableau, No. 2. Clavier, 1973, Vol. 12, Issue n. 7, p 29.
  • Grandfatherly Guidance. Clavier, 1973, Vol. 12, Issue n. 7, pp 15–16.
  • Learning Approaches to Chopin's Prelude in E Major, Op. 28, No. 9. Piano Quarterly, 1973, Vol. 21, Issue n. 81, pp 26–31.
  • Build Your Own Career. Music Journal, April 1974, Vol. 32, p. 12.
  • Learning Approaches to Chopin's Prelude in C Scharp Minor, Op. 28, No. 10. Piano Quarterly, 1974, Vol. 22, Issue n. 85, pp 31–33.
  • Good Octaves and How to Acquire Them (with list of music). Clavier, 1977, Vol. 16, Issue n. 3, pp. 37–41.
  • Master Class: Rachmaninoff Prelude Op. 23, No. 4. Clavier, 1979, Vol. 18, Issue n. 9, pp 20–24.
  • On Chopin's Unexpected Invitations to Dance. Piano Quarterly, 1979, Vol. 27, Issue n. 106, p 24.
  • Private Lesson: Performance Techniques for 'Sonata K. 239' by Scriabin. Keyboard, Dec 1985, Vol. 11, pp 24–26
  • Private Lesson: On Prokofiev's Vision Fuguitive XVI. Keyboard, Feb 1986, Vol. 12, pp 36–37.
  • On Chopin's Unexpected Invitations to Dance. Piano Quarterly, 1979, Vol. 27, Issue n. 106, p 24.
  • Private Lesson: Beyond Polyrhythms: a Chopin Rubato. Keyboard, Oct 1986, Vol. 12, p 93.
  • Private Lesson: How a Pianist Works on Ear-Hand Coordination. Keyboard, Jan 1986, Vol. 12, p 112.
  • Private Lesson: Gaining Left-Hand Awareness. Keyboard, Sep 1986, Vol. 12, p 109.
  • Private Lesson: Polyrhythmical Skill, Two Against Three. Keyboard, May 1986, Vol. 12, p 27.
  • Private Lesson: Exercises for Smooth Polyrhythms: Three Against Four. Keyboard, Jan 1986, Vol. 12, pp 32–33.
  • Private Lesson: On Schumann's 'Important Event' from Kinderszenen. Keyboard, April 1986, Vol. 12, pp 32–33.
  • Bach's 'Three Voiced Fugue in C Minor. Clavier, 1988, Vol. 27, Issue n. 1, pp 26–29.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ruth Slenczynska Biography". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Savage, Mark (April 23, 2026). "Ruth Slenczynska, last surviving pupil of Rachmaninoff, dies aged 101". BBC. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Fox, Margalit (April 23, 2026). "Ruth Slenczynska, 101, Dies; Piano Prodigy Overcame Father's Abuse". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d Hogstad, Emily E. (October 25, 2023). "Who's Rachmaninoff's Last Student?". Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  5. ^ "Piano legend Ruth Slenczynska". ABC listen. December 5, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  6. ^ Rockwell, John (November 15, 1984). "Piano: Ruth Slenczynska". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  7. ^ "The Music Show, ABC, Ruth Slenczynska Interview with Andrew Ford". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. December 5, 2020.
  8. ^ "Former child prodigy Ruth Slenczynska will release a new album at the age of 97". ricemusichouse.com. January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  9. ^ Krzywicki, Paul (March 2, 2016). From Paderewski to Penderecki: The Polish Musician in Philadelphia. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-4834-4267-9.
  10. ^ "Slen-chin-ska to Give Recital." Los Angeles Times, November 14, 1957 ("Her name is difficult to pronounce until you know the trick, admits Ruth Slenczynska.").
  11. ^ Hyde, Carol Shannon (1988). A case study of an artist-in-residence: Ruth Slenczynska, concert pianist (Thesis). OCLC 21426764. ProQuest 303689147.[page needed]
  12. ^ "Ruth Slenczynska Collection". www.siue.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c On Preparations for a Piano Competition. Seventh National Chopin Piano Competition, 2005
  14. ^ Free, Cathy (February 3, 2024). "Rachmaninoff's last living piano student lives in Pa. She's 99". Washington Post. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  15. ^ McCrary, Jamie (April 24, 2026). "Mourning the Loss of Acclaimed Pianist Ruth Slenczynska". Curtis Institute of Music. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  16. ^ "Happy 100th birthday to pianist Ruth Slenczynska!". Pianist. January 15, 2025. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  17. ^ "Ruth Slenczynska dies at 101". Gramophone. April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  18. ^ a b Woolf, Jonathan (July 2021). "Ruth Slenczynska (piano) / Complete American Decca Recordings". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  19. ^ Ruth Slenczynska – Complete American Decca Recordings eloquenceclassics.com
  20. ^ Ruth Slenczynska – Complete American Decca Recordings auf 10 CDs jpc.de
  21. ^ "Ruth Slenczynska Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  22. ^ "At 97, Pianist Ruth Slenczynska has a new album — and plenty of stories". WAMC. March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  23. ^ Ruth Slenczynska – My Life In Music (album trailer), January 14, 2022, retrieved January 7, 2024
  24. ^ Thoughts on Memorizing. herberttsang.com

Further reading

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  • Beversluis, John. "Ruth Slenczynska in Concert." American Record Guide, Jul/Aug 1999, Vol. 62, Issue n. 4, p 255.
  • Hyde, Carol Shannon. "A Case Study of an Artist-in-Residence: Ruth Slenczynska, Concert Pianist." Dissertation Abstracts International Section A, Aug 1989, Vol. 50, page 293.
  • Mach, Elyse. "Practice Notes." Clavier, Oct 2002, Vol. 41, Issue n. 8, pp 46–49.
  • Muschalek, Clare. "Great Pianists Can Teach." Music Journal, Feb 1973, Vol. 311, pp 16–19.
  • Nilsen, Richard. "Piano Prodigy Ruth Slenczynska Now a Legend at 87", Arizona Republic News, January 24, 2013.
  • Rabinowitz, Peter. "I Never Look Back: A Conversation with Ruth Slenczynska." Fanfare, Jan/Feb 1999, Vol. 22, p 86.
  • Rabinowitz, Peter. "Doing it Yourself: a Conversation with Ruth Slenczynska." Fanfare, May/June 1998, Vol. 21, p 47.
  • Rosenstiel, Leonie. "Remembrances of Nadia Boulanger." Virtuoso, 1980, Vol. 1, Issue n. 3, pp 33–36.
  • Rothchild, E. "Ruth Slenczynska: On Playing the Chopin Etudes (interviews)." Clavier, 1976, Vol. 15 Issue n. 2, pp. 14–21.
  • Silverman, R. J. "The Focus Sharpens." Piano Quarterly, 1983, Vol. 31, Issue n. 122, pp. 34–35.
  • Tsai, Sin-Hsing. "The Art of Ruth Slenczynska, Vol. 5." Clavier Companion, Nov/Dec 2010, Vol. 2 Issue n. 6, pp. 64–66.
  • Tobias, Karen. "Madam Ruth." Clavier, April 2007, Vol. 46 Issue n. 4, pp. 12–39.
  • Verna, Paul. "Vital Reissues." Billboard, Jan 1999, Vol. 111, Issue n. 5, pp 22–28.
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