Carlos Salzedo collection (MSS 26)

Carlos Leon Salzedo, neé Charles Moise Léon Salzedo (1885-1961) was a French-born American harpist and composer who headed the harp department at the Curtis Institute of Music from the school's founding in 1924 until his death in 1961. A graduate of the Paris Conservatoire (1898-1901), he moved to the United States in 1909 to become principal harpist af the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (1909-1913). In 1913 he founded the flute/harp/cello trio "Trio de Lutèce" with Georges Barrère and Paul Kéfer (later the Barrère-Salzedo-Britt trio). Considered the greatest harpist of all time, he performed in solo recitals, with orchestras, and on tour with the Salzedo Harp Ensemble, (later his Salzedo Concert Ensemble). He was president of the National Association of Harpists (1921-35), co-founded the International Composers Guild in 1921, and edited the Eolian Review (later Eolus) from 1921 to 1932. In 1931 he established the Salzedo Harp Colony at Camden Maine with his second wife Lucile Lawrence (member of the Curtis harp faculty 1927-33), where many of Salzedo's compositions premiered.

Salzedo's harp instruction and performance have become known as the "Salzedo Method." His students have filled many American orchestras and held teaching positions at conservatories and universities. At Curtis they included Casper Reardon (’27), Edna Phillips (’31), Reinhardt Elster (’37), Florence Wightman (’35), Marilyn Costello (’49), Alice Chalifoux (’34), and his third wife, Marjorie Call (’37) whom he married in 1938.