Skip to main content

Eleanor Lipkin papers (MSS 69)

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 69

Dates

  • Creation: 1930-1995

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

All folders containing student records are restricted

Biographical / Historical

Eleanor Lipkin was born in Detroit on 22 June 1930. She began her formal training on the piano at 4, and by age 10 she was performing with local symphonies. In 1946 she was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music (joining her older brother Seymour) where she studied under both Rudolf Serkin and Mieczyslaw Horzowski. During her years at Curtis and continuing two years after her 1951 graduation Lipkin attended the Marlboro School of Music in Brattleboro, Vermont, co-founded by Serkin. In 1954 Lipkin left for Italy on the first of two Fulbright scholarships which allowed her to spend the following few years touring Europe while simultaneously pursuing her musical study. Upon the completion of her scholarships, Lipkin continued performing in both the United States and Europe before finally settling in Ohio. She became a member of the University of Toledo (Ohio) faculty and formed the Trio di Perugia which toured widely in both the United States and Canada. She also taught and performed both solo and chamber music at Bowling Green University. In 1971, Lipkin’s career came to an abrupt halt when she began experiencing back pain that escalated until she was virtually bedridden, ostensibly ending her performance career. It was only after years of physical therapy that she was able to not only teach again, but resume a concert schedule in the early 90s. Of being a lifelong musician and performer Lipkin said: “There’s a brotherhood among artists that is extremely strong. I’ve been very fortunate that music is a major ingredient in my life.” Lipkin continued teaching and performing until her death in 1995.

Extent

1.63 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection arrived with a semblance of order of like materials with like. This arrangement was kept except that items were placed in chronological order.

Supplemental finding aid - Eleanor Lipkin audio visual materials

Eleanor Lipkin Audio

This series contains Eleanor Lipkin’s collection of roughly 50 audio items, including open reel audiotapes, audiocassettes and CDs. Most items contain recordings of Eleanor Lipkin performances of chamber music and piano concertos between 1943 and 1986. Highlights include a young Eleanor Lipkin performing a Mozart piano concerto in 1943 and a later radio interview on WCAR in Detroit. Some items also contain recordings of her brother, Seymour Lipkin, with the Cleveland Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and the Bell Telephone Hour Orchestra.

Note: recordings have not been audited for accuracy or quality.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Eleanor's daughter Claire Schwartz in 2017

Existence and Location of Originals

The original scrapbooks were returned to the donor; PDF copies available

Related Materials

Seymour Lipkin collection (MSS 67); Seymour was Eleanor's brother and a fellow Curtis graduate (Piano '47)

Separated Materials

The photographs are housed separately as no. 918

Separated Materials

Recordings (78s, LPs, reel-to-reels, cassette tapes, and CDs) are stored off-site.

Title
Eleanor Lipkin papers (MSS 69)
Status
Under Revision
Author
Kristina Wilson
Date
April 2018
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Curtis Institute of Music Archives Repository

Contact:
1720 Locust St
Philadelphia PA 19103 United States