Ruth Slenczynska

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

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

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

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

  • 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

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

  1. 1 2 "Ruth Slenczynska Biography". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Savage, Mark (April 23, 2026). "Ruth Slenczynska, last surviving pupil of Rachmaninoff, dies aged 101". BBC. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  3. 1 2 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. 1 2 3 4 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.
  12. ↑ "Ruth Slenczynska Collection". www.siue.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 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

  • 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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