Born: July 17, 1916 (Vancouver, Canada)

Died: September 15, 2009 (Bethesda, MD)

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Zadel Skolovsky was a Canadian-American pianist renowned for his virtuosic technique and broad interpretive range. He studied at Curtis under Isabelle Vengerova and took masterclasses with Leopold Godowsky. He later served as an assistant to Vengerova. In 1939, he was a winner in the Walter W. Naumburg Competition, along with violinist Maria Sebriansky, tenor William Horne, and soprano Gertrude Gibson.

In 1939, he was featured on the Curtis Institute recital broadcasts playing Handel, Liszt, Chopin and Debussy. In 1953, he was featured pianist with the New York Philharmonic's Stadium Concerts performing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In addition, in the 1950s. he was a featured artist in East Hampton's Benno Moisewitch Piano Recital Series and on November 3, 1957, in a BBC Television broadcast performing Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the BBC Scottish Orchestra.

Mr. Skolovsky made a 1951 recital recording in New York covering Hindemith, Scriabin, Berg and Bartok, and now available through Naxos archives. He was known for his sensitive interpretations with composer Darius Milhaud personally praising his performance of Saudades do Brasil.

Zadel Skolovsky was on the piano faculty at Indiana University during the early 1940s.

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