Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music was created originally as a training ground for orchestral players to fill the ranks of the
Philadelphia Orchestra, much like the Vienna Hochschule fur Musik and the Vienna Philharmonic. Mary Louise Curtis Bok opened the school in 1924, and it is unique in that all pupils attend on full scholarship. Entrance is very difficult in that only enough students are admitted to fill a single orchestra. The influence of the Curtis Institute cannot be overstated; many of its alumni went on to distinguished careers, and in many cases set a new standard of artistic and technical excellence. For a good portion of the 20th century, students of the Curtis Institute held the most prestigious positions in major American orchestras; in addition, a number of noted soloists and opera singers can be counted among its graduates. Among the many graduates: Harold Bennett (d. 1985), principal flutist, of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Richard Goode, concert pianist; Hilary Hahn, solo violinist; Leonard Bernstein, conductor/composer/pedagogue; Benita Valente, soprano.
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