Biographical History

Alan Shulman (1915-2002) was an American composer.

Alan Shulman was born on June 4, 1915, in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied the cello at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore until 1928. His family then moved to Brooklyn where he continued his studies. In 1932, he enrolled at the Juilliard School where he was taught by cellist Felix Salmond and the composer Bernard Wagenaar. He graduated from Julliard in 1947 and then studied with the cellist Emanuel Feuermann and the composer Paul Hindemith.

Alan Shulman was one of the founding members of Arturo Toscanini's NBC Symphony Orchestra in 1937 and he performed with it until 1942. He then joined the United States Maritime Service, which provided training for the merchant marine. He returned to the NBC Symphony in 1948 and performed with it and its successor, the Symphony of the Air, until 1957. In 1938 he, along with his brother the violinist Sylvan Shulman, formed the the Stuyvesant String Quartet in which he performed, along with various other ensembles. The Stuyvesant ensemble, which performed until 1954, gave the American premiere of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet at Carnegie Hall in 1941, and was known for its performances and recordings of contemporary works. The Shulman brothers also performed in the New Friends of Rhythm, a symphonic jazz group that made many recordings from 1939 to 1947, and included some of Mr. Shulman's original works and arrangements in its repertory. He was also a member of the Philharmonia Trio from 1962 to 1969, and the Haydn Quartet from 1972 to 1982. A “Theme and Variations for Viola and Piano,” 1940, and orchestrated later, was his first composition worthy of the concert hall. It has since become a staple of the American viola repertoire.

Mr. Shulman taught at Sarah Lawrence College, the Juilliard School, the State University of New York at Purchase, Johnson State College in Johnson, Vermont, and the University of Maine in Orono. He was a founding member of the Violoncello Society in 1956, and its president from 1967 to 1972.

He died July 13, 2002.

Citation:

New York Times obituary website, viewed May 25, 2011 (Alan Shulman; b. June 4, 1915, in Baltimore; studied cello at the Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore until 1928; moved to Brooklyn; enrolled at Juilliard School, 1938; taught by cellist Felix Salmond and composer Bernard Wagenaar; graduated from Julliard, 1947; studied with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and composer Paul Hindemith; founding member of Arturo Toscanini's NBC Symphony Orchestra, 1937, and performed with it until 1942; joined the United States Maritime Service; returned to the NBC Symphony, 1948; performed with the Symphony of the Air, until 1957; he and his brother Sylvan Shulman, formed the the Stuyvesant String Quartet, 1938; The Stuyvesant ensemble performed until 1954, gave the American premiere of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet at Carnegie Hall in 1941; Shulman brothers performed in the New Friends of Rhythm; member of the Philharmonia Trio, 1962-1969, and the Haydn Quartet, 1972-1982; taught at Sarah Lawrence College, the Juilliard School, the State University of New York at Purchase, Johnson State College in Johnson, Vermont, and the University of Maine in Orono; founding member of the Violoncello Society, 1956, and president, 1967-1972; d. July 10, 2002)

Correspondence between David Day, David Dalton, Alan Shulman, and Jay Shulman, 1987-2002 (“Theme and Variations for Viola and Piano,” 1940, and orchestrated later, was his first concert hall worthy composition)

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