Curtis Institute of Music

The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia that offers courses of study leading to a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, or Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. It is among the most selective institutes of higher education in the world with a 4.8% admissions rate.

History


The institute was established in 1924 by Mary Louise Curtis Bok, who named it in honor of her father, Cyrus Curtis, a notable American publisher. After consulting with musician friends including Josef Hofmann and Leopold Stokowski on how best to help musically gifted young people, Bok purchased three mansions on Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square and had them joined and renovated. She established a faculty of prominent performing artists and eventually left the institute with an endowment of US$12 million ($0 in current dollar terms) in 1927.

Admission
The institute formerly served as a training ground for orchestral musicians to fill the ranks of the Philadelphia Orchestra, although composers, organists, pianists, guitarists, and singers are offered courses of study as well.

All pupils attend on full scholarship and admission is extremely competitive. With the exception of composers, conductors, pianists, and guitarists, admission is granted only to the number of students to fill a single orchestra and opera company. Accordingly, enrollment is in the range of 150 to 170 students. According to statistics compiled by U.S. News & World Report, the institute has the lowest acceptance rate of any college or university (4.8%), making it among the most selective institutions of higher education in the United States.

Past directors
Past directors of the institute have included:


 * Josef Hofmann (1926–38) – pianist
 * Randall Thompson (1938–40) – composer
 * Efrem Zimbalist (1941–68) – violinist
 * Rudolf Serkin (1968–76) – pianist
 * John de Lancie (1977–85) – principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra for many years
 * Gary Graffman (1986–2006) – pianist, continues on the piano faculty

Current administration
Roberto Díaz is President and director of the Institute. Díaz is also a Curtis alumnus and faculty member. He was principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1996 to 2006 and is a member of the Diaz Trio. Paul Bryan started his tenure as interim dean in January 2013.

Notable alumni
Many Curtis alumni have gone on to distinguished careers. See the category for an exhaustive list.