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Constance KeeneAmerican pianist
Date of Birth: 09.02.1921
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Constance Keene: A Renowned American Pianist
- Wartime Concerts and Early Career
- Legacy of Recordings and Performances
- Later Career and Legacy
Constance Keene: A Renowned American Pianist
Early Life and TrainingConstance Keene, a prodigious American pianist, never attended college or conservatory. Instead, she honed her skills under the tutelage of renowned pianist and educator Abram Chasins from 1934 onward. Their mentorship continued until their marriage in 1949, by which time Keene had already achieved significant recognition as the winner of the Naumburg Young Artists Competition in 1943.
Wartime Concerts and Early Career
During World War II, Keene embarked on a series of concerts at U.S. Army bases. Notably, she performed eight concerts in a single Mississippi army camp within three days, captivating an audience of approximately 65,000 soldiers. After the war, she embarked on professional tours in the United States and Europe, collaborating with celebrated musicians such as Yehudi Menuhin and Benny Goodman.
Legacy of Recordings and Performances
Keene's recordings garnered critical acclaim, particularly her interpretations of Sergei Rachmaninoff's preludes, which were praised by Arthur Rubinstein. She also became known for her performances of Johann Nepomuk Hummel's complete sonatas.
Later Career and Legacy
In the 1960s, Keene served as the assistant director of the Harlem School of the Arts under Wanda Horowitz, the wife of her husband's friend, Vladimir Horowitz. From 1969 until her passing, she taught at the Manhattan School of Music and joined its Board of Trustees in 1997. Constance Keene's unwavering dedication to music and her exceptional talent left an enduring legacy in the world of classical pianoforte.
