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Richard BurginPolish-American violinist and conductor
Date of Birth: 11.10.1892
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Richard Burgin
Richard Moiseevich Burgin was born on October 11, 1892, in Siedlce, Poland. He first appeared in public at the age of eleven, performing as a soloist with the Warsaw Philharmonic Society. In 1906, Richard studied in Berlin under Joseph Joachim, and from 1908 to 1912, he was a student of Leopold Auer at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. After intensive training, he worked in Helsinki, Stockholm, and Oslo.
Assistant Conductor and Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Burgin was appointed concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in 1920, under the direction of Pierre Monteux. In 1927, he became the assistant conductor of the orchestra. He conducted the BSO in 308 concerts in the United States, Australia, and Japan, and was the assistant conductor for seven world premieres and 25 Boston premieres. Richard performed under the baton of conductors such as Max Fiedler and Arthur Nikisch, and played the works of composers such as Richard Strauss and Jean Sibelius. He ended his collaboration with the BSO in the 1961-62 season.
Accomplished Violinist and Educator
As a solo violinist, Richard participated in the American premiere of Sergei Prokofiev's "Concerto No. 1" with the BSO, conducted by Serge Koussevitzky, on April 24, 1925. In 1957, he stated to TIME magazine, "I know many virtuosos, and I do not envy them. They tell me what it is like to play the same pieces over and over again, and I know they have to be here and there. That's not for me. I like the orchestra."
Richard founded the Burgin String Quartet, led the violin department at the New England Conservatory, and was the conductor of the conservatory's orchestra in 1953. He also taught violin and conducting at the New England Conservatory for some time. Starting in 1959, he also taught students at Boston University, where he conducted the chamber orchestra and gave lectures. He also taught conducting at the Berkshire Music Center.
Later Years and Legacy
After moving to Florida in his late 60s, Richard Burgin became a professor at Florida State University. Together with his wife, violinist Ruth Posselt, he formed the Florestan Quartet. Richard retired from Florida State University in the mid-1970s. He married Posselt on July 3, 1940. Their son, Richard W. Burgin, became a short story writer and editor. Their daughter, Diana Lewis Burgin, became a translator, literary scholar, poet, and a professor of Russian language at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Diana published the narrative poem "Richard Burgin: A Life in Verse" in 1989, which beautifully portrayed her father's biography.
Richard Burgin passed away on April 29, 1981, in Gulfport, Florida. He was a knight of the French Legion of Honor and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
