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Alan Shulman

Another Salmond pupil, who has devoted much of his time to chamber music and composition, is Alan Shulman, born in Baltimore in 1915. His family were all musical, and in order to form a trio with his brother and sister, who played piano and violin respectively, Alan was directed to the cello at the age of eight. As the Shulman Trio they were extremely active, performing in several Baltimore theaters and over the radio, and were one of the pioneers in radio commercials. When he graduated from the Juilliard School he joined the cello section of the newly-founded NBC Orchestra under Toscanini. During his time at the Juilliard and with the orchestra he continued to play in string quartets. He was cellist of the Kreiner Quartet until 1938 when he left to co-found the Stuyvesant String Quartet who specialized in playing contemporary music.

Shulman has always enjoyed an active musical career and, for the past twenty years or so, has been associated with a number of prominent chamber-music ensembles and orchestras. He was taught at the Juilliard School and many other institutions throughout his country. One of his main interests has been organizing seminars, and concerts (and conducting) for the study and performance of works for cello ensemble. He has also directed several workshops for young cellists sponsored by the Violoncello Society of which he was founder member and has served as President, Board Member, and Editor of the Society's Newsletter.

Shulman has contributed considerably to the literature of his instrument. He has composed over fifteen works for up to eight cellos. He has also made a number of transcriptions and piano accompaniments to unaccompanied études. His Cello Concerto, dedicated to 'The People of Israel', written for Leonard Rose as soloist, was given its premiere by that artist on 14 April 1950 at Carnegie Hall with Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting the New York Philharmonic.

Shulman's Elegy -- in Memoriam: Felix Salmond was performed at the Violoncello Society's 30th Anniversary Multiple Cello Concert, New York, in May 1986. It was dedicated to Fortunato Arico, Jascha Bernstein, Pierre Fournier, Harry Fuchs, Frank Miller, Leonard Rose, and Mischa Schneider, all of whom had recently died.

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