Background
Harvey Shapiro, of Russian parentage, was born in New York City.
Harvey Shapiro, of Russian parentage, was born in New York City.
Shapiro also studied with Diran Alexanian, who was both a pupil and partner in teaching with Pablo Casals.
Childhood and early career
Willeke was the principal cello teacher at the Institute of Musical Art, which merged with Juilliard in 1926. In 1937 he joined the National Broadcasting Company Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini, and from 1944 to 1946 he served as principal cellist. In 1938 or 1939, at the invitation of National Broadcasting Company, he, Oscar Shumsky, Josef Gingold and William Primrose founded what came to be called the Primrose String Quartet, considered to be one of the finest quartets of its time.
He and the Primrose Quartet along with Emanuel Feuermann, another famous cellist, gave historic performances of the Schubert Quintet.
From 1947 to 1963 Shapiro performed with the WQXR Radio Quartet. He recorded as soloist with Victor Records, Columbia Records, United States Decca Records and Nonesuch Records.
Later life and career
In 1970, on recommendation of Leonard Rose, he became professor of cello at the Juilliard School in New York, a position he held for more than thirty years. Many of his students have gone on to become famous cellists in their own right.
He remained an active teacher into his 90s.
In March 1998 he gave a very well received recital at the Prince Regent Theatre in Munich, Germany. He continued to give master classes in Europe, notably in Salzburg, Vienna, Engelberg and Florence until 2006. Personal life
Shapiro was married to violinist Rena Robbins from 1947 until her death in 1980.
Shapiro died in New York on October 25, 2007.
Clyde Beavers, Lexington, Kentucky
Francois Chanon, Fort Pierce, Florida
Charles Curtis, San Diego, California
Ilya Finkelshteyn, Cincinnati, Ohio
Barry Gold, Los Angeles, California
William Grubb, Indianapolis, Indiana
Ko Iwasaki, Dallas, Texas
James Kreger, New York, New York
David Low, Los Angeles, California
Stefan Reuss, Rochester, New York
Olga Rostropovich, Russia
Igor Scedrov, New York, New York
Astrid Schween, Master of Arts
Roger Shell, New York, New York
Steven Taylor, Valdosta, Georgia
Alex Veltman, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.