Background
Lopatnikoff, Nicolai was born on March 16, 1903 in Reval, Russia. Son of Lev and Ida (Feitelberg) Lopatnikoff.
Lopatnikoff, Nicolai was born on March 16, 1903 in Reval, Russia. Son of Lev and Ida (Feitelberg) Lopatnikoff.
Student high school, Petrograd and conservatories in Petrograd and Helsingfors. Graduate (engineer’s diploma), Technology U. Karlsruhe, 1928.
July 1945); married second, Sara Henderson Hay, January 27, 1951. Came to the United States, 1939, American citizen. Associate professor composition, music department, Carnegie Institute Technology (now Carnegie Mellon U.), 1945-1948.
Professor composition, music department, 1948-1969, professor composition emeritus, 1969-1976. Compositions: Opera Danton. Four Symphonies; Concertos for Piano and Orchestra.
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. Also symphonic pieces, string quartets, sonatas for various instruments, piano music, etc. Compositions since coming to the United States: Second Symphony (premiere in Boston, 1939).
Violin Concerto (Boston, 1942). Symphonietta (New York City 1942). Concerto for 2 pianos and orchs., 1952.
Divertimento for Orchestra, La Jolla, California 10th annual. Third Symphony (Pittsburgh 1954). Commissioned to write compositions for Pittsburgh Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, 1958 and composition for National Automobile Show, Detroit, 1960, Concerto for Wind orchestra for American Wind Symphony, 1962, Fourth Symphony (Pittsburgh Symphony Commission Premiere 1972 in Pittsburgh).
Represented on festivals of International Society for Contemporary Music, Vienna, 1932, Berkeley, California, 1942. Compositions have been performed by orchs. of Europe and United States under direction of Koussevitsky, Stokowski, Bruno Walter, Gabrilowitsch, and others. Received award from Belaieff Public House for Second String Quartet, 1929.
From German Radio Corporation for First Symphony, 1930. Won the 25th Anniversary competition, Cleveland Orchestra, for his Opus Sinfonicum, 1943. Koussevitzky Foundation award, 1944.
Award and citation National Institute Arts and Letters, 1953.
Member American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, International Society Contemporary Music, National Institute Arts and Letters.
Married Nora Laschinsky, August 17, 1926 (deceased.; married second, Sara Henderson Hay, January 27, 1951.