Background
Helps, Robert Eugene was born on September 23, 1928 in Passaic, New Jersey, United States.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
Robert Eugene Helps
Edit Profilecomposer music educator pianist
Education
Student, Juilliard Preparatory Department and Institute Musical Arts, 1936-1943; student with Felix Salzer, Mannes College Music, 1943-1944; private study with Abby Whiteside, Roger Sessions, 1943-1960; student, Columbia University, 1947-1949; student, University California, Berkeley, 1949-1951; Doctor of Humane Letters, U. St. Thomas, 1996.
Career
He was one of the most distinguished pupils of Abby Whiteside and perhaps the most well-known practitioner of her theories of rhythm and of a technique directed from the humerus rather than the fingers. He cultivated a lifelong interest for Frédéric Chopin"s Études as well as Leopold Godowsky"s Studies on Chopin"s Études which informed both his piano playing and his composition. Helps taught piano at the New England Conservatory of Music, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Princeton University, Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Manhattan School of Music, and the University of South Florida.
At the end of his life he divided his time between the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the University of South Florida.
When in California he resided in Berkeley, a city with which he felt a strong affinity. His music has been released on the NAXOS, Cryptography Research Inc, Desto, and Albany labels.
The University of South Florida"s Special Collections holds the Robert Helps Archive. The university also sponsors a Robert Helps Festival and awards an annual Robert Helps Prize for young composers.
Robert Helps interview by Bruce Duffie.
Achievements
-
Born
-
Died
November 24, 2001 (aged 73) -
Nationality
United States
Education
-
1943
-
1944
-
1960
-
1949
-
1951
-
1996