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LORETTA DRANOFF
1922 - 2011
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"Our" Loretta Dranoff, the founder of The Dranoff International Two Piano Foundation, died July 4 in New York City. She was 89.
She lit up the world with her passion and charm, then she moved mountains with her perseverance.
More than half a century ago, Loretta and her husband Murray Dranoff set out to build their musical career as a two piano team. There was no showcase for them to help launch their careers. After a talent scout for a top New York concert agency heard them, they became one of the most sought-after piano teams of their day, playing about 70 concerts a year. From 1946 to 1975, the Dranoffs performed all over the world as Columbia performance artists.
After Murray fell ill in 1973, and the couple moved to South Florida. Loretta worked for years in the Miami Dade Public School system where she started the first multiple instrument programs and student recitals for the district superintendent. Murray died in 1985.
Remembering the struggles of the early years, Loretta created the world's first international competition dedicated exclusively to duo pianism: The Dranoff International Two Piano Foundation and Competition, held in Miami. Even though the world today is awash in piano competitions, there are still very few opportunities for this fascinating repertoire. In fact, The Dranoff is the only international two-piano competition in the world to have membership in the prestigious World Federation of International Competitions in Geneva.
Because of her vision, she rekindled in the United States an interest in two piano music and through the competition introduced young artists from 30 countries to the world's greatest concert halls.
Since 1987, The Dranoff International Two Piano Competition has been judged by world renowned pianists, piano teachers, music critics and journalists, and has introduced 64 brilliantly talented young piano duos to concert audiences in Miami and across the globe.
Besides our main aim of helping duo pianists build their careers, The Dranoff has also stimulates the growth of two-piano literature by commissioning major contemporary composers such as Morton Gould, John Corigliano, Ned Rorem, William Bolcom and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.
Loretta's work has inspired many conservatories to establish graduate programs in two-piano literature and performance, and helped place South Florida on the map of international competitions.
In 2005, Loretta retired from active involvement with the foundation she created.
According to her daughters, Stephanie, Carolyn and Leona, Loretta left this world as she lived it - listening to the recordings of the two piano music of her beloved young Dranoff International Music Competition winners.
Gabriele Fiorentino
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MUSICIAN, MOTHER, FRIEND, INSPIRATION
A mother, musician, director, and above all an incredible personality! You made it possible that many people who were in your competition became friends for live. 'Piano Duo ism' was established and built by starting an International Two Piano Competition, asking contemporary composers to write new repertoire and present this fantastic music worldwide.
I wish all her family strengh, and I hope you rest in peace! Loretta, you will always be with me in my heart, wherever I play, whatever I do!
Jeroen Van Veen (Duo Van Veen) The Netherlands.
We spoke with the greatest mutual respect on the first meeting, when I was allowed to speak to her, on the winning night. There-after, so many great lunches, with great talks, food, at her lovely home. She made history for many, for me personal, as the meeting with Robert Craft turned out to be [for us]; she changed history of duo pianism.
As a proof of our timeless conversations, she promised me the recipe for her genius brownies, that she always baked when we stayed at her place.
Maarten Van Veen (Duo Van Veen)
Loretta was a force of nature that no one could resist, who led everyone to aspire to her high ideals, both musical and personal. She was generous with her time and talent and assisted young pianists both professionally and personally (taking a Competition participant shopping for a suitable gown, finding housing and helping with travel arrangements for others).
I was amazed at her ability to listen to a piano recording and instantly be able to tell you who was playing and approximately when it was recorded.
Maxine Long, Executive Boardmember
These are indeed very sad news for all of us......it is incredibly difficult to express in words our feelings about Loretta....we can only say,that we were among those who had the greatest happiness to know her and to spend longer time with her at her home, to talk for days, to listen to her stories and to play music on her and Murray's grand pianos....she has very special place in our hearts and her role in our artistic development is just non-replaceable.
Aglika Genova and Luben Dimitrov (Duo), Germany
We are deeply saddened to no longer have our dear friend and mentor Loretta Dranoff with us. She was a true source of inspiration ... a person who dreamed the biggest dreams, which became reality.
We vividly remember the strong impression she made on us the first time we met her in Stuttgart at the auditions in 1993. Even though she knew none of us, it was as though we had met before.... She had a wonderful knack of knowing exactly the things one needed to hear in a given moment. Her enthusiasm was contagious. She somehow always managed to convince people to help her in the pursuit of her passions, twisting arms and making an indisputable case for whatever it was she envisioned.
It was typical that immediately after a concert, project or symposium we would sit around her dining room table eating all sorts of goodies she had spent half the night before preparing, to discuss and brainstorm...
We spent [countless] hours having long talks late into the night often listening to her stories about those who inspired her such as Einstein, Horowitz and and of course, her partner in life, Murray. In between the stories, we would move from the dining room table to her pianos (often getting a coaching in between), discussing all the important things [in] music, life and love and after some time head back to the table again for more food, which was always in abundance in her house!
We are indebted to Loretta for who we are today as individuals, as a couple, musicians and a duo piano team. She believed in us and guided us to hold values such as love, respect, dedication, perseverance, integrity, honesty and truth - and how to apply that to the art of music and to humanity.
Thank you Loretta- you will be dearly missed.
Elizabeth & Marcel Bergmann (Duo), Canada
We grieve together with all of you...she was not only the last representative of this incredible, creative generation full of joie de vivre, but she welcomed everyone with an open heart; her aura brought us such joy. That is how we remember her.
Olha und Oleksiy Kushnir (Duo), Russia
Sad day just knowing that Loretta isn't there.
She was little but mighty with a heart as large as a Steinway.
My husband and I loved Loretta who knew how to "loved back."
Patricia Clarke, Foundation Boardmember
The news of the death of Loretta fills us with pain.
We are grateful to her for everything she did for the piano duo and for us in particular. We remember the first time in Paris when he told us "we'll see you in Miami," we remember when we drew near to Jerusalem to the show live, we remember when we had the privilege of studying at home on her piano ... we will always remember her strength and her smile. Thanks Loretta, you will always be in our hearts and in our music.
Davide and Daniele Trivella (Duo), Italy
Most memories of Loretta are, of course, linked to the competition; however, our first image of her has to do with the innumerable cakes she would bake during her many sleepless night. She never ate them herself, and always gave them away as presents.
And, that when Murray's name would come up during a conversation, how her eyes would mist over all those years after his death.
This ideal of two people bound together through music is what unifies us piano duos. Loretta war its most dedicated ambassador. How wonderful that her life is perpetuated in this forum which is so infused by her vision.
Sebastian and Shao Yin (Duo d'Accord), Germany
Loretta knew so many "movers and shakers" in the music world beyond Miami. She was able to get original compositions written from people like Morton Gould (a personal friend) and ... Michel LeGrand... At Loretta's insistence a surprise 80th Birthday party was planned and held for Morton Gould in Miami..... [My husband] Jerry coordinated the many photographs of Morton's life, while one of our laureate teams played ... his music in two piano arrangements. It was a grand Dranoff event with Morton very happy to be there, even though truly surprised at all that occurred.
Carole Elkins, Executive Boardmember
Loretta was my dear friend, and her death is a huge loss to me. Her death is also a great loss to all the duo pianists of the world who owe the "renaissance of duo pianism" to her.
Julia Schopic (on the Dranoff Facebook page), friend
Being on the founding board of the Dranoff Competition was one of the most exciting times in my life. The tiny, delicate Loretta had a will of iron. She had a way of seducing the most intimidating to do what she needed, and gratefully, at that. I learned from her that if you have a vision, a genuine, honorable vision, you simply have to ask for help from the right people, and Loretta always knew the right people to ask.
Through the years I saw her competition as proof of the truism "Music is the universal language". Competitors who came from the USA, Canada, Russia, China, Europe, South America. young musicians who couldn't speak each other's language, became fast friends, vowing to keep in contact, many collaborating on concerts. This was Loretta Dranoff's dream, and I believe that dream came true seven fold.
Linda Brumagin, friend
So sorry to hear of this dreadful news. An era had truly passed; we will all mourn Loretta and the amazing work she has done.
Thomas Hecht (Duo Hecht Shapiro), Singapore
A GRAND LOVE AFFAIR
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About the Dranoff
The Dranoff was founded in 1987 with the mission to advance two piano music and its artists. Since then, we have contributed 11 new compositions to the literature, and have been a career stepping stone for dozens of piano duos worldwide.
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