March 2013: Interview with Robert Levin

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Robert Levin Prize in Musical Performance

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In recognition of Robert’s unique contribution to musical life at Harvard on the occasion of his upcoming retirement, we are delighted to announce a fundraising campaign to endow a prize to honor an outstanding student musical performer in each graduating year. The award will be called Robert Levin Prize in Musical Performance.

Among his many accomplishments, it is difficult to know whether to give pride of place to Robert Levin’s pioneering reconstructions and completions of Mozart’s and Bach’s unfinished masterworks, or to his groundbreaking performances of Mozart and Beethoven piano concertos, complete with improvised cadenzas. No less important, Robert is also an outspoken supporter of new music. He manages, like no one else, to bring together scholarly pursuits and questions of musical performance at the highest level, and for twenty years, has inspired these qualities in his students at Harvard. We can think of no better way to honor his work than with this named prize.

Harvard offers numerous prizes to young artists, but none for its many talented musical performers. The Robert Levin prize will fill an important gap and will ensure that music making at the highest level will continue to flourish at Harvard. Thanks to a generous gift made by James and Marina Harrison, we are fortunate to have a substantial seed for the fund. Our goal is to raise a further $30,000. We hope that this generous example will encourage further contributions, and that this seed will allow the Robert Levin fund to germinate and blossom.

We hope that many of you will recognize the importance of encouraging young performers at a critical time in their lives as musicians and lifelong music lovers and supporters. Please consider a gift to honor the work of Professor Levin.

Warmest thanks.

Alexander Rehding, Chair
Fanny Peabody Professor of Music