Zak, Yakov (Izrailevich)

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Zak, Yakov (Izrailevich)

Zak, Yakov (Izrailevich), Russian pianist and teacher; b. Odessa, Nov. 20, 1913; d. Moscow, June 28, 1976. He studied with Starkova at the Odessa Cons., graduating in 1932, and then was a student of Neuhaus at the Moscow Cons., graduating in 1935. At the International Competition for pianists in Warsaw in 1937, he received 1st prize and a special award of a posthumous mask of Chopin for his performance of a Chopin mazurka. He joined the faculty of the Moscow Cons, in 1935; became head of the piano dept. there in 1965. As a concert pianist, Zak toured all over Europe. He played in the U.S. in 1965 and 1967, and was acclaimed for his Soviet-like virtuosity. In 1966 he was made a People’s Artist of the U.S.S.R.

—Nicholas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire