George Sopkin
Encyclopedia
George Sopkin was an American
cellist who was a founding member of the Fine Arts Quartet
and faculty member at Kneisel Hall
School of Chamber Music in Blue Hill, Maine
.
Sopkin grew up in Chicago
and was about 12 years old when he first played the cello. By age 18, he was auditioning for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
. Frederick Stock
, looked at Sopkin and said, "So we're taking Boy Scouts now?". Stock gave him the job, making him one of the youngest performers with the orchestra. He earned $65 per week for the symphony's 28-week season, plus a seven-week summer session, a respectable income for the Great Depression
, especially for a teenager. Sopkin spent eight years with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
He left in symphony in 1941 to form the Fine Arts Quartet
together with violinist Leonard Sorkin, who had also performed with the Chicago Symphony. Sopkin served together with other musicians in the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II
in Orlando, Florida
. Sopkin and other musicians made records of their performances that were sold at the PX.
After returning from military service, the Fine Arts Quartet was revived, operating in Chicago
under the auspices of the American Broadcasting Company
. The members of the quartet joined the music faculty of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1964, and the quartet relocated there.
Sopkin left the Fine Arts Quartet in 1979 following a hand injury and a detached retina, but continued to make occasional guest appearances with the group. Violinist Abram Loft, who played with the quartet from 1954 until 1979 noted that they had made 60 records and played in 270 cities in 28 countries during the 25 years they spent together in the quartet.
After retiring and moving to Maine
, Sopkin became involved with the annual school and chamber music festival at Kneisel Hall
, joining the school's staff in 1995. He advocated for the additions of sessions for adult and amateur musicians. He pushed for the creation of the annual House concerts, which have provided a major source of additional revenue for the school. Sopkin's efforts led to bringing students to Maine early so that they could perform in area schools before the summer programs began.
Sopkin died at age 94 on October 28, 2008 at his home in Surry, Maine
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cellist who was a founding member of the Fine Arts Quartet
Fine Arts Quartet
The Fine Arts Quartet, a distinguished chamber music ensemble founded in Chicago, USA in 1946 by Leonard Sorkin and George Sopkin, has an illustrious history of performing success and an extensive recording legacy. It is one of the few to have recorded and toured internationally for over half a...
and faculty member at Kneisel Hall
Kneisel Hall
Kneisel Hall is an annual chamber music festival and school located in Blue Hill, Maine. The season runs for seven weeks each summer from mid-June until early August. A small faculty works with approximately fifty pre-professional musicians, concentrating almost exclusively on chamber music for...
School of Chamber Music in Blue Hill, Maine
Blue Hill, Maine
Blue Hill is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,390 at the 2000 census. It is home to Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, George Stevens Academy, the now-closed Liberty School, New Surry Theatre, Kneisel Hall, Bagaduce Music Lending Library, the Kollegewidgwok Yacht Club...
.
Sopkin grew up in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and was about 12 years old when he first played the cello. By age 18, he was auditioning for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
. Frederick Stock
Frederick Stock
Frederick Stock was a German conductor and composer.-Biography:...
, looked at Sopkin and said, "So we're taking Boy Scouts now?". Stock gave him the job, making him one of the youngest performers with the orchestra. He earned $65 per week for the symphony's 28-week season, plus a seven-week summer session, a respectable income for the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, especially for a teenager. Sopkin spent eight years with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
He left in symphony in 1941 to form the Fine Arts Quartet
Fine Arts Quartet
The Fine Arts Quartet, a distinguished chamber music ensemble founded in Chicago, USA in 1946 by Leonard Sorkin and George Sopkin, has an illustrious history of performing success and an extensive recording legacy. It is one of the few to have recorded and toured internationally for over half a...
together with violinist Leonard Sorkin, who had also performed with the Chicago Symphony. Sopkin served together with other musicians in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Sopkin and other musicians made records of their performances that were sold at the PX.
After returning from military service, the Fine Arts Quartet was revived, operating in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
under the auspices of the American Broadcasting Company
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. The members of the quartet joined the music faculty of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1964, and the quartet relocated there.
Sopkin left the Fine Arts Quartet in 1979 following a hand injury and a detached retina, but continued to make occasional guest appearances with the group. Violinist Abram Loft, who played with the quartet from 1954 until 1979 noted that they had made 60 records and played in 270 cities in 28 countries during the 25 years they spent together in the quartet.
After retiring and moving to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Sopkin became involved with the annual school and chamber music festival at Kneisel Hall
Kneisel Hall
Kneisel Hall is an annual chamber music festival and school located in Blue Hill, Maine. The season runs for seven weeks each summer from mid-June until early August. A small faculty works with approximately fifty pre-professional musicians, concentrating almost exclusively on chamber music for...
, joining the school's staff in 1995. He advocated for the additions of sessions for adult and amateur musicians. He pushed for the creation of the annual House concerts, which have provided a major source of additional revenue for the school. Sopkin's efforts led to bringing students to Maine early so that they could perform in area schools before the summer programs began.
Sopkin died at age 94 on October 28, 2008 at his home in Surry, Maine
Surry, Maine
Surry is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,361 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
.