The 1979 Woody Allen film Manhattan features Gary Graffman playing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue on its soundtrack, accompanied by the New York Philharmonic. This contribution remains one of his most recognized public performances, occurring just as his career as a two-handed concert pianist reached its sudden, physical conclusion due to an injury in his right hand.
Formative Years at Curtis
Born in New York City on October 14, 1928, to Russian-Jewish parents, Graffman began piano studies at age three. By 1936, at age seven, he was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to study with Isabelle Vengerova. After graduating in 1946, he continued his formal education at Columbia University until 1948, while simultaneously beginning his professional career with a debut performance alongside Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
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Following his 1949 win at the Leventritt Competition, Graffman pursued studies with Rudolf Serkin and Vladimir Horowitz. His career involved decades of international touring and recording. Notable performances included the 1964 recording of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with Leonard Bernstein and the 1966 Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto with George Szell. In 1954, he performed Edward MacDowell's Piano Concerto No. 2 at Columbia University's bicentennial concert under Leopold Stokowski.
Transition to Left-Hand Repertoire
After a 1977 ring finger sprain forced the cessation of his right-hand performances by 1979, Graffman adapted his repertoire. He premiered the UK version of Korngold's Piano Concerto for the left hand in 1985. Seven works were commissioned for him, including Ned Rorem's Piano Concerto No. 4 in 1993 and Daron Hagen's Seven Last Words in 2001. His condition was likely focal dystonia, a neurological disorder affecting finger function.
Leadership at Curtis
In 1980, Graffman joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. He assumed the role of director in 1986 and added the title of president in 1995, serving in those capacities until his 2006 retirement. His tenure saw the training of musicians such as Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, Hilary Hahn, and Ignat Solzhenitsyn. Under his leadership, the institution faced criticism regarding its failure to protect minor students from sexual abuse by a faculty member.
Fast facts
- Born: October 14, 1928, New York City
- Died: December 27, 2025, New York City
- Education: Curtis Institute of Music
- Major Competition: Leventritt Competition (1949)
- Memoir: I Really Should Be Practicing (1981)
- Spouse: Naomi Helfman (died 2019)
Questions readers ask
Why did Gary Graffman stop using his right hand for piano?
He suffered a sprain of his ring finger in 1977, which likely triggered focal dystonia, a neurological condition that prevents controlled movement of the fingers.
What was his role at the Curtis Institute of Music?
He was a student there as a boy, later returned as a faculty member in 1980, and served as both director and president from 1986 until 2006.
Achievements
- Admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music at age seven
- International concert and recording career
- Pioneered left-hand repertoire after a hand injury
- President and teacher at the Curtis Institute
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