Ruth Slenczynska, a onetime child prodigy who grew up to be a concert pianist and the last living student of Sergei Rachmaninoff, has died at 101. Slenczynska died peacefully at an assisted living facility in California after a series of falls, a former student tells the BBC. Born in California in 1925 to Polish parents, Slenczynska gave her first recital at 4, debuted with an orchestra in Paris at 7, and was hailed as one of the most remarkable young talents since Mozart. Her father's extreme regimen—nine hours of daily practice—helped build her formidable technique, but it also drove her away: At 15, she abandoned the stage, cut ties with her dad, and enrolled in college instead.
Slenczynska eventually returned to performing, touring with the Boston Pops, recording a string of acclaimed Decca albums—showing off her specialty playing Chopin—and teaching generations of students, notably at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She played for five US presidents, even sharing a Mozart duet at the White House with Harry Truman. Even into her late 90s, she was performing and recording: Her final album, 2002's My Life in Music, revisited works by Rachmaninoff, Bach, Debussy, and Chopin.
Upon the release of that album, Slenczynska offered some advice, per NPR. "You don't become a pianist until you're past the age of 60," she said at the time. "And then you should have something to say that's worthwhile. If you don't, forget it." Other general advice, per the Guardian: "Playing music is like taking a ride on a bus—you mustn't let your passenger get off until he arrives at his destination. Keep them interested in a beautiful way." Plans for a memorial service and tribute concert are forthcoming. More here on her interactions with Rachmaninoff, including their first meeting and a time he told her that her fingers were like "overcooked spaghetti."
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