Giving

Solomon Mikowsky performs at the opening of the MSM concert hall named in his honor.

A child walks down the street with his father. A common occurrence, they encounter a beggar asking for a handout. The father tosses an obligatory coin, satisfied with his civic duty. The child wonders, Is that helpful? He prods his father into gifting enough to make a difference.

Fast-forward several decades: The child has grown to be the accomplished musician we know as Solomon Mikowsky, studying piano at one of the world’s premier conservatories and becoming a revered instructor at another. Much has changed since he left his home long ago, but the questions of how to impact the lives of those in need remain resident in his mind and in his heart.

He witnessed his students’ struggles: how to fulfill dreams of a life in music, how to thrive in a foreign culture, how to find housing, how to pay tuition, how to get a piano or find a place to practice. He offered free lessons to worthy pupils who could offer more than mere technical facility. He helped international students navigate the ways of American academia. He strove to enrich each student’s awareness beyond the notes, even beyond music.

Then Solomon the Teacher became Solomon the Philanthropist as well. He gifted two much-needed concert grands to the city of his birth, Havana. He covered travel expenses for numerous festivals and recital appearances. He acquired a second apartment in New York City so some of his students could have an affordable place to live. Once Manhattan School of Music built its own dormitory, he sold the apartment and used the funds to convert the old library into a new performance space with Steinway pianos. He made a similar gift to a school in Chicago, where he also taught. He contributed to the MSM Annual Fund and various scholarship campaigns.

Since coming to teach at MSM in 1969, the multitude of individuals emanating from his studio now span the globe, becoming celebrated performers and mentors in their own right, winning competitions and university positions too numerous to list here (but skillfully documented by former student Kookhee Hong in a 209-page biography, The Piano Teaching Legacy of Solomon Mikowsky).

And yet, “so many extremely talented pianists are accepted each year but cannot afford to attend,” confides Mikowsky. “I do what I can, to the extent of my capability.”

In his will, Mikowsky has made a gift that will establish scholarships in perpetuity through the school’s endowment. As a member of our Galaxy Society, he joins other patrons whose generous planned giving foresight ensures a bright future for many deserving young artists.

Create your own legacy at Manhattan School of Music by including a gift designation in your will or other estate plan. Please contact Susan Madden at 917-493-4115 or smadden@msmnyc.edu to discuss options that will meet your financial and charitable goals.