American Pianist Russell Sherman has Died, Aged 93

The Boston pianist spent a great deal of his career teaching at the New England Conservatory, where he was a Distinguished Artist-in-Residence

Born in 1930, Russell Sherman received his early education in New York, beginning the piano at the age of 6. A formative early teacher was Eduard Steuermann, who was a pupil of Ferruccio Busoni and Arnold Schoenberg. After high school, Sherman attended Columbia University for a humanities degree.

Initially teaching at Pomona College and the University of Arizona, Sherman was then recruited to the New England Conservatory by Gunther Schuller. He eventually received the title of Distinguished Artist-in-Residence there and went on to teach at Harvard and the Juilliard School.

Over the course of his performing career, Sherman appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony — as well as giving solo recitals in distinguished venues.

In addition, he became the first American pianist to record the complete sonatas and concerti of Beethoven, alongside a number of other recordings.

"Working with many outstanding students in his teaching here at the New England Conservatory, since 1967, Russell Sherman is a large part of what has made the NEC piano department a world center of piano study today," said Bruce Brubaker in 2015, on the occasion of presenting Sherman for an honorary degree.

"Over decades, Russell Sherman has put his indelible fingerprint on the musical life of Boston, the United States, the world. The destiny of that musical life has been elaborated and enriched by him. We thank him."

Our condolences to Sherman's family, friends, and colleagues.