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Violinist & Pedagogue Jakob Dont Died in 1888

November 17, 2023

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Dont's 24 Etudes, Caprices and preparatory exercises are considered some of the most imperative technical studies in the repertoire

Austrian violinist and pedagogue Jakob Dont passed away in Vienna in 1888 at age 73.

Born in 1815, Dont was a student of Josef Böhm and Georg Hellmesberger at the Wiener Konservatorium. It was here that Dont became influenced by the works of Pierre Rode and Giovanni Battista Viotti.

In 1831, Dont began his career as a professional performer, becoming a member of the Hofburgtheater Orchestra at age 16. Despite his success as a performing violinist, his shyness and performance anxiety led him to the decision to withdraw from performing and dedicate himself to pedagogy.

In 1853, he was appointed as a violin professor at the Pädagogisches Institut in Vienna, and then in 1871 at the Wiener Konservatorium.

Dont's instructional compositions are a celebrated asset to violin teaching materials. His 24 Etudes and Caprices Op. 35 are believed by many to be an essential component of a violinist's technical development.

Remembered as one of the greatest violin teachers of all time, his famed students included Leopold Auer.