RRC Blog

William Frederick Cardin, also known as Pejawah (Big Cat), pioneered the recognition of Native American music as an integral part of mainstream American culture. His accomplishments both as a composer and violinist were second to none—but a successful career was not his only ambition; he sought to bring awareness to Native American music and art. In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer he stated: “The music of the Indian tells a story of those trees. It talks of flowers and grass and hills and valleys in a language all America should know. It is an important and valuable part of the Nation’s heritage, and it should not be allowed to die.” ⁱ

Ursula Guy Curd (1890-1988) was an African American pianist admitted to the first class at the Curtis Institute of Music in 1924. Her musical ability was described as “unforgettable” with “clear tone and marvelous touch” by the 1942 Pittsburgh Courier—but to limit her memory to that of just an excellent pianist would sell her accomplishments short. She was a founding member of the Omega Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a sorority dedicated to the advancement of education and culture of African American women. From the early 1900s to today, Alpha Kappa Alpha has been at the forefront of social action for African Americans, from creating the first congressional lobby to advocate for better working and living conditions to establishing the American Council of Human Rightsⁱ. In addition to her performance career and her social contributions, she was a teacher in the Philadelphia Public School System, a prolific piano teacher to students in Philadelphia, wife to Dr. Kirksey Curd, and mother to Ursula A. Curd (more affectionately known as “little Ursie”).

Throughout its history, Curtis has had maintained relationships with local media interested in broadcasting Curtis performances. Curtis has a long and successful relationship with local radio and TV stations like WHYY and continues to broadcast its own streaming (and, these days, “socially distant”) performances on its YouTube channel.

For nearly 100 years students have attended Curtis for music practice and study.

But when they were not in lessons, rehearsals, a practice room, or a classroom, how did they spend their time? Where did they live? What did they do in their leisure hours? And how did the aspects of student life change over the years? Take a glimpse into the daily lives of Curtis students through the decades, based on photographs and archival materials donated by alumni to the Curtis Archives, as well as oral history recollections from faculty and alumni.

Curtis recently celebrated its first Community Day on September 29, a student activities day organized by staff and faculty to celebrate the diversity and history of the Curtis community.

The day centered around the themes of community, identity, and celebration and included talks about the founding of Curtis, a tribute to Curtis stalwart Eleanor Sokoloff, and alumni remembrances of Curtis past. Current students participated in small-group breakout sessions to process their connections to these themes and remembrances in light of their experiences of Curtis in the present. In between these two large-group video conference meetings, students had time to explore the themes on their own using resources provided on a library guide (https://libguides.curtis.edu/communityday).