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Richard MOISEYEVICK BURGIN

 Richard Moiseyevich Burgin nacque nel 1892 a Varsavia quando la città faceva ancora parte dell'Impero Russo e iniziò a studiare violino a 6 anni sotto la guida del musicista polacco Isidor Lotto.

 Nel 1903 si trasferì in Germania per perfezionarsi con Joseph  Joachim all'Accademia Berlinese di musica.

 Il suo esordio fu nel 1904 all'età di soli 11 anni alla Filarmonica di Varsavia. Poi continuò a studiare con Leopold Auer al Conservatorio di San Pietroburgo dove si laureò nel 1912.

 Nel 1920 Burgin si trasferì negli Stati Uniti ed entrò al Boston Symphony dirigendo negli anni successivi l'orchestra sinfonica di Boston in oltre 300 concerti in ogni parte del mondo.

 Nel 1940 si sposò con Ruth Posselt una violinista studentessa ventiduenne.

 Famoso per la sua incredibile distrazione fu però un valente bridgista di alto livello.

 Nel 1961 lasciò l'Accademia e si ritirò con la moglie in Florida dove diresse l'orchestra sinfonica locale e dove nel 1981 morì a San Pietroburgo a causa delle conseguenze di un infarto.

  Richard Burgin was born October 11, 1892 in Warsaw, Poland (at that time, part of the Russian Empire). 

 Burgin began the study of violin at age 6.  After study with local teachers and with the Polish violinist Isidor Lotto (1840-circa 1900), in 1903, Burgin moved to Germany to study with Joseph Joachim at the Berlin Akademische Hochschule für Musik. 

Bergin's first public performance was in 1904, age 11 with the Warsaw Philharmonic.   Then, 1908-1912, he studied with Leopold Auer at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he graduated in 1912, winning the Siver prize in violin in that year. 

Burgin became Concertmaster of the Warsaw Philharmonic in 1914.  He was Concertmaster of the Oslo (at that time Christiania) Norway Symphony in 1915, and of the Stockholm, Sweden Concert Society in 1916-1919. 

Burgin came to the U.S. in 1920 to join the Boston Symphony.  During the 1920s and 1930s, Burgin went to Paris every summer, according to ship records. Burgin also served as Assistant Conductor of the BSO beginning in 1927.  In fact, according the the New York Times obituary, Bergin conducted the BSO in 308 different concerts.

Burgin taught violin for many years at the New England Conservatory, where he became the Conservatory Orchestra conductor in 1953, and and at the Berkshire Music Center, where he taught conducting.  The also conducted the Portland, Maine symphony. 

In 1940, Burgin married the Massachusetts born Ruth Posselt (September 6, 1914-February 19, 2007), 22 years his junior and a violin virtuoso student of Frantisek Ondricek (1857-1922). 

Richard Burgin had the somewhat amusing reputation of being personally absent-minded, and of not being concerned about clothes, both in formal wear, and in details, such as remembering to wear a concert necktie.  Although forgetful, Burgin was also a champion-level Bridge player.  Burgin was much admired by his colleagues. 

Burgin retired from the Boston Symphony at the end of the 1961-1962 season.  He moved south to Florida, where he and his wife Ruth Burgin taught at Florida State University. 

Burgin also conducted the Florida State Chamber Orchestra.  Richard Burgin suffered a stroke in January, 1981, and died 3 months later in St. Petersburg, Florida April 29, 1981.