Richard Kapp
Encyclopedia
Richard Kapp was an American conductor
.
Richard Kapp was born in Chicago, Illinois
. He was a child piano prodigy. However, he studied German political history at Johns Hopkins University
. He received his BA
in 1957. He then went abroad on a Fulbright fellowship
and studied conducting, composition, and piano at the Stuttgart
Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Germany.
Kapp started his musical career as a vocal coach at the Basel
Stadttheater, Switzerland
. He then moved back in the United States and served as music director of the Opera Theater of the Manhattan School of Music
in New York from 1963 to 1965. While in New York City he earned a law degree from New York University
in 1966. He also studied conducting, piano and harpsichord.
In 1968 Richard Kapp founded the chamber orchestra Philharmonia Virtuosi
of New York. He served as their musical director for the rest of his life. Among other notable concerts the Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York gave the inaugural concert at the Performing Arts Center at the State University of New York at Purchase
in 1977.
The Philharmonia Virtuosi
of New York performed and recorded until 2004 when concerts were suspended when Kapp became ill.
With the Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York Kapp released a series of classical "greatest hits" records. This included the 1977 album "Greatest Hits of 1720" on CBS Masterworks. These albums were collections of shorter more accessible repertoire that were designed to have popular appeal. Kapp and the Philharmonia Virtuosi also recorded a notable collection of three volume of "Vivaldi’s Favorites".
Kapp was the first of the original plaintiffs in Golan v. Ashcroft (now Golan v. Holder), a case pending before the United States Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of restored copyrights under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act
of 1994. Kapp joined the case to oppose the restoration of U.S. copyright
in orchestral public domain
works such as Shostakovich's String Quartets, which Kapp had previously arranged while in the public domain, and which he would be unable to continue to exploit after restoration without paying royalties.
Kapp died at his home in Danbury
, Connecticut
at the age of 69 from cancer.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Richard Kapp was born in Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He was a child piano prodigy. However, he studied German political history at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. He received his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1957. He then went abroad on a Fulbright fellowship
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
and studied conducting, composition, and piano at the Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Germany.
Kapp started his musical career as a vocal coach at the Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
Stadttheater, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He then moved back in the United States and served as music director of the Opera Theater of the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
in New York from 1963 to 1965. While in New York City he earned a law degree from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1966. He also studied conducting, piano and harpsichord.
In 1968 Richard Kapp founded the chamber orchestra Philharmonia Virtuosi
Philharmonia Virtuosi
The Philharmonia Virtuosi is a chamber orchestra that first performed in 1974. It was founded by Richard Kapp, who conducted the orchestra until the time of his death in 2006....
of New York. He served as their musical director for the rest of his life. Among other notable concerts the Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York gave the inaugural concert at the Performing Arts Center at the State University of New York at Purchase
State University of New York at Purchase
Purchase College, State University of New York, is a public four-year college located in Purchase, New York, United States. It is one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the State University of New York system...
in 1977.
The Philharmonia Virtuosi
Philharmonia Virtuosi
The Philharmonia Virtuosi is a chamber orchestra that first performed in 1974. It was founded by Richard Kapp, who conducted the orchestra until the time of his death in 2006....
of New York performed and recorded until 2004 when concerts were suspended when Kapp became ill.
With the Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York Kapp released a series of classical "greatest hits" records. This included the 1977 album "Greatest Hits of 1720" on CBS Masterworks. These albums were collections of shorter more accessible repertoire that were designed to have popular appeal. Kapp and the Philharmonia Virtuosi also recorded a notable collection of three volume of "Vivaldi’s Favorites".
Kapp was the first of the original plaintiffs in Golan v. Ashcroft (now Golan v. Holder), a case pending before the United States Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of restored copyrights under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act
Uruguay Round Agreements Act
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act was an Act of Congress in the United States that implemented in U.S. law the provisions agreed upon at the Uruguay Round of negotiations of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade .- Legislative history :U.S...
of 1994. Kapp joined the case to oppose the restoration of U.S. copyright
United States copyright law
The copyright law of the United States governs the legally enforceable rights of creative and artistic works under the laws of the United States.Copyright law in the United States is part of federal law, and is authorized by the U.S. Constitution...
in orchestral public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
works such as Shostakovich's String Quartets, which Kapp had previously arranged while in the public domain, and which he would be unable to continue to exploit after restoration without paying royalties.
Kapp died at his home in Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
at the age of 69 from cancer.