Maurice Abravanel Studio

About the Abravanel Studio:

Housed in the McKay Music Library, the studio replicates the space in Maurice Abravanel's home and contains his conducting scores, books, personal memorabilia, photographs and his Steinway piano. In the words of Maurice Abravanel's widow, Carolyn Abravanel, the studio provides . . .

"a space for musicians and students [who, hopefully, through] sitting in his chair and brushing his keys will gain a greater breadth of understanding of music and in some real way be touched by Maurice's great love and compassion for the art of music, its performance and instruction, to which he dedicated his life."

An intimate environment for serious study by individuals and small groups, the studio provides a fitting environment for graduate oral exams, one of the capstone events of a student's advanced music study. The studio draws visitors worldwide. Click here to view a PDF of the inventory of the Maurice Abravanel Studio collection. Please contact us to schedule a visit. Additionally, please see more information about the annotated Mahler scores and a gateway into the Abravanel Studio digital collection.

About Maurice Abravanel:

The internationally renowned maestro Maurice Abravanel conducted the Utah Symphony for more than 30 years, transforming it from a community orchestra into a well-respected, professional ensemble. Thanks to his efforts, Salt Lake's Symphony Hall, now named Abravanel Hall, opened in 1979. Before accepting the position in Utah to build his own symphony, Abravanel had established a remarkable career, including conducting great orchestras such as the Berlin State, Paris, Sydney and Melbourne Operas. In 1936, he became the youngest conductor in the history of New York's Metropolitan Opera. Abravanel turned down a five-year contract and considerable salary with Radio City Music Hall come to Utah.
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