Abram Lufer, Piano

Biography

Abram Lufer (1905 - 1948)

Abram Lufer was
born in Kiev.  He studied at the Music
Technicum (College) with Professor Beklemishev, graduating in 1925.  He subsequently enrolled at the Kiev
Institute of Music and Drama, graduating with honors in 1928.  He stayed on at the Institute as a professor
of piano, becoming Head of the Piano Department one year later.  In 1935, several music institutions were
incorporated into the Kiev Conservatory, which Lufer came to head.  He served as the director of the Sverdlovsk
Conservatory during the Second World War before resuming his directorial duties
at the Kiev Conservatory in 1944.  He
held that position until his death in 1948. 

Besides being a great piano
pedagogue, Lufer also developed a thriving solo career.  In 1930, he was awarded 1st Prize
at the All-Ukrainian Piano Competition in Kharkov. Two years later, he received
the 4th prize at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw.  (He received the same number of points as
the 3rd prize winner, Bolesław Kon, but lost a coin toss:
competition rules did not allow for the sharing of prizes).  Lufer was at his best in the 19th
Century Romantic repertoire.

One of Lufer's many students was Tatiana Goldfarb, who
won a prize at the 1937 Chopin Competition.