Raya Garbousova Papers

Collection

Identifier: RBSC-SPX-003

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Materials in this collection are primarily published musical scores for the cello previously accumulated and owned by Raya Garbousova. Some music manuscripts are in an unpublished form. They represent an extensive collection of music for cello performance along with some exercises for the cello. There is a particular emphasis on works for solo cello and cello with piano accompaniment. Many items have Ms. Garbousova’s annotations and cello bowings. There are a small number of ephemeral materials related to the Cello Congress.

Dates

created: 1894-1991
Other: Date acquired: 02/23/2003

Conditions Governing Access

no restrictions

Conditions Governing Use

no restrictions

Biographical or Historical Information

Raya Garbousova was born in September 24^th, 1909 in Tbilisi (Tifilis) in Russian Georgia. Her father taught at the Tbilisi Conservatory and performed in the Tifilis Symphony. She began piano lessons but decided to learn the cello instead and enrolled in the Tbilisi Conservatory from 1914 to 1923. She debuted in Moscow in 1923 and in 1925 she went to Leipzig to study with Julius Klengel, but after hearing her play for three hours, he would not accept her as a student because she already knew too much. She later studied with Pablo Casals and Diran Alexanian. She toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. She met and married Dr. Kurt Biss of DeKalb, who co-founded the DeKalb Clinic. She taught cello at the Hartt School of Music from 1970 to 1979 and was a professor of the cello at Northern Illinois University from 1979 to 1991. Ms. Garbousova knew many important composers of the 20th century and several works were commissioned and dedicated to her. Many such compositions are included in this collection. She passed away on January 28, 1997 in DeKalb, IL.

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