THE
N. C. ESSAY
North Carolina School of the Arts, Vol. 6, No. 1, October, 1971
An Introduction To
Nicholas Harsanyi
“During his years at Interlochen Academy, he brought the orchestra to such a high
standard that audiences could scarcely believe that they were listening to an or
chestra of high school students. During his touring with the Princeton Chamber Or
chestra, he encountered and solved the problems he will again face with the Piedmont
Orchestra.
“In both these Instances and in early experiences with the Trenton New Jersey
Symphony, Princeton University and Westminster Choir College, he dealt with the
day-to^y matters of professional music training.
“Add to this his vitality and his ebullience and you will know why we are so happy to
be bringing him to the School of the Arts.”
_pie shaker is President Ward of NCSA; his subject, the appointment of a new
Man of Music. Tliere is much to be said about this man-his accomplishments and his
Ideas on music and education.
Though he is now a conductor, the
Hungarian-born Nicholas Harsanyi
began his study at the age of seven with
the violin. He graduated from the
Budapest Academy of Music where he
stuped with Jeno Hubay and Leo
Weiner. He then became a member of
the Budapest Symphony Orchestra
under the direction of Ferenc Friscay
and guest conducted by such other
notables as Walter, Munch, Ormandy,
and Weingartner.
Mr. Harsanyi was in the United
States on a teaching fellowship at
Westminster Choir College when World
War n began. He describes his start in
conducting with the U.S. Second Ser
vice Command Symphony:
“I started conducting when I was in
the army in World War n. I was a
member of a string quartet that formed
sort of a nucleus for all the other
musicians from various orchestras that
had been inducted into the service.
They aU formed an orchestra and made
me their conductor since I was talldng
at rehearsal more than anyone else.”
^^en the war ended he became
violinist for the Lener Quartet touring
Europe, North Africa, South America,
and the West Indies. In 1948 he was
back in Princeton as chairman of the
instrumental department at West
minster Md playing in the Roth Quartet
with Feri Roth, Jeno Antol, and Janos
Starker. He became lecturer in music
at Princeton University in 1953.
A decade later he was appointed
Music Director of the New Jersey
Tevcenteuary Festival of Music-, it was
at this event that the Princeton
Chamber Orchestra made its debut
under Harsanyi’s direction.
From Princeton, Mr. Harsanjd has
come to Winston-Salem, not only as
Dean of Music, but also as Music
Director and conductor of both the
NCSA Orchestra and the Piedmont
Qiamber Orchestra. The latter he took
to the two weelcs Festival that com
memorated the opening of the Kennedy
Center in Washington. His wife, Janice
Harsanyi, an accomplished soprano of
recording and recital fame, is here as
well and is a welcome addition to the
voice department.
(When reading Harsanyi’s
quotations, as in this article, it is im
portant to know that he does not speak
idiomatically. This does not mean that
he expresses himself poorly, but that
when transferred to paper, his words
can at times seem pedantic. If his tone
of voice were not lost to the reader, Mr
Harsanyi’s thoughtfulness would never
need to be emphasized.)
Mr. Harsanyi’s being here is a result
of his agreement with NCSA’s
educationetl foundation;
“Schools that offer an academic
education in addition to music training
will be the places where future
musicians will go...We are really more
fortunate than schools like Julliard and
Curtis where education is more
narrowly confined to the Arts; whereas
here, both academic and artistic
training is offered.”
He also stated in reference to his
guest conducting last year for the
World Bankers Convention in Chapel
Hill, “From the NCSA Orchestra I got a
great response. That was very much a
factor in my decision to come.”
Along with these favorable im
pressions, Mr. Harsanyi has also
witnessed certain phenomena on
campus of which he does not approve.
He is distressed to hear some students
criticizing NCSA and thinks it a gross
error when students do not understand
how fortunate they are to be here.
Drugs in his opinion are harmful to the
kind of education he advocates. Self-
discipline and seriousness in studies
are basic to him:
“Student years are extremely im
portant and students must realize that
they will never come again.This period
is a chance to prepare for a future, and
not a moment should be wasted. After
you leave school you are in the future.
“Self-discipline is the first
requirement of an arts education.The
music student should operate from an
inner self-discipline. A student’s
education is entirely up to him. The
school provides the resources and each
student makes use of them according to
his desires.”
One of the resources Harsanyi feels is
important is the faculty. He has lauded
his faculty and the demands he puts on
them are also great;
“Discipline should be communicated
by the faculty A good faculty can
only be effective when teaching by
example, not by just talking; also, by
inspiring respect on the student’s
part.”
Mr. Harsanyi appreciates jazz “if it’s
good.” He likes “rock that is inventive.
But noise, I hate. Today, it is mainly up
to the schools and universities to
provide the experimentation that is
needed for the creation of new music.
But too many people go to the extreme
and justify any noises they make as
music and then declare themselves
composers before they have had the
training and experience that a good
composer has. A school should present
all aspects of that which is being.”
His first new innovation in the
curriculum is a new jazz program with
John Lewis. Possible programs for the
future include electronic music.
Dean Harsanyi hopes “to build a
climate wherein everyone strives to
attain his full potential.” Such an up
ward aim and deep conunitment is a
proof of his sincerity. “His vitality and
ebullience”, as referred to by President
Ward, completes the introduction to the
New Dean of Music.
-Sebastian deGrazia
with Young, Martin, and Pajkowski
Also In
This Issue
Editorials page 2
On Abortion page 2
Design and Production
Changes page 3
James Beard page 4
Creative Writing page 6
Poems by Buzbee page 7
Announcements page 8