The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-18
PLAYED HIMSELF INTO YALE.
At 10, Russian Boy is Second Violin
lst IN New Haven Orchestra

tNew York WorldD
Nv raven Conn,-FrOm the obscure
VI EAaterinosion. Russia, has
SoIhe 10 this city a youthful prodigy who
py the sweetness of his music bss
played himself into the first free scboia-7
snip OF the Yale Music school His Daua
- -NaI 4dh ook0lOm, and he is only Is
years Old but large for his age.
Inc excellence of his work with tba
Eloih so delighted Professor Samuel s
SANFORD dean of the Yale school. thaf he
resolved to provide Sokoloff with a free
musical education. Daily the talanta5
youth visits the school where the besf
instruction afforded by the institution il
provided him. Independently wealthy.
EIolessor sanford Is spending his private
funds for the boy
Music had charms for the lad from in
FANCY, and when very young he began
with MS fathers old violin TO inter1ref
the sounds which he heard in the fields
OF MS native land. No teacher was
available, and with a companion Of his
own age SokOlof learned the first urin-
cipies Of the instrument. This lad was
attending music school in Kief At II
years the youthful pupil showed such
aDllity That his companion begged him
70 come 10 hlef and play before Profess
s0r kulakOfsky. a violin teacher of na-
tional repute. The professor was inter
eSled at once, and at the risk of arrest
Tor patroniztng a Hebrew. he secretly
gave SokolOh the much-needed instTuc-
ton
Eventually the police caught the youth
ful musician and he was dTummed out Of
the city Enraged at this the father de-
cided to leave his native land. The bOv
secured employment in an opera house
and earned enough TO bring the entire
family TO America. They came direct
from New York 10 New Haven, where
they had friends. Here the boys mu-
steal ability provided bread and butter
for the family. Though he could neither
speak nor understand English, SOkOlOif
soon secured pupils on the violin. and
with what little he could earn supported
not only himself. but kept the family
until his father and brother were able to
get employment
Through a friend he learned of the
trials for the Stinert scholarship at Yale.
But three days before the trials Sokolo6
BEGAN practising for them. With many
advanced pupils he appeared at the
school, where his appearance created
much comment and some amusement
Professor Sanford was one of the eX-
aminers The boy stepped forth to play.
He had chosen a selection requiring tech
nique and execution which seemed far
beyond one Of his years or station The
tones of the violin soon told their own
story TO those who heard them
Though he was not awarded the Gov
eted prize, it was decided to give MN
honorable mention, and Professor sam
ford at once took an interest in MIN ftls
work was pronounced WONDERFUL Inougn
IL lacked the tLlaEM W itAll IAAlt 4-a'LA tAA-
could give. The professor lost no time
in providing for the education OF the
youth. and the next morning he was at
work in the school
sokoloff is now studying the theory OF
music and after a thorough education al
the Yale school he will probably go
abroad for further instruction He has
bv the excellence Of his playing secured
p position already as second violin ~ the
New Haven Symphony orchestra and ap-
pears with them in concert, being Jlle
Youngest musician in the orchestra ne
will play with them at the coming Dr.
centennial celebration.
When asked about his scholar, Proies-
sa~ Sanford said. His work IS remark
able He is far ahead of many musicians
Of .wice his years who have STUDIED Tor
a lifetime 1t is q small matter 20 me.
and NAV be the means of doing a great
deal Of good. The boy is having the bene-
lit at Yale of as good instruction as ne
can get I'm this country. / am convinced
that he VIII prove 10 be marvel ms
musical taste, I understand, is inherited
His father Is a violinist OF ordinary anil
itv and manages 10 exc out hVlns ey
IN His uncle. he tells me, Is a yalentee
pianist and a graduate of the ST. Peters
burg conservatory