A well-known musicologist and pianist, Verne Thompson (1899-1964) was a student of Josef Lhévinne and Rudolph Reuter. He toured with and accompanied singers Marian Anderson, Lauritz Melchior, and Albert Spalding. During a 20-year residency in Hawaii, Dr. Thompson was a soloist with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and a performer with the Musical Arts Trio. He joined the Eastman faculty in 1948, and began teaching music history, literature, and theory. He also helped establish the Collegium Musicum, a Baroque ensemble that remains active here. He also was the associate dean of graduate studies and earned his own PhD from Eastman in 1955. An eloquent writer, Dr. Thompson produced the program notes for Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concerts, and was a correspondent for Musical America magazine for several years.
Eastman School of Music
