Concert Pianist Nadia Reisenberg at WNYC

Concert pianist Nadia Reisenberg standing in front of the Louis Schanker WPA mural at WNYC, April 25, 1942.*

In 1921, Reisenberg played her first orchestral concert: the Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto with the Warsaw Philharmonic under Artur Rodzinski, who was also making his conducting debut. Reisenberg was the sister of theremin player Clara Rockmore and the mother of WQXR's Robert Sherman, whom we thank for this wonderful snapshot. For more information on the reknown sisters check out The Nadia Reisenberg and Clara Rockmore Foundation.

*While we've been unable to document if Reisenberg actually performed on WNYC that April 25th  we can't fathom any other reason for her being at the station. We do know, however, that later that year, December 13, 1942, she was on WQXR as part of a War Bond Concert. She performed that day with the Perole String Quartet and cellist Joseph Schuster. Abram Chasins was the musical commentator and Henry J. Taylor the guest speaker. Works by Rachmaninoff and Gliere were played.