Ida Divinoff Explained

Ida Divinoff (3 Mar 1889[1] – 20 Sep 1972[2]) was an American classical violinist and the first woman violinist to play on a major American symphony orchestra. She often performed with her pianist sister Sarah Divinoff.[3]

Biography

Ida Divinoff, born Ida Cohn, was born into a musical Jewish family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her parents were Nathan and Rosa Cohn, immigrants from Eastern Europe. Ida's father was a musician,[4] her sister Sarah Divinoff-Kellner, older than her by three years, often accompanied her on piano, another sister Clara was a music instructor[5] and her brother Harold was a professional musician.[6] She was performing by 1905 and at that time was reported to have been a pupil of Eugène Ysaÿe.[7] Sometime between 1905 and 1913 she travelled to Europe and studied under Otakar Ševčík. She also received lessons from Leopold Auer.[8] By 1913 she adopted the name Ida Divinoff and was often reported as being Russian or European born. She returned to the United States by 1913 and toured the country with John McCormack, the Irish tenor.[9] She performed in New York City in June 1914 to a rave review in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. She toured the country in 1914 with Orpheum, a burlesque show.[10] She joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in December 1918,[11] [12] [13] which was then directed by Ossip Gabrilowitsch.

In her 70's, Ida continued to perform as a member of Chicago's City Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra composed of senior citizens.

Ida married Harry Rothberg, a sign painter, in Detroit, Michigan, in March 1921.[14] After her sister's Sarah's passing, she married her sister's husband, the artist Charles H. Kellner.[15] Ida died 20 September 1972 in Chicago.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: "Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926", database, FamilySearch. FamilySearch. 23 January 2022.
  2. News: Mrs. Charles Kellner. Chicago Tribune. 21 September 1972. 94. Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, 21 Sep 1972, Thu • Page 94. 23 January 2022.
  3. News: Ida Divinoff, Violinist. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 5 June 1914. 8. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, 05 Jun 1914, Fri • Page 8.
  4. Web site: "United States Census, 1900," database with images. FamilySearch. 23 January 2022.
  5. Web site: United States Census, 1900, Clara Cohn in household of Nathan Cohn, Milwaukee city Ward 6, Precinct 1. 24 January 2022. FamilySearch. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
  6. Web site: Harold Cohn (obituary). The Capital Times page 15. Madison, Wisconsin. 11 Jul 1957. 25 January 2022.
  7. News: Music. Chicago Tribune. 5 November 1905. 71. Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, 05 Nov 1905, Sun • Page 71.
  8. Web site: The Sound of Music in the Chicago Labor Temple. 5 December 1965. Kansas City Star . 14 February 2022.
  9. The Irish Standard, St. Paul, Minneapolis, April 19, 1913
  10. Web site: Oakland Orpheum Advertisement. Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California • Page 4. 1 Nov 1914.
  11. Web site: Three Women in the Detroit Orchestra. 11 Dec 1918. The Star Press, Muncie, Indiana . 23 January 2022.
  12. Web site: Detroit Orchestra Has Woman Players. 6 March 1920. Lansing State Journal, Lansing, Michigan . 23 January 2022.
  13. Web site: Items of Interest in the Jewish World. 13 February 1920. Hebrew Standard . 23 January 2022.
  14. Web site: Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925, Harry Rothberg and Ida Dixinoff, 17 Mar 1921. FamilySearch.
  15. Web site: Charles H. Kellner.
  16. Web site: Ida Cohn Divinoff-Kellner. Find-A-Grave.

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