Abraham J. Mishkind

MISHKIND, Abraham J. Abraham J. Mishkind, violinist, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, (January 14, 2006), in a Northampton, MA Hospital. He was 90. He was the beloved teacher of hundreds of violin and viola students in the Hartford area. Abraham received his B.S. from the Julliard School of Music, and his M.A. from Columbia University. He was a first violinist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, serving as Assistant Concertmaster for many years; and Assistant Professor at the University of Hartford, Hartt School of Music. He also served as violinist with The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, with whom he toured throughout the United States and the world; Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Pittsburg Symphony; Heritage String Quartet (University of Kentucky); and Aspen Festival Orchestra. He served for many years as Director of Strings and Conductor of the University of Vermont Summer Music Sessions; on the faculty and conductor of the orchestra at the University of Kentucky; conductor of the Western Massachusetts Young People's Orchestra; summer faculty at Black Mountain College in North Carolina; and Director of Instrumental Music of the Springfield, Massachusetts public schools. He also taught in New York City, Pittsburgh, Boston and Detroit. As part of the Mishkind Duo, with his violinist wife, Elaine, he performed many concerts of the violin duo literature in Boston, Detroit, Hartford, and Springfield. They also gave hundreds of concerts as members of the All in the String Family quartet, where they delighted and educated young children and their families throughout Connecticut. He is survived by his wife, Elaine Mishkind of Amherst, MA; his son, Daniel Mishkind and his wife, Beth Silverstein and their children, Noah and Elijah, of Leverett, MA; his son, Marc Mishkind, of Los Angeles, CA; and a brother and sister, Herman and Milda Mishkind, both of Chelmsford, MA.