Alix Young Maruchess

Alix Young Maruchess
A white woman with dark hair, holding a viola
Alix Young Maruchess, from a 1929 advertisement
Born
Alix Young

28 March 1889
Edinburgh, Scotland
Died27 February 1973 (age 83)
Harrison, New York, U.S.
OccupationViolist
SpouseBoris Maruchess

Alix Young Maruchess (28 March 1889 – 27 February 1973) was a Scottish-born American musician. She played viola and viola d'amore in concerts from the 1920s into the 1960s.

Early life and education

Alix Young was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. She studied with Otakar Ševčík, Mikhail Press, and Leopold Auer.[1][2][3] She acquired an Amati viola d'amore in Europe as a young woman, and made it her specialty.[4]

Career

Maruchess was based in New York City by 1917,[5] and gave recitals at Steinway Hall in 1927,[6] 1928,[7] 1929,[8] and 1939.[9] and at Town Hall in 1931.[10] She toured widely in the 1930s,[11] including performances in Carmel in 1934[12] and 1935,[13] at the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C., in 1936,[14] and at Bennington College in 1937.[15] She returned to Carmel in 1947[2] and 1953, to play at the Carmel Bach Festival.[16][17]

From the 1930s onward,[18][19] Maruchess was frequently in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she socialized with Witter Bynner, Gerald Cassidy, Ina Sizer Cassidy, Amelia Elizabeth White, violinist Eunice Hauskins, and others in the arts.[20][21] While in Santa Fe, she began playing the cello in concerts.[21] She was founding conductor of Sinfonietta, the city's amateur chamber music group,[22] and returned to Santa Fe in 1953 to perform with Sinfonietta.[23]

William Zorach drew a portrait of Maruchess with her viola.[24] In the 1940s she played a kithara with the experimental Harry Partch Ensemble.[25][26] In 1962, she performed with the Brooklyn String Orchestra in Chappaqua, with Lily Nyeboe conducting.[1]

Personal life

Alix Young married labor arbitrator Boris Maruchess; they had a daughter, Graeme, born in 1914.[27] Her husband died in 1938.[28] Maruchess died in 1963, at the age of 83, in Harrison, New York.[19][29]

References

  1. ^ a b "Viola Virtuoso to Perform in Chappaqua" North Westchester Times and New Castle Tribune (1962-05-17): 16; via NYS Historic Newspapers.
  2. ^ a b "Alix Maruchess to Play Stamitz Concerto". Carmel Pine Cone: 13. 1947-07-18 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ "Alix Young Maruchess to Give Woman's Club Performance". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 1942-01-08. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "She Revived romance of Past in Music of Viola d'Amore". El Paso Herald-Post. 1933-12-12. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Three Musicians Heard; Jacobinoff, Mrs. Young-Maruchess, Violinists; F. Moore, Pianist". The New York Times. 1917-03-29. p. 11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  6. ^ "Maruchess Plays Violin and Viola". The New York Times. 1927-04-14. p. 25. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  7. ^ "Alix Young Maruchess Plays Again". The New York Times. 1928-01-30. p. 18. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  8. ^ "Maruchess Delights with Viola d'Amore; Also Plays Viola in Recital of Representative Works Ranging From 17th Century to Present". The New York Times. 1929-11-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  9. ^ "'Musical America' Reports on Concert of Alix Maruchess". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1939-03-11. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Mme. Maruchess in Town Hall". The New York Times. 1931-11-04. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  11. ^ "Margaret Tilly and Alix Maruchess to Present Concert Here". The Chico Enterprise. 1934-06-11. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Above all, for sweetness, is the old viola d'amore". Carmel Pine Cone: 5. 1934-05-18 – via Internet Archive.
  13. ^ "Viola d'Amore Concert Proves Gratifying". Carmel Cymbal: 3. 1935-04-10 – via Internet Archive.
  14. ^ Eversman, Alice (1936-11-28). "Viola Expert's Concert to Revive Older Music". Evening star. p. 20. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Bennington College, Concert Program for Alix Young Maruchess (1937-09-21).
  16. ^ Carmel Bach Festival (1947). 1947 Carmel Bach Festival Program.
  17. ^ Carmel Bach Festival (1953). 1953 Carmel Bach Festival Program.
  18. ^ "Alix Maruchess to Give Viola, Viola D'Amore Concert Today". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1940-10-27. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ a b "Former SF concert artist dies". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1973-03-09. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Santa Fe Society News". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1932-04-30. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ a b "Eunice Hauskins and Alix Maruchess are Hostesses of Tea". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1939-08-04. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Promotes Chamber Music at Museum with Concert July 2". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1941-06-29. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Sinfonietta is Rehearsing for Concert". The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1953-07-19. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Zorach, WIlliam. Woman with violin - Portrait of Alix maruchess (via ArtNet).
  25. ^ Harry Partch 1942 Live at Eastman, liner notes (Microfest Records 2021): 59.
  26. ^ "Unusual Program by Harry Partch; Composers' League Sponsors His 'Speech-Music' Concert -- New Instruments Seen". The New York Times. 1944-04-23. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  27. ^ "Graeme Maruchess Sizer and Rowland Barber to be Married Saturday in Kingston, N.Y." The Santa Fe New Mexican. 1941-06-18. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Boris Maruchess, Labor Conciliator; Manager of Employe Relations for Clothing Manufacturers Exchange Is Dead". The New York Times. 1938-04-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  29. ^ "Maruchess (death notice)". The Daily Item. 1973-02-28. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
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