Jascha Zayde

Jascha Zayde was born to Russian parents living in Mercedes, Argentina on October 25, 1911. His family moved to the U.S. when he was six months old and he began studying the piano by the age of three. He made his debut performance at the age of 7. Zayde won a fellowship to the Juilliard School, where Carl Friedberg was his principal teacher. Zayde became the first staff musician hired by WQXR, the classical radio station in New York City, in 1936. Initially, he was the host of a weekly radio program called "The Development of Piano Music." Later, the station hired a second pianist, Clifford Herzer, and the duo formed a two-piano team that became one of the station's most popular features. When Herzer joined the Navy, Zayde was then teamed with Leonid Hambro. Zayde and Hambro were also a popular team, both on the radio and in concert. Zayde was also the staff keyboard player of the New York City Ballet, starting in 1954. Zayde died in September of 1999.