Departures of note

Born in Sacramento, California, in 1925 to a Polish violinist father, Ruth Slenczynska displayed extraordinary musical talent from infancy, giving her first recital at four and debuting with a full orchestra in Paris at seven. She studied with several eminent teachers, most notably Sergei Rachmaninoff, becoming his final piano pupil.\n\nHer early career dazzled audiences worldwide, earning praise from the New York Times and performing for five U.S. presidents, including a four‑hand Mozart duet for Harry Truman at the White House. After a period of withdrawal from the concert stage in her teens, she returned to performing in the 1950s, taught piano at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and published memoirs and instructional works.\n\nSlenczynska continued to record and perform into her nineties, releasing a final album in 2022 that showcased her enduring technical mastery. She died peacefully on April 22, 2026, at the age of 101, leaving a legacy as one of the 20th century’s most remarkable piano prodigies and a bridge to the era of Rachmaninoff.