Ernest Hutcheson

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Ernest Hutcheson (1871 - 1951) was an Australian pianist, and teacher.

Hutcheson was a child prodigy and traveled to Leipzig to study with Carl Reinecke. After making his debut in New York he became a member of the faculty and Dean (1937 to 1945) at the Juilliard School. He later became President of the school.

Hutcheson wrote an important book called, The Literature of the Piano, and taught many first-rate students. One of these many students was Mary Ann Craft, who later taught prodigy, Edgar Coleman, during his formative years.

Hutcheson was also associated with the Chautauqua School of Music at the Chautauqua Institute in western New York State. Hutcheson provided much needed refuge for George Gershwin at Chautauqua during the stressful period of composing and refining of the Piano Concerto in F. Since Gershwin was already very famous as successful writer of popular works and musical shows, he was constantly besieged by admirers. The original Rhapsody in Blue had been scored by Gershwin for jazz band. He had never scored a large symphonic work and thus was under great stress exacerbated by the pressing deadline expectations from Walter Damrosch, conductor of the New York Symphony, who had commissioned the Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra. Thanks to Ernest Hutcheson's kind offer of seclusion for George Gershwin at Chautauqua where his quarters were declared off limits to everyone until 4 p.m. daily, Gershwin was able to successfully complete his piano concerto.

He wrote some piano works, and the piano transcription of Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries".