Dina Turgeman (4 October 1922 – 14 February 2014), was a German-born Israeli pianist and piano teacher.

Biography

Dina Grossvogel Turgeman was born in Frankfurt, Germany. Her Polish-born art dealer family emigrated to Luxembourg.^[1] She studied piano at the Luxembourg Conservatory, with Lucien Lambotte,^[2] and at age 14 won „Premier prix avec grande distinction par 60 points“, (“first prize with distinction”).^[3] A year later, February 24, 1938, she gave her first recital at the Luxemburg Casino playing works of Glinka, Balakirew, Ljadow, Glasunow and Arenski.^[4]

She went on to the Royal Conservatory of Brussels where she won „Premier prix avec distinction“ (First prize with distinction) in 1939.^[4] She won first prizes in competitions and played in concerts that were broadcast across Europe.^[5] During her studies she received the honor of Queen of Belgium's patronage.^[6] During the Second World War in 1941, her family was on the list to be deported to the Litzmannstadt Ghetto (Łódź), ^[7] Turgeman and her family, with forged papers under the name ‘Dubois’ and assisted by Lucien Lambotte,^[8] hid in a convent near Liege in Belgium, where she played the organ at Mass every morning.^[9]

After the war she continued with her studies at the Brussels conservatoire,^[10] and played numerous concerts, as soloist and chamber music, in Brussels and for the Luxembourg radio.^[11]

In 1949, she immigrated to Israel.^[12][13]

In 1950 she married Mordechai Turgeman, CPA, whom she met touring in Israel, .^[14] They have two children, Professor Orit Pappo and Advocate Arik Ramot.

Music career

Turgeman played as soloist and chamber music with musicians from Israel and abroad^{[15] [16]} including Yitzhak Blassberger, Simcha Cheled, Georg Marton, Avraham Melamed, Nahum Pinczuk, Meir Rimon, Moshe Stieglitz, Arie Yisraeli^[17] in a wide repertoire which included Bach, Beethoven, Brahms,^[18] Britten, Chausson, Kodaly, Martinu^[19] Mozart, Partos, Poot, Tchaikowski, Villa-Lobos as well as Belgian composers.^[20] She taught students from all over the world who went on to Juilliard, the Metropolitan Opera and other musical institutions.^[21]

Turgeman developed a unique teaching method that allowed musicians to reach their full potential, with a specific technical base of rebuilding the finger strength and efficient easy playing.^[22] Among her students were Astrit Balzan, Leora Cohen, Mikael Eliason,^[23] Ethan Globerson,^[24] Revital Hachamoff,^[24] Yehuda Inbar,^[25] Nico Levi, Eytan Pessen, Irit Rimon Neidorff, Ayala Rosenbaum,^[26] Adi Rosenkranz,^[27] Zvi Semel and Michal Tal. She taught up to the age of 88.

Awards and recognition

After her death in 2014 at the age of 91^[28] the story of her curtailed career, deportation and post war antisemitism were featured in varied media in Luxembourg and Belgium.^{[29] [30]} led by the historian Denis Scuto.^[31][32] the Jerusalem Music Academy created a chamber music competition on her name.^{[33] [34]}

See also

• Music in Israel

References