Celebrating Women’s History: Barbara “Bobbi” Moskow

The acclaimed soprano and beloved Curtis alumna Barbara “Bobbi” Moskow (Voice ’50) forged a career that bridged the worlds of opera and Yiddish song

Born on January 13, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, acclaimed soprano and beloved Curtis alumna Barbara “Bobbi” Moskow (Voice ’50) built a career that bridged the worlds of opera and Yiddish song. A gifted vocalist from an early age, she pursued formal training at Curtis in the fall of 1946, at age 18. Here, she earned her bachelor’s degree, studying with contralto Marion Szekeley Freschi, voice teacher to 20th-century opera luminaries such as Marian Anderson, Shirley Verrett, Camilla Williams, and Brenda Lewis.

At Curtis, Ms. Moskow studied French, Italian, and German, solfège, harmony, and counterpoint—the latter taught by faculty member and alumnus, serial composer George Rochberg (’48). Opera training was, of course, central to her education, and she had the privilege working with one of the most-performed contemporary opera composers of his era, Gian Carlo Menotti (’33), whose class she remembered as “nothing short of marvelous.” It was during this time that she performed in his first opera, Amelia Goes to the Ball, on April 1, 1937, at the Philadelphia Academy of Music under the direction of Austrian composer, librettist, and stage director Ernst Lert, with set and costumes by Tony Award-winning designer Donald Oenslager. One of the few full productions staged at Curtis during the time, Ms. Moskow and her fellow voice students often presented scenes from various operas at Casimir Hall (now Field Concert Hall), in lieu of full productions.

Beyond the vocal training she received, Ms. Moskow was also enrolled in a literature and music course with Mrs. Edith Evans Braun, a close friend of Mary Louise Curtis Bok. As Curtis expanded its curriculum, a movement and dance class led by Nadia Chilkovsky was later introduced to her weekly schedule. These experiences gave her a well-rounded foundation in both the academic and performance aspects of her craft, equipping her for a career in the field. After four years of dedicated study, she graduated in 1950.

Her operatic career officially launched with a performance in Mr. Menotti’s one-act comic opera The Telephone, with the St. Paul Civic Opera Company, and she later reprised the role of Lucy England on Boston Public Television. Ms. Moskow went on to tackle a wide range of repertoire, but beyond the operatic roles, Moskow found herself deeply connected to the music of her faith, a passion that would define a significant portion of her career.

In 1971, while performing at a fundraising concert for Israel, she met Albert Berkowitz, a respected Yiddish journalist. Through him, she was introduced to and studied with renowned basso-baritone Cantor Sidor Belarsky. His guidance deeply influenced her artistic path, nurturing her growing interest in Jewish vocal traditions. For three decades, Ms. Moskow was an influential performer across the U.S., dedicated to bringing Yiddish art and folk songs to American audiences. She made appearances on WEVD radio and went on national Yiddish Theater tours with Chayele Ash and Abraham Fuhrman. Although Ms. Moskow never made any commercial recordings, her artistry will forever be preserved thanks to the Robert and Molly Freedman Jewish Music Archive at the University of Pennsylvania which digitized her old tape recordings and donated them to the Recorded Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University, ensuring that these musical traditions are kept alive for future generations.

Ms. Moskow went on to practice music psychotherapy at Friends Hospital—one of America’s oldest hospitals, focused on mental health—until retiring in 1992. In the spring of 2018, when asked about her time at Curtis, Ms. Moskow said, “The outside world was far away. Time moved slowly. In retrospect, life was simpler and full of youthful enthusiasm, though it did not seem that way at the time. It was not the age of anxiety or quick fixes or breaking news flashes, but the one thing that has remained constant is the music. It was beautiful. It is beautiful. It will always be beautiful.”

Ms. Moskow’s legacy endures today through the Barbara Moskow Fellowship at Curtis, established in her honor to support promising young vocalists. She left an indelible mark on Curtis and the world of vocal arts, ensuring that the traditions she championed would continue to resonate for years to come.

Excerpt from Barbara Moskow’s 2011 Interview with Curtis:

“Somewhere between the horse and buggy and the iPad, I spent four wonderful years at Curtis. This was the era of [Gregor] Piatigorsky and [Rudolf] Serkin and [William] Kincaid, [William] Primrose, and [Gian Carlo] Menotti. It was also a time in my life when I could bound up two flights of stairs without getting a nosebleed, a heart attack, or needing oxygen [Ms. Moskow laughs].

“Curtis shaped me, not only musically, but also in my life. It had an impact on everything that I’ve done since, and I’m very grateful to have been a part of it.”