Curtis Mourns the Loss of Scott Nickerenz (Viola ’58)
The Curtis community mourns the passing of Scott Nickrenz (’58), an esteemed violist, influential director of chamber music, educator, and Curtis alumnus, who passed away on March 17, 2025. Born in Buffalo, New York, Roy Scott Nickrenz took piano and violin lessons from an early age before switching to the viola at the recommendation of his teacher, Alexander Schneider. Years later, he auditioned at Curtis and joined the student body in the fall of 1955. Here, he studied with Max Aronoff (Viola and Chamber Music ’24), and following graduation, he became a fellow at Tanglewood, where he had the privilege of working with renowned composers such as Elliott Carter, Leon Kirchner, Gunther Schuller, John Cage, and Aaron Copland.
Mr. Nickrenz’s career spanned many decades, and after leaving Curtis to take a seat at the Pittsburg Symphony, he went on to perform across the world, taking up various leadership positions along the way. He co-founded the Lenox String Quartet, the Orpheus Trio, and the Vermeer Quartet and made appearances at Lincoln Center, the White House, Tanglewood, and Jordan Hall. For 13 years, he served as the director of chamber music at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and led programs at the Spoleto Festivals in Italy, Charleston, and Melbourne from 1978 to 2003. He also served on the faculty of the New England Conservatory (NEC) and was the chamber music director for the New World Symphony in Miami.
In 1990, cellist Yo-Yo Ma recommended Mr. Nickrenz for the role of Curator of Music at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where he transformed its concert programs over the course of 26 years. He was instrumental in fostering emerging talent, launching the careers of internationally acclaimed artists such as violinist Joshua Bell, and pioneering innovative musical collaborations. His crowning achievement was the creation of the museum’s acoustically pristine Calderwood Hall, a “sonic cube” designed by architect Renzo Piano and acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota to enhance the intimacy between musicians and audiences.
Beyond classical music, Mr. Nickrenz expanded the Gardner’s programming to include contemporary and hip-hop performances. He also developed “The Concert,” an early classical music podcast, using technology to further the evolution of classical music. Throughout his career, he remained devoted to mentoring younger musicians, a mission he considered his life’s most consistent purpose. Mr. Nickrenz was known not only for his artistic vision but also for his boundless energy, humor, and love of life. He enjoyed cigars, martinis, poker, and tennis—once holding the title of New York State champion in high school. His final days were filled with music and love, with performances by Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, and Jean-Yves Thibaude.
Nickrenz is survived by his wife, renowned flutist Paula Robison, who holds a teaching chair at the New England Conservatory; his daughters—pianist Erika Nickrenz, a founding member of the Eroica Trio, and psychologist and singer-songwriter Elizabeth Nickrenz Fein; his sister, Nola Allen; and his grandson, Zachary Herman. Nickrenz’s profound impact on the chamber music community and Curtis will be remembered for years to come. Our heartfelt sympathies and condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones.
Read a tribute to Mr. Nickrenz from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Photo credits: 1.) Scott Nickerenz; courtesy of New England Conservatory. 2.) Mr. Nickrenz, circa 1976; classical-scene.com. 3.) Scott Nickrenz and his wife Paula Robison in 1985 outside the Caio Melisso Theatre in Spoleto; courtesy Maria Lambros and WBUR. 4.) Portrait of Mr. Nickrenz; courtesy of HubArts by Joel Brown.
