Death of Yonty Solomon
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of former RCM Piano Professor and Fellow of the College, Yonty Solomon.
Yonty enjoyed a distinguished worldwide career in recitals, concertos and chamber-music. After graduating with highest distinction in both Music and Psychology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, he continued his studies with Dame Myra Hess, Guido Agosti and Charles Rosen. He won several major piano competitions, including the Harriet Cohen Beethoven Medal. Yonty was a soloist throughout the world with many of the most important symphony orchestras.
The following tribute, written by Vanessa Latarche, Head of Keyboard at the RCM, was read out at his funeral on 29 September: "Yonty was for all of his students the best role model that a teacher could possibly be, a colossus of the piano world, warm-hearted, generous, enthusiastic, energetic, and intellectually curious. To say that he will be sorely missed by us is an enormous understatement; his passing has left a huge hole on the second floor of the RCM, but his exceptional legacy is legendary. I know I can speak for all my colleagues when I say we feel very privileged to have known him."
