Mikhail Press

Mikhail (Moisej) Isaakovich Press, also known as Michael Press, (Russian: Михаил Исаакович Пресс; 29 August 1871, in Vilnius, Lithuania – 22 December 1938, in Lansing, Michigan) was a Russian-American violinist, conductor and music educator.

Press began studying violin with Tissen at the age of eight in Vilnius, and made his first public appearance at ten years old.

Press entered the Moscow Conservatory in 1897 studying violin with Jan Hřímalý and graduated with a gold medal in 1899.

[1][2] Press played in chamber music ensembles and in 1905 organized the Russian Trio, a piano trio which also included his wife Vera Maurina as pianist (graduate of Moscow Conservatory), and his brother Joseph Press (Иосиф Пресс, 1881–1924), a gifted cellist.

He joined the violin faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 1924 and served as Carl Flesch's assistant for one year.