Dayas, Karin

Born at Helsinfors, Finland, on May 13, 1892, Karin Dayas was the daughter of W.H. Dayas, American pianist, organist and composer. Both her parents were pianists and pupils of Franz Liszt. As a child, she studied at the Weimar Music School in Germany, and her talent was recognized by the Grand Duke of Weimar, who sponsored her early career.

At age 14, she won the Liszt prize. Two years later, she was accepted by Carl Friedberg at the Cologne Conservatory where she became his principal assistant and earned her Diploma as a concert pianist. While still in her teens, she gave concerts in all the major music capitals of Europe. Her repertory included 30 concertos. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner presented her in the American premier of Busoni's hour-long Piano Concerto in 1932. She was soloist again with the Cincinnati Orchestra in 1935. On that second occassion, Mme. Dayas was scheduled to perform Liszt's "Dance of Death," but when the orchestra parts failed to arrive she substituted a Beethoven piano concerto on very short notice.

During World War II, Mme. Dayas taught piano in the daytime and worked the 11:00 shift at Wright Aeronautical Corporation, where she operated an internal grinder on parts for the Cyclone engines.

Mme. Dayas first taught at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1926 and served on the faculty for 45 years, giving her final performance, an all-Beethoven recital, on May 28, 1969 at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. Among her more notable pupils are Ward Swigle of the Swigle Singers; John White, former director of Pro Musica; and Babette Effron, a former pianist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.In 1964, she received the University's coveted Mrs. A.B. "Dolly" Cohen Award for excellence in teaching.

She was married to August Soendlin, a violinist with the Cincinnati Symphony. Mme. Dayas died March 4, 1971.

From the guide to the Karin Dayas Papers, 1930-1943, 1930-1943, (University of Cincinnati, Archives and Rare Books Library)