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Hofmann, Joseph Casimir

Pianist, composer and inventor. Born in 1876 in Krakow, Poland; the son of Casimir and Mathilde (Wysocki) Hofmann, an opera singer in the Municipal Opera in Krakow. At the age of 5, the child prodigy gave concerts in Warsaw. His father being his first music teacher. In 1886 played his first concert in Krakow. On November 28, 1887, when 10 years old, made his debut as a pianist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, N. Y. When 16 became the only private pupil of Anton Rubinstein, who considered him one exception to piano prodigies whom he had heard. In 1938 resigned as director of Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and in 1939 left together with his family for California. Gave a jubilee concert on June 23, 1939 in Robin Hood Hall. Composed his first mazurkas, polkas and polonaises at the early age of nine; composed forty opus for piano; the author of Chromaticon under the pen name of Dworski. He is also a proficient mechanic, interested in the scientific development of the world; invented the automatic windshield wiper for cars.

From: "Who's Who in Polish America" by Rev. Francis Bolek, Editor-in-Chief; Harbinger House, New York, 1943

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