Josephine Kryl
Josephine Kryl, from a 1914 publication.
Born	1897 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Died	November 20, 1960
Nationality	American
Occupation	Violinist

Josephine Kryl (1897 — November 20, 1960) was an American violinist.

Early life

Josephine Kryl was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, the daughter of Bohumir Kryl and Mary Jerabek Kryl. Her father was a cornetist from Bohemia. Her mother was born in Vienna, Austria. Her younger sister Marie Kryl also became a professional musician, as a pianist.^[1]

Josephine Kryl studied with Leon Semetini,^[2] Leopold Auer,^[3] and Eugène Ysaÿe.^[4]

Career

The Kryls performed together through Josephine's adolescence, sometimes as a family, and sometimes just the sisters.^[5] At the start of World War I Josephine Kryl was a teenager, studying in Belgium with Ysäye. Before she could return to the United States, she heard bombardments nearby, saw spies arrested, and survived an attack on a train.^[6] After her marriage, she continued to appear with her father and sister in concert.^[7]

As a soloist, Josephine Kryl appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1915,^[8] in recitals with Emmy Destinn in 1917,^[9] and with the Rochester Symphony in the 1930s.^[10] "Josephine Kryl has many natural gifts of temperament and talent," noted one report in 1920. "To these she adds a firmly grounded knowledge of her instrument acquired in exhaustive study which was started at an early age."^[11]

Personal life

Bohumir Kryl was wealthy.^[12] In 1921, he openly offered each daughter $100,000 if they would postpone marriage until they were thirty years old,^[13] hoping the publicized offer would give them incentive to make their music careers a priority.^[14] Josephine Kryl married composer and conductor Paul Thomas White in 1922, forfeiting that reward.^[15][16]"Paul and I are going to do a great deal in music this year," she explained to reporters. "It is silly to say one has to give up music for love."^[17] They had four daughters. Josephine Kryl White died in 1960, aged 63 years, in Rochester, New York.^[18]

Her grandson Paul Yancich is principal timpani with the Cleveland Orchestra.^[19] Another grandson, Mark Yancich, is principal timpani with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.^[20]

References

External links

• A publicity photo of Josephine Kryl with her father and sister, from "Traveling Culture: Circuit Chautauqua in the Twentieth Century", Redpath Chautauqua Collection, University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections Department.