Elkus, Albert Israel (b Sacramento, CA, 30 April 1884; d,Oakland, CA 19 Feb 1962). Teacher, pianist, and composer. He received early training from his mother, Bertha Kahn Elkus, and then studied piano with Hugo Mansfeldt in Sacramento and San Francisco from about 1894 to 1906 and attended the University of California, Berkeley (BLitt 1906, MLitt 1907). A gifted pianist, he gave many public recitals during this period throughout northern California, particularly with the Saturday Club of Sacramento. In 1907-1908 he studied theory and composition with Hugo Kaun in Berlin, and on his return to the Bay area in 1909, with Oscar Weil. He again went abroad for three years (1912-1914) and studied privately with Harold Bauer (piano) in Paris, Josef Lhivinne (piano) and Georg Schumann (composition) in Berlin, and Robert Fuchs (composition), Karl Prohaska (counterpoint and composition), and Franz Schalk (conducting) in Vienna. In 1915 he joined the faculty of the Jenkins School of Music in Oakland, and he went on to teach at the San Francisco Conservatory (1923-1925, 1930-1937), returning as director from 1951 to 1957. He also taught at Dominican College, San Rafael (1924-1931), and Mills College (1929-1944). His association with the music department at Berkeley extended from 1931-1959; as chairman (1937-1951), he brought in such distinguished musicians as Bloch, Sessions, Arthur Bliss, Bukofzer, and the Griller Quartet.--New Grove Dictionary of American Music

Number of containers: 18 boxes (5 cartons, 12 legal size document boxes, 1 oversize flat storage box).

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Collection is open for research.