The violinist, who was a former member of the Juilliard Quartet and student of Ivan Galamian, has died aged 86
The US violinist Earl Carlyss died on Friday 23 January 2026, aged 86.
Born in Chicago, Carlyss began his violin studies at the age of ten, making his debut with the Pasadena Symphony aged 16. He won a grant to study at the Paris Conservatoire for two years, under the tutelage of Roland Charmy.
Returning to the US, he studied at the Juilliard School under Ivan Galamian, making his recital debut in 1962. He graduated from the Juilliard School with two degrees – Bachelor of Music and Master of Science – and went on to serve as Galamian’s teaching assistant.
He became the second violinist of the Juilliard Quartet in 1966, where he remained for 20 years performing over 2,500 concerts and recording over 100 works.
Carlyss also served as concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra and formed and played in the Aspen Quartet. From 1984, he was director of the Aspen Center for Advanced Quartet Studies, a summer programme offering intensive training for emerging professional string quartets.
In 1986 he left the Juilliard Quartet and joined the faculty of Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, where his wife, Ann Schein, was on the piano faculty. There, he served as head of the school’s chamber music programmes until 2001. Additionally, he taught violin and chamber music at Juilliard School from 1996.
Carlyss had a long-standing connection with the Meadowmount School of Music. He first attended in 1959 as a student of Galamian and teaching assistant and later became board director and board president.
’[Carlyss] leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of artistry, leadership, and service,’ said the Meadowmount School of Music on social media.
’He will be greatly missed.’
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