Raya Garbousova Papers, 1894-1991 | Northern Illinois University

Raya Garbousova was born in September 24^th, 1909 in Tbilisi (Tifilis) in Russian Georgia.  Her father taught at the Tbilisi Conservatory and performed in the Tifilis Symphony.  She began piano lessons but decided to learn the cello instead and enrolled in the Tbilisi Conservatory from 1914 to 1923. She debuted in Moscow in 1923 and in 1925 she went to Leipzig to study with Julius Klengel, but after hearing her play for three hours, he would not accept her as a student because she already knew too much.  She later studied with Pablo Casals and Diran Alexanian. She toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. She met and married Dr. Kurt Biss of DeKalb, who co-founded the DeKalb Clinic. She taught cello at the Hartt School of Music from 1970 to 1979 and was a professor of the cello at Northern Illinois University from 1979 to 1991.  Ms. Garbousova knew many important composers of the 20th century and several works were commissioned and dedicated to her.  Many such compositions are included in this collection. She passed away on January 28, 1997 in DeKalb, IL.