Louis Svećenski

Who was Louis Svećenski?

Louis Svećenski was notable Croatian - American violist - violinist and rector of the Boston Academy of Music.

Svećenski was born in Osijek, Donji grad district on November 07, 1862 to a Jewish family. His father Adolf Abraham Kohn was from Bonyhád in Hungary, and his mother Terezija was from Darda just north of Osijek. Svećenski finished elementary and high school in Osijek. In 1877, with only 15 years of age, Svećenski was recognized by Osijek cultural public as the potential future musician. He graduated from the Croatian Music Institute in Zagreb on August 26, 1882 with compliments from Ivan Zajc. In September 1882, Svećenski enrolled at University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna with the scholarship from the Croatian government in the amount of 500 krones. He studied violin. On July 15, 1885 he graduated from the Vienna University as a violinist with excellent grade. After graduation Svećenski returned to Zagreb where he asked Croatian authorities to let him croaticize his surname from Kohn to Svećenski. His surname Kohn is variation of surname Kohen which means priest in Hebrew, while Svećenski is derived from Croatian word svećenik which also means priest.