Boris Koutzen was born in Uman, Russia, to Leo and Minna (Mijeritzky) Koutzen on April 1, 1901. At the age of six, Koutzen began composing and, at the age of seven, he began studying the violin with his father. By eleven, Koutzen was making numerous appearances as a concert violinist. In 1918, his family moved to Moscow where Boris entered the Moscow Conservatory to continue his violin studies under Leo Zetlin, and to study composition with Reinhold Glière. That same year he won the national competition for the position of first violinist in the State Opera House Orchestra, and also joined the Moscow Symphony Orchestra under Serge Koussevitzky. When Koutzen was twenty-one, he went to Germany to continue studying violin under Klingler at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin.

In the fall of 1923, Koutzen came to the United States and became a member of the first violin section of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski. On June 3, 1924, he married Inez Merck, a pianist. The couple had two children, George, born in 1926, and Nadia, born in 1930. Both became outstanding musicians, George on the cello and Nadia on the violin. Boris Koutzen became an American citizen in 1929. From 1937 to 1945 he was a member of the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. He was also the head of the violin department of the Philadelphia Conservatory from 1925 to 1962. It was from this institution that Boris Koutzen received his Doctor of Music degree in 1940. In 1944, he was awarded the following honors: the publication award of the Juilliard Foundation for his symphonic poem, ; an award from the Society for the Publication of American Music for his ; and first prize in the American Composers Alliance-Broadcast Music Incorporation (ACA-BMI) competition for his . Koutzen joined the faculty of Vassar College in 1944, where he taught violin and conducted the Vassar Orchestra. He retired the summer before his death from a heart attack on December 10, 1966.

Nadia Koutzen became a well-established solo violinist. During her career she performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall and the Town Hall in New York City. She appeared on Broadway for three weeks in 1977, playing in the pit orchestra for Rudolf Nureyev at the Uris Theatre. Boris Koutzen recorded his thoughts on the blossoming talent of his young daughter in his journals. On November 15, 1951 he wrote about her debut recital at the Town Hall: “her playing throughout the program had wonderful vitality” and “she proved to be an absolutely first class artist.” Over the years, Nadia and the rest of the Koutzen family would make numerous concert appearances together, sometimes performing works composed by Boris.

Scope and Content Note

The Boris Koutzen Collection contains printed and photocopied manuscript music scores, negative photostats and microfilm of holograph music, correspondence, clippings, writings, books, pamphlets, periodicals, programs, photographs, articles, manuscript and typewritten journals, printed biographical sketches, bound and unbound scrapbooks, and a printed catalog of Koutzen's compositions. It also includes a modest acquisition of correspondence and music belonging to his daughter, Nadia Koutzen. The collection spans the years from 1889 to 2005, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1954 to 1965.

The bulk of the Biographical Materials series consists of manuscript lists and printed catalogues of Koutzen compositions and correspondence. Most of the correspondence is addressed to Inez Koutzen and deal with her efforts to compile a comprehensive catalog of her husband’s works. Nearly all of these letters are dated subsequent to Boris Koutzen’s death.

The Writings series contains drafts, articles, journals, program notes, and typed analyses of Koutzen compositions. The journals of Boris Koutzen are of great interest. In the two-volume manuscript document which spans 298 pages, Koutzen critiques his works, elaborates on his friendship with Koussevitzky, comments on his own performances as well as those of his family (whom he dubs the “Koutzen Quartet”), and discusses the solo career of his daughter, Nadia. He also reflects on his musical composition techniques, his run-ins with Toscanini, and his dealings with NBC, while sporadically interjecting choice Cyrillic quips and phrases.

The Correspondence series contains a considerable amount of drafts of letters that Boris Koutzen wrote requesting performances, publications, recordings, and examinations of his works. The correspondence also includes letters, contracts, and royalty statements from various music publishers, including his principal publisher, General Music Publishing Co., Inc. In addition, there are items from his other publishers, Mercury Music Corporation which became part of the Theodore Presser Company, and Elkan-Vogel Co., Inc. Among individual correspondents are such notable figures as Serge Koussevitzky, Vincent Persichetti, Walter Piston, and William Schuman. In addition, there is correspondence from Josef Gingold, Gregor Piatigorsky, Leon Barzin and Thornton Wilder. Correspondence from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Juilliard School of Music, the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra is also included.

The Subject File series consists of correspondence, photographs, programs, and clippings concerning the publication and performance of his two operas, and . The scrapbook entitled "The Battle of La Grande Bretèche" is retained in its original order and contains Koutzen's correspondence and clippings about , which is based on Honoré de Balzac's tale, . In addition, the Subject File series contains announcements, articles, periodicals, and notebooks pertaining to Koutzen's compositions and his performances in the United States, many of which took place in New York’s Town Hall, and abroad, in regions such as Berlin, Puerto Rico, and Russia.

The Scrapbooks series contains six Scrapbooks. Five of the scrapbooks span his career, from his earliest performances at Town Hall to his days of conducting at Vassar College. The albums primarily contain programs, program reviews, clippings, and correspondence. The final scrapbook is a memorial, commemorating the death of Boris Koutzen. The “obituary book” begins with a few black and white photos of Koutzen and clippings announcing his sudden passing. The album then features a collection of letters of sympathy for the Koutzen family from students, relatives, colleagues, and other contemporaries.

The Photographs series contains five photographs. One notable photo is a black and white formal family portrait which depicts an adolescent Koutzen sitting with a group of people that includes his young parents, Leo and Minna, and possibly other relatives. In addition, there is a black and white photograph of Boris and his wife Inez standing with conductor Artur Rodzinski, and a candid photograph of violinist Josef Gingold, inscribed with the words, “To Nadia Koutzen with affection and admiration.” Finally, there is a black and white photograph of composer Ottorino Respighi, which is inscribed to Boris Koutzen.

The Music series contains items by Koutzen and by other composers. The Koutzen material includes a photocopied manuscript full score and solo parts for his and three negative photostats of holograph full scores for the symphonic poem which was first performed at Carnegie Hall by the National Orchestral Association with Leon Barzin conducting. In addition, the material includes , the composer's earliest symphonic composition which was first performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1922 with Koutzen conducting; and a work for woodwind quintet which was premiered by the Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet. The music by other composers chiefly contains works for solo violin or chamber music and includes the holograph full score and copyist's parts for Koutzen's orchestration of Paul Nordoff's .

The Printed Materials series contains Russian and German music theory books, printed periodicals, program booklets, and a Philadelphia Conservatory of Music yearbook. This last item, dated 1950, contains a formal dedication to Boris Koutzen commemorating his twenty-five years of service at the Conservatory. The commendation continues with a brief biography and a listing of notable Koutzen compositions.

The Papers of Nadia Koutzen series includes correspondence and printed bound and unbound music scores and parts. Most of the correspondence is between Nadia and either Vincent Persichetti or Isaac Stern. There are also several letters to and from her father, which include discussions about domestic affairs as well as critiques of Nadia’s performances and her father’s compositions. The printed music, signed by Nadia Koutzen, is annotated for performance purposes. Other inscriptions within the pages of music are from colleagues expressing messages of admiration or birthday wishes.