Mourning the Passing of Yumi Scott (’67)
Today, we are deeply saddened to share that our former longtime faculty member Yumi Ninomiya Scott (Violin ’67) passed away on September 10, 2025, at age 82.
Yumi was a dedicated member of our violin faculty for 46 years, training dozens of young musicians—several of whom would go on to play by her side as colleagues in the Philadelphia Orchestra.
A Foundation of Excellence
Yumi Ninomiya Scott was born in 1943 in Japan, starting her violin studies at age four. Following training at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, she came to Curtis in 1961 to study with violin pedagogue Ivan Galamian.
In 1966, she made her solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Bruch’s First Violin Concerto as a winner of the Senior Student Competition—now the Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition. The following year, she joined the Chamber Symphony of Philadelphia, and from 1969 to 1982, she was a member of the Curtis String Quartet, succeeding Geoffrey Michaels as second violin.
A Cherished Member of Our Community
Yumi returned to Curtis in 1970 as a member of our violin faculty, and in 1984, she joined the Philadelphia Orchestra. During her career, she was also concertmaster of the Main Line Symphony, a member of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and participated in the Casals Festival.
In 2016 Yumi retired from Curtis, and she and her husband, double bassist Henry Scott, retired from the Philadelphia Orchestra.
As a beloved member of our faculty, alumni community, and musical family, Yumi will be greatly missed. We extend our deepest sympathies to her husband, Henry; their sons, Kenji and Kohji; and her many students, colleagues, friends, and family.
