Celebrating Black History: Ursula Guy Curd (Piano '26)
The acclaimed pianist, educator, and Alpha Kappa Alpha founding member was part of the first class at the Curtis Institute of Music in 1924
Pianist and educator Ursula Alberta Guy Curd‘s (’26) musical ability was described as “unforgettable with a clear tone and marvelous touch” by the Pittsburgh Courier in 1942, but to limit her memory to that of simply an extraordinary pianist would sell her accomplishments short. Ms. Curd was a founding member of the Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority dedicated to the advancement of education and culture of African American women. From the early 1900s to today, Alpha Kappa Alpha has been at the forefront of social action for African Americans, from creating the first congressional lobby to advocate for better working and living conditions to establishing the American Council of Human Rights.i Beyond her prolific performance career and her social contributions, she served as a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, a piano teacher to students in Philadelphia, wife to Dr. Kirksey Curd, and mother to Ursula A. Curd, known affectionately known as “Little Ursie.”
Born in 1890, Ursula came from a musical family. Growing up, her father was a minister and regularly sang for the congregation while her mother was a pianist. She began her musical and piano studies at age nine at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, and graduated with honors in French and English. While her main career was teaching in the Philadelphia public school system, she continued to study music at the Philadelphia Musical Academy and ultimately the Curtis Institute of Music. One of six African American students to be admitted to Curtis’s first class in 1924, Ms. Curd was a public school teacher at the time of her acceptance and listed her reason for applying to the school as a “desire to teach music and too, I want to study it from sheer love of it.”
Here at Curtis, she received nothing but praise from instructors she worked with. One of the teachers, Clara Dunn, described Ms. Curd as such: “I found in her a most excellent pupil, playing with good musical understanding, fluent technique, and a fine sense of rhythm, all of which indicated a good musical endowment.” Her main piano teacher, George F. Boyle, had similar commendations: “When Ursula Curd came to study with me at the Curtis Institute of Music, she disclosed decided talent pianistically, coupled with high musical and artistic ideals. She has since then, consistently matured and developed so that she is now an interesting and accomplished pianist.” She seemed close with her teacher as shown by the letter (in the gallery below) sent by George Boyle after one of her concerts.
She enjoyed a successful career as a concert pianist performing solo works, concerti, and chamber music for large audiences across the northeastern United States. Some of the more unusual groups she performed with were the Philadelphia Piano Ensemble and Philadelphia Piano Quartet. Sponsored by Ms. Curd’s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, the Philadelphia Piano Ensemble gave regular concerts of a wide range of works like Lizst’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 for four pianos, Rimsky Korsakov’s Dance of the Buffoons for 16 pianists, and even Malaguena by Lecuona for 14 pianists.
Her ambition was not limited to her own musical performances but included her desire to facilitate concerts for the enjoyment of the public. As shown by the letter below, on behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha, she took on the huge task of organizing a concert by Paul Robeson at the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House without sufficient financial backing. She pulled it off with great success, perhaps most succinctly described by the letter: “But, that’s Ursula!!!”
In a scrapbook filled with newspaper clippings, concert programs, and personal notes, her inclusion of a particular quote stands out. On a clipping of “Words to Live By” by Dorothy van Doren is a quote by St. Thomas of Assisi: “I would finish hoeing my garden”—in reference to when St. Thomas was asked what he would do if he were to suddenly die at sunset that day. Considering Ursula Guy Curd’s substantial accomplishments, this quote epitomizes her dedication to her life’s work and unwavering knowledge that she was bettering the community at large.
Ms. Curd continued to play piano up until the year before her passing at age 98 in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia in June of 1988.
This article was originally written by Claire Thai (Harp ’22) in 2021 and updated in 2024 by Ryan Lathan. Gallery of documents courtesy of the Curtis Library and Archives. To view the scrapbooks and more digital collections, please visit Curtis Institute of Music Open Archives and Recitals (CIMOAR)
i. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Service to All Mankind Since 1908. (2021). Retrieved 2 February 2021, from https://aka1908.com/about/history
Photo Credits: 1.) Portrait of Ms. Curd at the piano; Curtis Library and Archives. 2.) Graduation photo of Ursula Guy Card; Washburn University. 3.) Ms. Curd with her husband Kirksey Louis Curd and daughter “Little Ursie”; Curtis Library and Archives. 4.) Ursula Guy Curd as a member of the Philadelphia Piano Ensemble; Curtis Library and Archives.