1946 Yehudi Menuhin appointed Consulting Professor in the Division of Music
Although Menuhin’s appointment was only brief, his association with Adolph Baller, who became a lecturer in piano at Stanford in 1950, lasted much longer.
The Ballers met violinist Yehudi Menuhin and cellist Gabor Rejto in New York, and beginning in 1941 they lived with their daughter, Nina, at Menuhin’s Alma Estate in Los Gatos, California. Under Yehudi Menuhin’s patronage, Baller, Gabor Rejto and Roman Totenberg formed the Alma Trio in 1942-43. For several years Baller accompanied Menuhin in performances throughout the world and performed in chamber concerts.
The Announcement of Courses for 1946/47 that included mention of Menuhin’s appointment had gone to press during wartime, as can be seen from the following statement that precedes the course offerings: “The demand for instruction in music as a humanity increases under war conditions; there is a shortage of music teachers in the schools for which more music education courses are desirable, and music is needed more than ever in community life.”