A lifelong pianist, Curtis Thompson Stotlar, 80, died in his sleep on April 8, 2026, at Saber Group Homes in Thiensville, Wisc.
He was born June 2, 1945, to his parents Raymond C. Stotlar Sr. and Helen Thompson Stotlar in St. Louis, MO.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two older sisters, Kristin Stotlar Sisulak and Karen (Ticker) Stotlar; younger brother John (Jack) M. Stotlar; and nephew Andrew Thompson Sisulak. Curtis is survived by younger brother Raymond (Dude) C. Stotlar Jr. (Debbie) of Carbondale and brother-in-law Stephen A. Sisulak of Carbondale. He is also survived by niece Karen Sisulak of Carbondale; nephews Guy Sisulak (Lori) of Carterville and Christopher Sisulak of Carbondale; and cousins Connie Stotlar of Carbondale and David Stotlar of Windsor, Colo.
Stotlar began playing the piano at age 3 and started serious study at age 11 with the eminent American composer Roy Harris and Southern Illinois University music professor Steven Barwick. His talents received early recognition at the National Music Camp, Interlochen, Mich., where at age 14, he composed and orchestrated a piano concerto, which later won him the Interlochen Press Composition Prize. He also performed on NBC’s Today Show with Dave Garroway in New York City in his early teens.
Stotlar earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Music from Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Frank Glazer and Eugene List. In Rochester, N.Y., he won the Paderewski Award from the Polish Arts Group. His studies continued at the Juilliard School in New York as a student of Beveridge Webster and earned a Master’s Degree in music. With degrees from the Juilliard and Eastman Schools, Curtis continued his piano studies in Europe with Michelangeli and Kempff, composition with Messaien and Boulanger. He has taught at Vassar College and was one of the few foreign nationals to teach in the French conservatory system at the Conservatoire de Neuilly and the Rencontres Musicales de la Plaine de Versailles where he was also “President d’Honneur He also received additional awards for Music conferred from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University.
Stotlar’s first piano teaching roles were at Vassar College and SIU, and later at Juilliard, the French conservatory system and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee. Upon moving to Paris, Stotlar’s music studies continued with Nadia Boulanger and piano with Wilhelm Kempff, Philippe Entremount and Robert Casadesus. He was awarded for two consecutive years the Woolley Scholarship for performing musicians and artists from the American Foundation of the University of Paris. He taught at the Wisconsin Conservatory from 1999 until his retirement.
He had performed throughout Europe, Africa and Asia as a concert pianist and soloist for the U.S. State Department, as well as on many national radio and television networks on four continents. Stotlar was also the first American to play for integrated audiences throughout South Africa. His repertoire included the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven in seven recitals and Great Music for Piano from Haydyn to Present in 12. He also performed the complete piano works of DeBussy in a series and more than 20 all-Chopin programs.
Among his accolades: “Musicians of his calibre can bring nations together for the language of music is universal,” Patriot Magazine, New Delhi, India.
Besides his musical studies, Stotlar earned a second Master’s degree in cinema from the University of Paris-Sorbonne. It was his family performances of movie and television theme songs for “Name that Tune” matches that received the highest applause and his home title as “Jeopardy” and “Hi IQ” champion. A favorite family memory is of Stotlar playing dueling grand pianos with his mother, Helen.
Cremation services were provided by Jelacic Funeral Home in Milwaukee. There will be no visitation. His cremains will be at Oakland Cemetery with a private graveside family service being provided by Walker’s Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any considered donations be directed to a favorite charity of their liking in Curtis’s memory.
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