About Frank
Biography
Born the son of immigrants, Frank Gorell grew up in Highland park in Pittsburgh. He graduated from Peabody High School and then attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia on full scholarship. He was a highly skilled French horn player and found much success. Frank played for both the Pittsburgh and Baltimore symphonies. In addition, he played with NBC and CBS orchestras in New York and both the Army and Navy bands.
In spite of his musical gifts, Frank decided on a business career. He and two friends co-founded Season-All-Industries, which was a nearly bankrupt storm window manufacturer on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Shortly thereafter, he bought the business shares of his partners. As sole owner, he very quickly transformed Season-All into a successful replacement window business that enabled his sons to succeed him.
The business soon outgrew the space in Pittsburgh, so Frank decided to relocate Season-All-Industries, and his family, to Indiana, PA. His love of music, and belief in music education, brought him to make a generous donation to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, The Gorell Recital Hall, which is named after him. The donation was used to help renovate and expand the music hall, and Gorell Recital Hall was then named in his honor. He hoped his donation would work as a catalyst and that other people would follow his actions and donate to the school. There is also a music scholarship available in his name, the Frank and Mary Gorell Scholarship for music, at the university.
Frank Gorell was also a board member for the Curtis Institute of Music, the IUP Board of Trustees, Indiana Hospital Board of Directors, and the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees. He also sponsored an annual program to bring free classical music performances in West Palm Beach as well as a Chamber Music Series at IUP that continued to occur each year, even after his death. He assisted musical causes all through his retirement. He loved music and he loved to help.
Frank Gorell was honored with the first Curits Institute of Music Alumni Award in 2000.
Frank was married to Mary Ethel Cook Gorell. Together they had 3 children, Franklyn, Wallace and Wayne.
Frank Gorell passed away on June 13, 2006.