Symphony Conductor, Violinist, and Composer. He was born to Jewish-American parents of Russian heritage. He was taught to play the violin by age five and was instructed in orchestra conducting by age seven. He studied with Vladimir Bakaleinikoff and made his stage debut at age eight. Between the ages of 9 and 15, he conducted the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Symphony on radio under the direction of Maestro Arturo Toscanini. He served as music director of the Radio Symphony of Berlin, the Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Palau de les Arts (Spain), and the Munich Philharmonic. He was also artistic director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and general manager of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. He would come to conduct most of the major American orchestras during his lifetime. He made more than three hundred recordings, including the orchestral works of Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Richard Strauss, and Tchaikovsky. He won 10 "Grand Prix du Disques", which is the French "grand prize" award for excellence in classical music recording. He conducted more than 5,000 concert and operatic performances with over 150 symphony and chamber orchestras. His own compositions include his large-scale opera "1984", based on the George Orwell book, which had its world premiere at the Royal Opera House in London. He was honored with an Austrian postage stamp in 2005. He passed away at his estate in Castleton, Virginia, from complications of pneumonia.
Symphony Conductor, Violinist, and Composer. He was born to Jewish-American parents of Russian heritage. He was taught to play the violin by age five and was instructed in orchestra conducting by age seven. He studied with Vladimir Bakaleinikoff and made his stage debut at age eight. Between the ages of 9 and 15, he conducted the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Symphony on radio under the direction of Maestro Arturo Toscanini. He served as music director of the Radio Symphony of Berlin, the Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Palau de les Arts (Spain), and the Munich Philharmonic. He was also artistic director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and general manager of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. He would come to conduct most of the major American orchestras during his lifetime. He made more than three hundred recordings, including the orchestral works of Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Richard Strauss, and Tchaikovsky. He won 10 "Grand Prix du Disques", which is the French "grand prize" award for excellence in classical music recording. He conducted more than 5,000 concert and operatic performances with over 150 symphony and chamber orchestras. His own compositions include his large-scale opera "1984", based on the George Orwell book, which had its world premiere at the Royal Opera House in London. He was honored with an Austrian postage stamp in 2005. He passed away at his estate in Castleton, Virginia, from complications of pneumonia.
Bio by: Find a Grave
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