Theodore Thomas (conductor) - Biography - Career
Career
Thomas showed interest in the violin at an early age, and by age ten, he was practically the breadwinner of the family, performing at weddings, balls, and even in taverns. By , Johann Thomas and his family, convinced there was a better life for a respected musician in America, packed their belongings and made the six-week journey to New York City.
In , Thomas and his father joined the Navy Band, but in his father ceased to support him, and he set out on his own. Thomas soon became a regular member of several pit orchestras, including the Park, the Bowery, and the Niblo. He then toured he United States performing violin recitals. During this time Thomas served as his own manager, ticket sales, and press agent. He reached as far south as Mississippi.
Thomas returned to New York in , with the intent of returning to Germany for advanced musical education; instead, he began his studies conducting in New York with Karl Eckert and Louis Antoine Jullien. He became first violin in the orchestra that accompanied Jenny Lind in that year, Henrietta Sontag in , and Giulia Grisi and Giuseppe Mario in Also in , at the age of ninetee
Theodore Thomas
Born October 11, ; Esens, East Friesland
Died January 4, ; Chicago, Illinois
Theodore Thomas showed interest in the violin at an early age and was mostly self-taught. In , his family made the six-week journey to New York, where he soon became a regular member of several pit orchestras, including the Park, the Bowery, and the Niblo.
At the age of 15, Thomas was hired by Karl Eckert into New York’s Italian Opera Company as leader of the second violins; the following year, Eckert’s successor, Luigi Arditi, promoted him to the role of concertmaster. His name first appears on the New York Philharmonic Society’s roster at the beginning of its twelfth season in , about a month after his 18th birthday.
In , Thomas founded his eponymous traveling ensemble — the Theodore Thomas Orchestra — and he led the ensemble’s debut concert in New York’s Irving Hall. He also served as music director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic beginning in and the New York Philharmonic in , serving both orchestras until the spring of Thomas founded the Cincinnati May Festival in
In , Charles Norman Fay, a Chicago businessman and devoted supporter of the Theodore Thomas Orchestra, encountere
Theodore Thomas
Theodore Thomas () was one of the fore most American orchestral conductors of his time and the original director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Theodore Thomas was born in Germany, the son of the town musician of Esens. When Theodore was 10, the family moved to the United States, settling in New York City. The family suffered financial hardships, and Theodore was forced to earn money by playing his violin at dances, weddings, theaters, and public amusement halls. His formal musical training was slight. While still a teenager, he made a concert trip through the South, billing himself as a prodigy.
In Thomas joined the New York Philharmonic and also began traveling with famous soloists as a violinist. He found conducting exciting and became dedicated to raising Americans' musical taste. He organized an orchestra which gave its first concert in in New York City and which later made a series of nationwide tours, playing concerts in most of the major cities. Thomas's orchestra performed in churches, railroad stations, or whatever hall the town provided. His programs were geared toward educating the public in listening to symphonic music, combining the fami
Music Race, Identity, and Representation in American Music
When considering the rise of concert music in America, scholarship often directs its attention to the founding of the New York Philharmonic Society in as landmark in Americans coming together for orchestral symphonic concert music. According to Crawford, the ensemble was founded as a “cooperative venture whose playing members were less interested in financial gain than in the chance to play the best symphonic music.”1 The ensemble only played four concerts in the first year, however Crawford points to its survival as proof that it “filled a need on the local scene.”2
&#;Theodore Thomas&#; New York Philharmonic Biographies
However, I do not think it is fair to focus only on the Philharmonic as the sole introduction of symphonic concert music to popular American taste. Another factor to consider is Mr. Theodore Thomas and his influence on the genre. Thomas started out playing in the first violin section of the New York Philharmonic Society before moving to a conductor position with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society.3 During his time at the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Thomas “evolved a formula to please the publ
Biographies you may also like
Thomas jefferson biography summary worksheets Use this worksheet to create a biography of Thomas Jefferson.
Olgui chirino biography of barack Barack Obama is the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. Obama is a member of the Democratic Party. He was first elected in after a close Missing: olgui chirino.
Country singers biography From Johnny Cash to Dolly Parton, discover the greatest country artists of all time. Explore their timeless legacies and iconic contributions to country music.
Filosofo ingles thomas hobbes biography A biography of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Includes links to an introduction to his thought and an extensive bibliography.
Radcliffe brown biography resumidas Researching and writing an intellectual biography of Alfred Radcliffe-Brown (–) is, in certain respects, linked to my genealogical concerns. I have come to view this eccentric .
Ausra fridrikas biography for kids Kids Biography Audio & Video Directory Featuring Audio Books, Podcasts, and Videos for Kids to Learn g: ausra fridrikas.