Frank Heino Damrosch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Damrosch

Frank Heino Damrosch (June 22, 1859 – October 22, 1937) was a German-born American music conductor and educator.

Biography

He was born on June 22, 1859 in Breslau, and came to the United States with his father, Leopold Damrosch, and brother, Walter Damrosch in 1871. He had studied music in Germany under Dionys Pruckner. He studied in New York under Ferdinand von Inten. He also studied in Europe under Moritz Moszkowski.

He originally intended to adopt a business career, and to that end went to Denver, Colorado, but the musical impulse proved too strong, and in 1884 he was an organist, conductor of the Denver Chorus Club, and supervisor of music in the public schools.

For some years he was chorus master at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. He also conducted the Mendelssohn Glee Club from 1885 to 1887. In 1892 he organized the People's Singing Classes, and he was also instrumental in founding the Musical Art Society of New York.

In 1897 he became supervisor of music in the public schools in New York. As director of the New York Institute of Musical Art, Damrosch was among the foremost musical educators in America. In 1924, the Institute of Musical Art merged with the Juilliard Graduate School to form what in 1946 was renamed the Juilliard School of Music. In 1898 Damrosch also succeeded his brother Walter as conductor of the Oratorio Society, which he directed until 1912. Damrosch Park, part of New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is named in honor of the Damrosch family.

Damrosch died in New York City on October 22, 1937.