Antonia Brico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antonia Brico
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Antonia Brico,1940
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 26, 1902 Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Died | 3 August 1989 (aged 87) Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Conductor, Pianist |
Antonia Louisa Brico (born June 26, 1902, in Rotterdam, Netherlands – died August 3, 1989) was a famous conductor and pianist. She was a pioneer for women in the world of classical music.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Training
Antonia Louisa Brico was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Her birth name was Antonia Louisa Brico, but her foster parents renamed her Wilhelmina Wolthuis. In 1908, she moved to the United States with her foster parents. They settled in California.
By the time she finished Oakland Technical High School in 1919, Antonia was already a skilled pianist. She also had some experience in conducting. She then attended the University of California, Berkeley. There, she worked as an assistant for the director of the San Francisco Opera. After graduating in 1923, she continued to study piano with many teachers. One of her most important teachers was Zygmunt Stojowski.
In 1927, Antonia went to the Berlin State Academy of Music in Germany. She graduated from their special conducting class in 1929. She was the first American to achieve this. During this time, she also learned from Karl Muck. He was the conductor of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra. She continued to study with him for three more years after she graduated.
A Trailblazing Career
Antonia Brico made her professional debut as a conductor in February 1930. She led the famous Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. After this, she worked with the San Francisco Symphony and the Hamburg Philharmonic. Critics and audiences loved her performances. She was then invited to be a guest conductor in many cities. These included Detroit and Washington, D.C..
In 1934, Antonia became the conductor of a brand new orchestra. It was called the Women's Symphony Orchestra. In 1939, men were allowed to join, and it was renamed the Brico Symphony Orchestra.
In July 1938, Antonia Brico made history. She was the first woman to conduct the New York Philharmonic. In 1939, she led the Federal Orchestra in concerts. These concerts were part of the 1939 New York World's Fair. She also went on a long tour in Europe. During this tour, she performed as both a pianist and a conductor. The famous composer Jean Sibelius even invited her to conduct the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra.
Life in Denver and Later Years
Antonia Brico moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1942. In Denver, she started a Bach Society and a Women's String Ensemble. She also conducted the Denver Businessmen's Orchestra. This orchestra later became the Brico Symphony Orchestra in 1968. In 1948, she became the conductor of the Denver Community Symphony. This group is now known as the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1958 to 1963, she also conducted the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra.
Antonia taught music to many students. Some of her students became famous, like the singer Judy Collins. She continued to be a guest conductor with orchestras all over the world. This included the Japan Women's Symphony.
In 1974, a documentary film was made about Antonia's life. It was called Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman. Her former student, Judy Collins, helped with the film. In the movie, Antonia openly talked about the challenges she faced. She explained how it was hard for her to get conducting jobs because she was a woman. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Its popularity helped Antonia get more invitations to conduct. She led the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra in sold-out concerts in 1975. These concerts were even recorded by Columbia Records. She also conducted the Brooklyn Philharmonia in 1977.
Legacy and Recognition
Antonia Brico passed away in 1989 at the age of 87. She had been ill for some time. She lived in a nursing home in Denver since 1988.
History Colorado, which used to be the Colorado Historical Society, keeps many of her personal papers. Antonia was honored in the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1986.
A Dutch movie about Antonia Brico's life was released in 2018. It is called 'De Dirigent' ('The Conductor'). Christanne de Bruijn played Antonia Brico in the film.
In 2020, a children's picture book about her life was published. It is called 'In One Ear And Out The Other: Antonia Brico And Her Amazingly Musical Life'. Diane Worthey wrote the book, and Morgana Wallace illustrated it. The book was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
See Also
In Spanish: Antonia Louisa Brico para niños
