Dean Dixon facts for kids
Charles Dean Dixon (January 10, 1915 – November 3, 1976) was an American conductor. He was a very talented musician who led many famous orchestras around the world. Dean Dixon faced many difficulties because of his race, but he became a highly respected and successful conductor.
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Dean Dixon's Early Life and Music Journey
Dean Dixon was born in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. His parents had moved there from the Caribbean. He loved music and studied conducting at the Juilliard School and Columbia University. His teacher was Albert Stoessel.
Breaking Barriers in America
When Dean Dixon first tried to get jobs as a conductor, it was very hard. This was because of unfair treatment due to his race. So, in 1931, he decided to start his own orchestra and choir.
Later, in 1941, he got a chance to be a guest conductor. He led the NBC Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic during its summer concerts. He also conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1948, he won an important prize called the Ditson Conductor's Award. This award recognized his great work.
A Global Conductor
In 1949, Dean Dixon left the United States. He went to lead the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 1950 and 1951. He then became the main conductor for the Gothenburg Symphony in Sweden from 1953 to 1960.
After that, he led the hr-Sinfonieorchester in Frankfurt, Germany, from 1961 to 1974. He also conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in Australia from 1964 to 1967. While in Europe, he worked with many other orchestras. He also made recordings of music by famous composers like Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart. Dean Dixon helped introduce music by American composers, like William Grant Still, to audiences in Europe.
In 1968, he conducted the Mexican National Symphony Orchestra during the Olympic Games.
Returning Home and Inspiring Youth
In the 1970s, Dean Dixon came back to the United States. He was a guest conductor for many major orchestras. These included the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and San Francisco Symphony.
He also became the conductor for the Brooklyn Philharmonic. There, he became very famous for his special concerts for children. He wanted to share the joy of music with young people. He also conducted many orchestras in Africa, Israel, and South America. His last performance in the US was with the Philadelphia Orchestra in April 1975.
Awards and Recognition
Dean Dixon received an Award of Merit from American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). This award was for encouraging young Americans to get involved in music. In 1948, he also received the Alice M. Ditson award. This award honored his important contributions to American music.
His Legacy
Dean Dixon had planned to tour Australia in 1975, but he had to cancel because of heart problems. He returned to Europe and passed away in Zug, Switzerland, on November 4, 1976, at the age of 61.
He once explained how people saw him during his career. At first, he was called "the black American conductor Dean Dixon." As he became more successful, he was called "the American conductor Dean Dixon." Finally, when he was fully accepted, people simply called him "the conductor Dean Dixon." This shows how he broke down barriers in the music world.
Dean Dixon's Family Life
Dean Dixon was married and had children. He had a daughter named Diane in 1948. Later, he had another daughter named Nina in 1954.
See also
In Spanish: Dean Dixon para niños
