Lorne Munroe facts for kids

Lorne Munroe (born November 24, 1924 – died May 4, 2020) was a famous American cellist. A cellist is someone who plays the cello, a large string instrument. He was the main cellist for the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1951 to 1964. After that, he became the main cellist for the New York Philharmonic from 1964 to 1996. During his 32 years with the New York Philharmonic, he performed as a special guest soloist more than 150 times! His last regular performance with the orchestra was on February 27, 1996, but he came back later as a guest musician.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Lorne Munroe was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in November 1924. He started playing the cello when he was only three years old. He used a smaller instrument called a viola that had a special leg attached to make it like a tiny cello. When he was 10, he won the Winnipeg Music Competition festival.

Studying Music Abroad

At age 14, a famous composer named Arthur Benjamin helped him. Benjamin sponsored Lorne to study at the Royal College of Music in London from 1937 to 1939. In his last year there, he even played a piece that Arthur Benjamin wrote just for him! After London, Lorne continued his music studies in Philadelphia at the Curtis Institute of Music. There, he learned from two great cellists, Gregor Piatigorsky and Orlando Cole.

A Career in Music

After serving in the US Army during World War II, Lorne Munroe finished his studies at the Curtis Institute. In 1949, he won the important Naumburg award. This led to his first big solo performance in New York in November of that year.

Joining Major Orchestras

From 1949 to 1950, he played with the Cleveland Orchestra. Then, he became the main cellist for the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1950–51. Soon after, in 1951, he became the main cellist for the famous Philadelphia Orchestra.

In 1964, a very well-known conductor named Leonard Bernstein invited Lorne to join the New York Philharmonic as their principal cellist. This was a huge honor! During his time with the New York Philharmonic, he often performed as a special soloist. One memorable performance was on Christmas Day, 1968. It was part of a "Young People's Concert" that was shown on TV. He played a piece called Don Quixote by Richard Strauss.

Teaching the Next Generation

Besides performing, Lorne Munroe also shared his musical knowledge with others. He taught at the Juilliard School, which is a very famous music school. He also taught at the Philadelphia Musical Academy, which is now called the University of the Arts.

Family Life

In 1945, Lorne Munroe married Janée Munroe, who was a violist (someone who plays the viola). They had a large family with 10 sons and one daughter! Janée passed away on September 10, 2006. Lorne Munroe himself passed away in May 2020, at the age of 95.