Victor Feldbrill facts for kids

Victor Feldbrill (born April 4, 1924 – died June 17, 2020) was a famous Canadian musician. He was a talented conductor, which means he led orchestras. He also played the violin.

Early Life and Learning

Victor Feldbrill was born in Toronto, Ontario. His parents had moved to Canada from Poland. When he was a teenager, he played the violin. He went to Harbord Collegiate Institute for school.

During World War II, Victor joined the Navy. He played his violin in the Navy Show, which was a special performance for soldiers. He also studied music part-time at the Royal Academy of Music. Later, he graduated from the University of Toronto.

His Amazing Music Career

Victor Feldbrill had a long and successful career in music. He was known for his skill as a conductor.

Playing in Orchestras

From 1949 to 1956, Victor played the violin in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. This is a very important orchestra in Canada.

Later, from 1958 to 1968, he became the main conductor for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. This means he was in charge of leading all the musicians.

In 1967, he conducted the Toronto Philharmonia. They recorded an album called Heritage. This album featured music written by Canadian composers.

Working with CBC

In 1969, Victor led the CBC Festival Orchestra. CBC is a big Canadian broadcasting company. That same year, he conducted the CBC Studio Orchestra. They worked on music for an opera called Louis Riel. This music was later released on a DVD.

Leading the Toronto Symphony

From 1973 to 1978, Victor was a resident conductor for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He helped lead many of their performances.

Starting a Youth Orchestra

In 1974, Victor Feldbrill started something very special. He founded the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. This orchestra was for young musicians. He was their conductor until 1978. Some of his students, like Milton Barnes and Brian Jackson, became conductors too.

Awards and Later Years

Victor Feldbrill received important awards for his work. In 1985, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian can receive. In 1999, he was given the Order of Ontario.

In the 1990s, he also led the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2017, when he was 94 years old, Victor returned to conduct the Winnipeg Symphony. It was for their 70th anniversary!

Victor Feldbrill passed away on June 17, 2020, in Toronto. He was 96 years old.