Werner Torkanowsky facts for kids
Werner Torkanowsky (born March 30, 1926, died October 20, 1992) was a talented German-American musician. He was a conductor, which means he led orchestras and opera singers. He was also a composer, writing his own music, and a violinist, playing the violin.
A Musician's Journey
Werner Torkanowsky was born in Berlin, Germany. When he was six years old, his family moved to Israel. They lived on a kibbutz, which is a special type of community farm.
In 1948, Werner moved to the United States. He wanted to study the violin with a famous teacher named Raphael Bronstein. Later, from 1954 to 1958, he learned how to be a conductor from Pierre Monteux.
Leading Ballets and Operas
Werner Torkanowsky started his career by leading music for the Ballets Espagnoles. He then became the music director for "Ballet USA," a dance group created by Jerome Robbins.
In 1961, Werner won a special award called the Naumburg Award. This helped him make his debut with two very important groups: the New York Philharmonic orchestra and the New York City Opera. At the opera, he conducted two operas by Gian Carlo Menotti: The Medium and The Consul. He even conducted the music for a film version of The Consul.
Werner went on to conduct many other major orchestras. These included orchestras in Israel, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Detroit. He also conducted the opera Vanessa by Samuel Barber at the Spoleto Festival.
Leading Orchestras
From 1963 to 1977, Werner Torkanowsky was the main conductor and music director for the New Orleans Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra. He also conducted performances of the opera Mefistofele by Arrigo Boito for the San Diego Opera in 1973 and the Seattle Opera in 1974.
In 1981, he became the director and main conductor of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra in Maine. He stayed with this orchestra until he passed away on October 20, 1992. He was 66 years old and died in Bar Harbor, Maine. After he passed, the Symphony released a set of his performances on Compact Discs.
Werner Torkanowsky's son, David Torkanowsky, is also a musician. He is a jazz performer in New Orleans.
