Willem van Otterloo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Willem van Otterloo
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van Otterloo in 1973
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jan Willem van Otterloo |
| Born | 27 December 1907 Winterswijk, Netherlands |
| Died | 27 July 1978 (aged 70) Melbourne, Australia |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Conductor, pedagogue |
| Associated acts | Residentie Orchestra Sydney Symphony |
Jan Willem van Otterloo (born December 27, 1907 – died July 27, 1978) was a famous Dutch conductor, cellist, and composer. He was known for leading many great orchestras around the world.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Music Training
Willem van Otterloo was born in Winterswijk, Netherlands. His father was a railway inspector. Willem first planned to study medicine at Utrecht University. However, he soon changed his mind. He decided to study music instead. He learned to play the cello and to write music at the Amsterdam Conservatoire.
While playing the cello in the Utrecht Stedelijk Orkest, he won a special award. This award was from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He won it for a piece of music he wrote called Suite No. 3. In 1932, he made his first appearance as a conductor, leading this same orchestra.
A Conductor's Career
Willem van Otterloo worked with the Utrecht Stedelijk Orkest for some time. Later, he became the main conductor of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague. He held this important job from 1949 to 1973.
He was especially good at performing music from the 1800s and 1900s. He made many recordings, mostly for Philips Records. He recorded with famous orchestras like the Residentie Orkest, Concertgebouworkest, Berlin Philharmonic, and Vienna Philharmonic.
Life in Australia
Willem van Otterloo spent his last 11 years living in Australia. From 1967 to 1970, he was the main conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 1971, he became the main conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He stayed with this orchestra for the rest of his life.
He died in Melbourne, Australia, in 1978. He passed away from injuries he got in a car accident. His body was flown back to The Hague for cremation.
Willem van Otterloo also taught music to students. Some of his notable students include Graham George and Miroslav Miletić.
His Music and Recordings
Compositions
Willem van Otterloo wrote several pieces of music. Here are some of his compositions:
- Suite (written in 1938)
- Symphoniëtta for 16 Wind Instruments (written in 1943)
- Serenade (written in 1944)
Recordings
He made many recordings during his career. Here are a few examples:
- Willem Van Otterloo and Residentie Orkest: The Original Recordings 1950–1960. This is a collection of 13 CDs.
- He recorded von Weber's Der Freischütz overture with the Residentie Orchestra in 1951.
