Role

:

Conductor Performer

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Richard Dufallo was a renowned American conductor and music director, known for his contributions to the classical music world. Born on June 16, 1929, in New York City, Dufallo grew up in a family of musicians. His father, George Dufallo, was a violinist and conductor, and his mother, Ruth Dufallo, was a pianist. From a young age, Dufallo showed a keen interest in music and began studying the violin and piano. Dufallo attended the Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied conducting with Jean Morel and composition with Vincent Persichetti. He also studied at the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts, where he worked with Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland. Dufallo's talent and dedication to music were evident from the start, and he quickly established himself as a rising star in the classical music world. In 1954, Dufallo made his conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic, leading the orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. This performance was a major success, and Dufallo was soon invited to conduct other major orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Throughout his career, Dufallo was known for his innovative programming and his commitment to contemporary music. He was a champion of new music and worked closely with many of the leading composers of his time, including Elliott Carter, George Crumb, and Milton Babbitt. Dufallo's performances of contemporary music were often controversial, but he remained steadfast in his belief that it was important to push the boundaries of classical music and to explore new sounds and ideas. One of Dufallo's most notable achievements was his tenure as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1963 to 1971. During his time in Buffalo, Dufallo transformed the orchestra into a world-class ensemble and established it as a leading force in contemporary music. He commissioned numerous new works and brought in many of the leading composers of the day to work with the orchestra. Dufallo's tenure in Buffalo was widely praised, and he was credited with helping to put the city on the map as a center for classical music. In addition to his work with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Dufallo also served as music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1971 to 1975 and the Brooklyn Philharmonic from 1975 to 1982. He also guest conducted many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. Dufallo's contributions to the classical music world were recognized with numerous awards and honors. He was awarded the Ditson Conductor's Award in 1967, the first conductor to receive the award for his work in contemporary music. He was also awarded the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize in 1968 and the ASCAP Award for Service to Contemporary Music in 1970. In 1982, he was awarded the American Symphony Orchestra League's Gold Baton Award for his contributions to the field of classical music. Despite his many achievements, Dufallo's career was not without controversy. He was known for his strong opinions and his willingness to speak out on controversial issues. In 1970, he was involved in a highly publicized dispute with the New York Philharmonic over the orchestra's decision to cancel a performance of a work by the composer Karlheinz Stockhausen.

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