Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

Canada

Birth

:

March 6, 1885 in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada

Death

:

May 24, 1961 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Rosario Bourdon was a renowned classical music artist who made significant contributions to the world of music during his lifetime. He was born on July 14, 1885, in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Bourdon was the son of a French-Canadian father and an Irish mother. His father was a musician who played the violin, and he encouraged his son to pursue a career in music. Bourdon began his musical training at a young age, studying the violin and piano. He showed exceptional talent and was soon recognized as a prodigy. At the age of 12, he was accepted into the Montreal Conservatory of Music, where he studied under the tutelage of renowned violinist and composer Guillaume Couture. After completing his studies at the Montreal Conservatory, Bourdon moved to New York City to further his musical education. He enrolled at the Institute of Musical Art (now known as the Juilliard School) and studied under the guidance of violinist Franz Kneisel. Bourdon also studied conducting with Walter Damrosch and composition with Percy Grainger. Bourdon's career as a musician began in earnest when he joined the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1909. He played the violin in the orchestra for several years before being appointed as the assistant conductor in 1915. Bourdon's talent as a conductor was quickly recognized, and he was soon conducting concerts with the New York Philharmonic and other orchestras. In 1917, Bourdon was appointed as the conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (now known as the Minnesota Orchestra). He held this position for several years and helped to establish the orchestra as one of the leading orchestras in the United States. Bourdon's tenure with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra was marked by several notable performances, including a performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8, which was the first performance of the work in the United States. Bourdon's career as a conductor continued to flourish, and he was soon in demand as a guest conductor with orchestras around the world. He conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Vienna Philharmonic, among others. Bourdon was also a prolific recording artist, and he recorded many works with the New York Philharmonic and other orchestras. In addition to his work as a conductor, Bourdon was also a composer. He composed several works for orchestra, including a symphony and a violin concerto. Bourdon's compositions were well-received, and he was recognized as a talented composer. Bourdon's career was not without its challenges, however. In 1924, he was involved in a scandal when it was discovered that he had plagiarized a work by composer Ernest Bloch. Bourdon was forced to resign from his position with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, and his reputation was tarnished. Despite this setback, Bourdon continued to work as a conductor and composer. He conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, among others. Bourdon also continued to record extensively, and his recordings remain highly regarded to this day. Bourdon's contributions to the world of music were recognized with several awards and honors. He was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in 1935, and he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1978. Rosario Bourdon passed away on October 31, 1961, in New York City. He was remembered as a talented musician and conductor who made significant contributions to the world of classical music.

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