Role

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Ensemble

Genre

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Orchestral

 

André Kostelanetz was a Russian-born American conductor and arranger who became one of the most popular and successful conductors of the 20th century. He was known for his innovative arrangements of classical music and his ability to bring classical music to a wider audience through his radio broadcasts and recordings. Kostelanetz was born on December 22, 1901, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His father was a prominent physician and his mother was a pianist. Kostelanetz showed an early interest in music and began studying piano at the age of five. He later studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where he was trained in both piano and conducting. In 1922, Kostelanetz immigrated to the United States and settled in New York City. He began working as a pianist and arranger for various orchestras and radio stations. In 1926, he formed his own orchestra, which he called the André Kostelanetz Orchestra. The orchestra quickly gained a reputation for its innovative arrangements of classical music and its ability to appeal to a wide audience. Kostelanetz's first major performance came in 1929, when he conducted the New York Philharmonic in a concert of his own arrangements of classical music. The concert was a huge success and led to a series of recordings for Columbia Records. Kostelanetz's recordings were popular with both classical music fans and the general public, and he became one of the best-selling recording artists of the 1930s and 1940s. In addition to his recordings, Kostelanetz was also a popular radio personality. He hosted a weekly radio program called "The Andre Kostelanetz Show," which aired on CBS from 1930 to 1949. The show featured Kostelanetz conducting his own arrangements of classical music, as well as popular songs and show tunes. The show was a huge success and helped to bring classical music to a wider audience. Kostelanetz's popularity continued to grow throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He continued to record for Columbia Records and also made appearances on television. In 1950, he conducted the New York Philharmonic in a concert at Carnegie Hall, which was broadcast live on television. The concert was a huge success and helped to cement Kostelanetz's reputation as one of the most popular conductors of his time. In addition to his recordings and radio and television appearances, Kostelanetz also composed music for films and television. He composed the score for the 1945 film "Tonight and Every Night," which starred Rita Hayworth, and he also composed the theme music for the television series "The Untouchables." Kostelanetz's career continued to flourish throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He continued to record for Columbia Records and also made appearances on television. In 1972, he conducted the New York Philharmonic in a concert at Lincoln Center, which was broadcast live on television. The concert was a huge success and helped to cement Kostelanetz's reputation as one of the most popular conductors of his time. Kostelanetz received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, and he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1990. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Kostelanetz died on January 13, 1980, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he was conducting a series of concerts. He was 78 years old. Despite his death, Kostelanetz's music continues to be popular with classical music fans and the general public.

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