Alberto Zelman (senior)

Alberto Zelman (1832 – 28 December 1907) was a Trieste-born Australian composer, music conductor, music teacher, organist and pianist.[1]

He was born at Trieste, Austria (now part of Italy), of Italian parents. He was educated as a musician and made his mark as a conductor in northern Italy. He then went to Calcutta, India, where he was successful for some years as a teacher and conductor, and about 1870 came to Australia as conductor of an opera company. He settled at Melbourne, was much esteemed as a man and as a musician, was for many years conductor of the Melbourne Liedertafel, and was a well-known piano teacher.

Zelman compositions included orchestral works, masses and many solos for the violin. He died at Melbourne in 1907 leaving a widow and four sons.[2]

His son, also named Alberto Zelman, was also a musician and the founder of the Albert Street Conservatorium Orchestra[3] which, in 1927, combined with the Melbourne University Symphony Orchestra[4] to form the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.[5] Another son, Victor Zelman, was a painter and etcher.