Victor Feldbrill

Victor Feldbrill, OC OOnt (April 4, 1924 – June 17, 2020) was a Canadian conductor and violinist.

Victor Feldbrill
Born(1924-04-04)April 4, 1924
Toronto, Ontario
DiedJune 17, 2020(2020-06-17) (aged 96)
Toronto, Ontario
Occupation(s)Conductor, musician
InstrumentsViolin

Early life and education

Feldbrill was born in Toronto,[1] the son of Polish Jewish immigrants, Helen (Lederman) and Nathan Feldbrill.[2][3] In his teen years he played the violin and attended Harbord Collegiate Institute.[4][5][2] He joined the Navy in World War II,[2] playing the violin in the Navy Show and studying part time at the Royal Academy of Music. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto.[6]

Career

Feldbrill performed as a violinist in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1949 to 1956.[7] From 1958 to 1968, he was the principal conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.[8][9] In 1967 he conducted the Toronto Philharmonia in a recording of the album Heritage, which featured music by Canadian composers.[10]

In 1969 he directed the CBC Festival Orchestra.[11] That year he conducted the CBC Studio Orchestra in an adaptation of the music for the opera Louis Riel, which was released years later as a DVD.[12]

From 1973 to 1978, he was the resident conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In 1974, he founded the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and was its conductor until 1978.[13][14] His students include Milton Barnes and Brian Jackson.

In 1985, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In the 1990s he directed the Hamilton Philharmonic.[1] In 1999, he was awarded the Order of Ontario.[15]

In 2017 Feldbrill returned to conduct the Winnipeg Symphony for its 70th anniversary. He was 94.[16]

Victor Feldbrill died on June 17, 2020 in Toronto, at the age of 96.[17]

References
  1. "Whatever happened to Victor … ?". Jan 08, 2011. Hamilton Spectator
  2. "Victor Feldbrill, foremost champion of Canadian music". Toronto Star, By William Littler, March 28, 2014
  3. Pitman, Walter (Nov 8, 2010). Victor Feldbrill: Canadian Conductor Extraordinaire. Dundurn. ISBN 9781554887682. Retrieved Jun 18, 2020 – via Google Books.
  4. Pitman 2010, p. 34.
  5. Walter Pitman (1 October 2002). Louis Applebaum: A Passion for Culture. Dundurn. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-55002-985-7.
  6. Pitman 2010, p. 49.
  7. "93-year-old conductor returns to celebrate the WSO". Winnipeg Free Press, By: Holly Harris, 10/11/2017
  8. King, Betty Nygaard. "Victor Feldbrill". thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.
  9. The Canadian Music Journal. 5–6. Canadian Music Council. 1960. pp. 26–27.
  10. LP Out by Seven Canadian Writers. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 14 October 1967. p. 64. ISSN 0006-2510.
  11. MusiCanada. 17–29. The Centre. 1969. p. 18.
  12. "Louis Riel, the opera: now on DVD, and perhaps on stage<". The Globe and Mail, Robert Everett-Green, July 22, 2011
  13. Pitman 2010, pp. 293–299.
  14. "TSYO celebrates 40th birthday with free tuition". Toronto Star, By Trish Crawford, April 23, 2015
  15. Pitman 2010, p. 9.
  16. "An exceptional ensemble of performances". Winnipeg Free Press, By: Holly HarrisPosted: 06/27/2018
  17. VICTOR FELDBRILL – Conductor, Violinist (Apr. 4, 1924 – June 17, 2020): Canadian Jewish Record. Retrieved June 18, 2020.

Bibliography
  • Pitman, Walter (2010). Victor Feldbrill: Canadian conductor extraordinaire. Dundurn Press. ISBN 9781554887682.
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