New Mexico Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (NMSO) entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy on April 20, 2011, announcing that it would cease operations and existence. Orchestra members were notified of the board's decision to file for bankruptcy by email, a few hours after the vote was taken. But, according to KRQE, many of the orchestra's 78 members heard about the bankruptcy filing from media reports.
The orchestra was originally called Albuquerque Civic Symphony (ACS). It performed first in public on 13. November 1932 with conductor Grace Thompson Edmister in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ms Edminster was one of the first female musical directors and chief conductors of a major classical orchestra in the United States. Edminster was succeeded in 1941 by William Kunkel, who was in turn replaced in 1945 by Kurt Frederick
. Kurt Frederick managed to convince the world-renowned Austrian-American composer Arnold Schoenberg
to commission the premiere of his work „A Survivor from Warsaw
“ to the ACS. The work was written in remembrance of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
in Poland during World War II, and is one of the most important classical works to commemorate the Shoah
, the genocide
of more than six million European Jews
by Nazi Germany
. Frederick, who continued teaching at the University of New Mexico
and later founded the Albuquerque Youth Symphony
, was replaced in 1950 by Hans Lange
. The German-American conductor Lange was born in Constantinople
, Turkey, where his father Paul Lange
had been director of the Sultan's music. Hans Lange himself had been assistant of Arturo Toscanini
and conductor of Chicago Symphony Orchestra
, before assuming the position at the ACS. Under the direction of Lange the ACS was transformed from a "college" amateur ensemble into what was known as one of the premier professional orchestras in the United States. From 2000, Guillermo Figueroa was the director of NMSO.
The orchestra was originally called Albuquerque Civic Symphony (ACS). It performed first in public on 13. November 1932 with conductor Grace Thompson Edmister in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ms Edminster was one of the first female musical directors and chief conductors of a major classical orchestra in the United States. Edminster was succeeded in 1941 by William Kunkel, who was in turn replaced in 1945 by Kurt Frederick
Kurt Frederick
Kurt Frederick was born on 27 April 1991. He is an international soccer player from Saint Lucia, who plays as a left back for the St. Lucia national team-References:* * * * * * * *...
. Kurt Frederick managed to convince the world-renowned Austrian-American composer Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
to commission the premiere of his work „A Survivor from Warsaw
A Survivor from Warsaw
A Survivor from Warsaw, Op. 46, is a work for narrator, men's chorus, and orchestra written by the Austrian composer Arnold Schönberg in 1947. The initial inspiration for the work was a suggestion from the Russian émigrée dancer Corinne Chochem for a work to pay tribute to the Holocaust victims of...
“ to the ACS. The work was written in remembrance of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the Jewish resistance that arose within the Warsaw Ghetto in German occupied Poland during World War II, and which opposed Nazi Germany's effort to transport the remaining ghetto population to Treblinka extermination camp....
in Poland during World War II, and is one of the most important classical works to commemorate the Shoah
Shoah
Shoah may refer to:*The Holocaust*Shoah , documentary directed by Claude Lanzmann * A Shoah Foundation...
, the genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
of more than six million European Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Frederick, who continued teaching at the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
and later founded the Albuquerque Youth Symphony
Albuquerque Youth Symphony
Albuquerque Youth Symphony is an organization in Albuquerque, New Mexico that seeks to implement a passion for music in young musical students. Founded in 1955, the Albuquerque Youth Symphony is one of the oldest youth symphony programs in the United States today.-History:Founded in 1955 between...
, was replaced in 1950 by Hans Lange
Hans Lange
Hans Lange was a German-American conductor and musician. He was a son of Paul Lange, who had been a lecturer for music at the American College for Girls and German High School Istanbul in the 1890s, and later was appointed the Sultan's director of music...
. The German-American conductor Lange was born in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Turkey, where his father Paul Lange
Paul Lange (musician)
Paul Lange was a German musician living and working in Istanbul. He came to the Ottoman capital as lecturer at the American College for Girls...
had been director of the Sultan's music. Hans Lange himself had been assistant of Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
and conductor of Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
, before assuming the position at the ACS. Under the direction of Lange the ACS was transformed from a "college" amateur ensemble into what was known as one of the premier professional orchestras in the United States. From 2000, Guillermo Figueroa was the director of NMSO.