Oscar G. Zimmerman
Encyclopedia
Oscar G. Zimmerman was an American musician, teacher and double-bass player.
in 1910, Oscar Zimmerman was the double bassist with the Rochester Philharmonic for 36 years and professor emeritus at Eastman, was a member of the first graduating class of the Curtis Institute of Music
in Philadelphia, where he studied with Philadelphia Orchestra
principal bassist Anton Torello
. Hired by the Philadelphia Orchestra as a 19-year-old student, he played with the orchestra for six years until joining the St. Louis Symphony as principal bass player
in 1936. He played with the NBC Symphony Orchestra
under Arturo Toscanini
from 1938-45 before moving to Rochester
. As a teacher of bass, Mr. Zimmerman was unparalleled. He not only taught at the Eastman School of Music
, but also spent 44 successive summers teaching at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan
. His former students have filled positions (many of them as principal players) in the Philadelphia Orchestra
, the Cleveland Orchestra
, the New York Philharmonic
, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Dallas, and Ottawa.
Zimmerman died in Traverse City, Michigan
in 1987.
he bought while still at Curtis from Torello. He called it the Black Gagliano because he had two, a yellow and black. For the last ten years of his life he had two basses, a Francesco Rugieri and a Hugo Rautmann. He heard Waldimar Geise play the Scontrino Concerto, on the Rautmann with Stokowski
and the Philadelphia Orchestra
while a student a Curtis. He was so impressed with the projection that he bought the bass at Geise' death (1948) and used it for all his solo work.
Biography
Born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
in 1910, Oscar Zimmerman was the double bassist with the Rochester Philharmonic for 36 years and professor emeritus at Eastman, was a member of the first graduating class of the Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. According to statistics compiled by U.S...
in Philadelphia, where he studied with Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
principal bassist Anton Torello
Anton Torello
Anton Torello was a CatalanDouble Bass player. He was principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra , and was the first bass professor at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute...
. Hired by the Philadelphia Orchestra as a 19-year-old student, he played with the orchestra for six years until joining the St. Louis Symphony as principal bass player
Bass Player
Bass player can refer to:*Bass Player , an album by Rhombus*Bass Player , a magazine for bassists*Bassist, or bass player, a musician who plays the bass guitar...
in 1936. He played with the NBC Symphony Orchestra
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
under 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...
from 1938-45 before moving to Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. As a teacher of bass, Mr. Zimmerman was unparalleled. He not only taught at the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
, but also spent 44 successive summers teaching at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. His former students have filled positions (many of them as principal players) in the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
, the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
, the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Dallas, and Ottawa.
Zimmerman died in Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
in 1987.
Instruments
His favorite instrument was a GaglianoGagliano
Gagliano may refer to:* Gagliano Aterno, Abruzzo, Italy* Gagliano Castelferrato, Sicily, Italy* Gagliano del Capo, Lecce, Apulia, Italy* Gagliano , a fictional town in the novel Christ Stopped at EboliPeople with the surname Gagliano:...
he bought while still at Curtis from Torello. He called it the Black Gagliano because he had two, a yellow and black. For the last ten years of his life he had two basses, a Francesco Rugieri and a Hugo Rautmann. He heard Waldimar Geise play the Scontrino Concerto, on the Rautmann with Stokowski
Stokowski
Stokowski is surname of:* Ferdynand Ignacy Stokowski , a Polish officer* Leopold Anthony Stokowski , a British-born American orchestral conductor** Olga Samaroff Stokowski...
and the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
while a student a Curtis. He was so impressed with the projection that he bought the bass at Geise' death (1948) and used it for all his solo work.