The musical directors of five leading American symphony orchestras announced their resignations in November and December of 1957. The New York Philharmonic named composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein to replace Dmitri Mitropoulos as musical director and chief conductor. Edouard van Remoortel succeeded Vladimir Golschmann at the St. Louis Symphony. Thor Johnson of the Cincinnati Orchestra was replaced by Max Rudolf, formerly a leading conductor at the Metroplitan Opera. Successors were not immediately named for Massimo Freccia of the Baltimore Symphony and Walter Hendl of the Dallas Symphony.

The first presentation of the Casals Festival at San Juan, Puerto Rico, was considered a success, even though cellist and festival founder Pablo Casals suffered a heart attack just before the first concert. Violinist Alexander Schneider directed the concerts in his place.

Pablo Casals conducted this rehearsal in San Juan just before suffering a heart attack.

Ella Fitzgerald was just one of the many performers at the 4th Annual Newport (Rhode Island) Jazz Festival, July 4-7. Other performers included Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong.

The first European festival of American music was held in Brussels, Belgium. For ten days in October more than 225 Belgian and American musicians played the works of nearly 40 United States composers. The concerts were designed to show developments in American music to European critics and students.

Father Duval, a singing and guitar-playing Jesuit priest, performed concerts before capacity audiences throughout France in 1957.

SEE ALSO
In the Year 1957

Questions or comments about this page?

This page was last updated on 08/08/2017.