Frank Damrosch - Life and Career

Life and Career

Damrosch was born on June 22, 1859 in Breslau, the son of Helene von Heimburg, a former opera singer, and conductor Leopold Damrosch. He came to the United States with his father, brother, conductor Walter Damrosch, and sister, music teacher Clara Mannes, in 1871. His parents were Lutheran (his paternal grandfather was Jewish).

He had studied music in Germany under Dionys Pruckner. He studied in New York under Ferdinand von Inten. He also studied in Europe under Moritz Moszkowski.

He originally intended to adopt a business career, and to that end went to Denver, Colorado, but the musical impulse proved too strong, and in 1884 he was an organist, conductor of the Denver Chorus Club, and supervisor of music in the public schools.

For some years he was chorus master at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. He also conducted the Mendelssohn Glee Club from 1885 to 1887. In 1892 he organized the People's Singing Classes, and he was also instrumental in founding the Musical Art Society of New York.

In 1897 he became supervisor of music in the public schools in New York.

In 1898 Damrosch succeeded his brother Walter as conductor of the Oratorio Society, which he directed until 1912. Damrosch Park, part of New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is named in honor of the Damrosch family.

In 1905 he founded and became director of the New York Institute of Musical Art. One of Damrosch's pupils was William Howland, who was head of the music department at the University of Michigan for many years. In 1926, the Institute of Musical Art merged with the Juilliard Graduate School to form what is today Juilliard School.

Damrosch died in New York City on October 22, 1937.