Altschuler, Modest, 1873-1963

Modest Altschuler (1873-1963) was a Russian cellist, conductor, and composer. Born near Kiev in what is today Belarus, he began studying cello at the Warsaw Conservatory when he was thirteen years old. He later moved to Moscow to study composition with Anton Arensky, harmony with Sergei Taneyev, and cello with Alfred von Glehn. He also studied conducting at the Moscow Conservatory.

Altschuler immigrated to the United States in 1896, and in 1903 formed the Russian Symphony Orchestra of New York. The group was devoted to providing support and performance opportunities for recent Russian émigrés, and to promoting the music of recent Russian composers. Altschuler conducted its premiere performance at Cooper Union Hall in 1904, after which the ensemble expanded and moved uptown to Carnegie Hall.

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