Ussher, Bruno David

Bruno David Ussher was born in Germany, and studied musicology with Arnold Schering and Hugo Riemann and philosophy with Oswald Spengler. He spent some years in England, and then moved to Los Angeles in 1919 to write for the "Saturday Night" weekly. He received a D.Mus. from USC in 1934. Ussher was a Los Angeles music critic for many years for different Los Angeles newspapers (Evening Express, Examiner), magazines, and scholarly journals into the 1950s. During the years 1938-1941, his column appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News (not connected with the current Los Angeles Daily News) and regularly covered film music. Ussher taught at the Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts in the 1920s, was a lecturer in Aesthetics and the Criticism of Music and symphonic literature at the University of Southern California from 1931-1944, and also taught at Cal Tech. He was production manager of the Hollywood Bowl concerts from February 1935 to the summer of 1936 and wrote program notes for the concerts. He was project chief for eleven western states of the Federal Music Project from 1936-39. He died in Los Angeles in 1963.

From the description of Bruno David Ussher collection of photographs, 1892-1957 (bulk 1922-1935). (San Leandro Community Library). WorldCat record id: 700521295

Biographical note

Bruno David Ussher was born in Germany, and studied musicology with Arnold Schering and Hugo Riemann and philosophy with Oswald Spengler. He spent some years in England, and then moved to Los Angeles in 1919 to write for the "Saturday Night" weekly. He received a D.Mus. from USC in 1934.

Ussher was a Los Angeles music critic for many years for different Los Angeles newspapers (Evening Express, Examiner), magazines, and scholarly journals into the 1950s. During the years 1938-1941, his column appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News (not connected with the current Los Angeles Daily News) and regularly covered film music.

Ussher taught at the Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts in the 1920s, was a lecturer in Aesthetics and the Criticism of Music and symphonic literature at the University of Southern California from 1931-1944, and also taught at Cal Tech. He was production manager of the Hollywood Bowl concerts from February 1935 to the summer of 1936 and wrote program notes for the concerts. He was project chief for eleven western states of the Federal Music Project from 1936-39. He died in Los Angeles in 1963.

From the guide to the Bruno David Ussher collection of photographs, Bulk, 1922-1935, 1892-1957, (USC Libraries Special Collections)