Semmler, Alexander, 1900-1977

Alexander Semmler was born in Dortmund, German, on November 12, 1900. He began composing music in adolesence and toured Europe and the United States as a pianist at the age of fiteen. He studied piano with Josef Pembaur and composition with Gustav Jenner, and later studied philopsphy and susicology at the universities of Marburg, Berlin, and Munich. He emigrated to the United States as a young man and became an American citizen in 1930. Semmler worked as a pianist with the CBS Symphony and later as a staff conductor and composer at CBS, writing music both under his own name and under the pseudonym Ralph Sandor (Zandor). He served as the American administrator for the Rudfunk im Amerikanischen Sektor (RIAS) in Berlin from 1951 to 1952. He was later invited to Mexico, where he was instrumental in organizing the Centro de Compositores Mexicanos. From 1955 until 1970, he was the New York music director for TRF Music, Inc. and Picture Scores, Inc. During that same time, he served as program director of the Maverick Concerts in Woodstock, N. Y. Semmler died in Kingston, N. Y., on 24 April 1977.

From the description of Alexander Semmler Papers, 1914-1977. (University at Albany). WorldCat record id: 780179276