Torkanowsky, Werner
Torkanowsky, Werner
Torkanowsky, Werner, German-born American conductor, violinist, and composer; b. Berlin, March 30, 1926; d. Bar Harbor, Maine, Oct. 20, 1992. He was taken to Palestine in 1933. After obtaining a violin diploma at the Palestine Cons. in Tel Aviv (1947), he emigrated to the U.S. in 1948 and pursued his studies with Rafael Bronstein. In 1952 he became a naturalized American citizen and a violinist in the Pittsburgh Sym. Orch. Following studies in conducting with Pierre Monteux (1954-59), he won the Naumburg Award for conducting in N.Y. in 1961. From 1963 to 1977 he was music director of the New Orleans Phil., and then of the Bangor Sym. Orch. from 1981. He also was active as a violinist, mainly as a chamber musician. Among his works were orch. pieces, chamber music, and songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire