Sergiu Comissiona (June 16, 1928 â€" March 5, 2005) was a
Romanian-Israeli-American conductor and violinist.Born in Bucharest,
Romania in a Jewish family, he began violin studies at the age of
five, was hired as a violinist by the Romanian State Ensemble while
still in his teens, making his conducting debut at the age of 17. In
his twenties he was named principal conductor of the Romanian National
Opera, which he led from 1955 to 1959.He fled the Communist regime in
1959 and emigrated to Israel. In 1960 he founded the Ramat Gan Chamber
Orchestra, which he led until 1967. He also directed the Haifa
Symphony from 1959 until 1966. He made his American debut with the
Philadelphia Orchestra in 1965 and emigrated to the United States in
1968. Later he was also music director of the Gothenburg Symphony
Orchestra, Sweden, from 1966 to 1977, and became chief conductor of
the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in Hilversum, Netherlands, in 1982.
Comissiona also held music directorships with some of North America's
leading ensembles, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the
Houston Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and was also music
director of the New York City Opera. Beginning in 1969 he spent 15
years with the Baltimore Orchestra and transformed it from a
little-known ensemble into a nationally respected orchestra,
eventually taking it on its first international tour and directing it
in its first recordings. He was also the Music Director of the Asian
Youth Orchestra. Comissiona was principal conductor of the Spanish
national broadcasting network orchestra in Madrid, the RTVE Symphony
Orchestra, from 1990 to 1998.From 1997 until his death, Comissiona
served as the conductor of the University of Southern California
Thornton School of Music Symphony
Romanian-Israeli-American conductor and violinist.Born in Bucharest,
Romania in a Jewish family, he began violin studies at the age of
five, was hired as a violinist by the Romanian State Ensemble while
still in his teens, making his conducting debut at the age of 17. In
his twenties he was named principal conductor of the Romanian National
Opera, which he led from 1955 to 1959.He fled the Communist regime in
1959 and emigrated to Israel. In 1960 he founded the Ramat Gan Chamber
Orchestra, which he led until 1967. He also directed the Haifa
Symphony from 1959 until 1966. He made his American debut with the
Philadelphia Orchestra in 1965 and emigrated to the United States in
1968. Later he was also music director of the Gothenburg Symphony
Orchestra, Sweden, from 1966 to 1977, and became chief conductor of
the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in Hilversum, Netherlands, in 1982.
Comissiona also held music directorships with some of North America's
leading ensembles, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the
Houston Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and was also music
director of the New York City Opera. Beginning in 1969 he spent 15
years with the Baltimore Orchestra and transformed it from a
little-known ensemble into a nationally respected orchestra,
eventually taking it on its first international tour and directing it
in its first recordings. He was also the Music Director of the Asian
Youth Orchestra. Comissiona was principal conductor of the Spanish
national broadcasting network orchestra in Madrid, the RTVE Symphony
Orchestra, from 1990 to 1998.From 1997 until his death, Comissiona
served as the conductor of the University of Southern California
Thornton School of Music Symphony
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