Henry Schuman(1931-2001)
- Music Department
Mr. Schuman was a ubiquitous figure in the concert life of New York, the longtime principal oboist of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Westchester Philharmonic and the Opera Orchestra of New York, and the music director of the Washington Square Music Festival, with which he planned over 100 concerts, including the forthcoming season's programs.
Since 1970 he taught at the Manhattan School of Music. Just this week Mr. Schuman had been rehearsing for the Opera Orchestra's performance on Sunday of Donizetti's ''Maria Stuarda,'' conducted by Eve Queler, Mr. Schuman's former classmate from the High School of Music and Art in New York.
Mr. Schuman was born on Oct. 24, 1931, in Detroit. His father, a book publisher, moved the family to New York during Mr. Schuman's early years. After high school, Mr. Schuman attended the Juilliard School, where he studied oboe with Harold Gomberg. He became principal oboist with the Piccola Accademia Musicale in Florence, then served in the armed forces, playing principal oboe with the Seventh Army Symphony in Europe from 1956 to '58.
Back in New York in 1958, he became the principal oboist with the Clarion Orchestra, conducted by Newell Jenkins. As soloist with that ensemble Mr. Schuman toured the Soviet Union and Romania for two months in 1963, playing 10 performances of a Vivaldi concerto, while also serving as the orchestra's personnel manager when tours by American arts ensembles to the Soviet Union presented untold organizational challenges.
Mr. Schuman was solo English horn under the conductor Leopold Stokowski with the Symphony of the Air from 1958 to '62, and the next year he became the principal oboist with Stokowski's American Symphony Orchestra.
Among the other ensembles that he conducted were the Mostly Mozart Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Municipal Orchestra of São Paulo in Brazil. In addition to the Manhattan School, he taught at Queens College, the City University of New York and the Winter Music Festival in São Paulo. He was a visiting professor at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester and at Indiana University.
Since 1970 he taught at the Manhattan School of Music. Just this week Mr. Schuman had been rehearsing for the Opera Orchestra's performance on Sunday of Donizetti's ''Maria Stuarda,'' conducted by Eve Queler, Mr. Schuman's former classmate from the High School of Music and Art in New York.
Mr. Schuman was born on Oct. 24, 1931, in Detroit. His father, a book publisher, moved the family to New York during Mr. Schuman's early years. After high school, Mr. Schuman attended the Juilliard School, where he studied oboe with Harold Gomberg. He became principal oboist with the Piccola Accademia Musicale in Florence, then served in the armed forces, playing principal oboe with the Seventh Army Symphony in Europe from 1956 to '58.
Back in New York in 1958, he became the principal oboist with the Clarion Orchestra, conducted by Newell Jenkins. As soloist with that ensemble Mr. Schuman toured the Soviet Union and Romania for two months in 1963, playing 10 performances of a Vivaldi concerto, while also serving as the orchestra's personnel manager when tours by American arts ensembles to the Soviet Union presented untold organizational challenges.
Mr. Schuman was solo English horn under the conductor Leopold Stokowski with the Symphony of the Air from 1958 to '62, and the next year he became the principal oboist with Stokowski's American Symphony Orchestra.
Among the other ensembles that he conducted were the Mostly Mozart Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Municipal Orchestra of São Paulo in Brazil. In addition to the Manhattan School, he taught at Queens College, the City University of New York and the Winter Music Festival in São Paulo. He was a visiting professor at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester and at Indiana University.
