Hyman Schandler (August 11, 1900 – September 3, 1990) was a

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

ist,

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

, and

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

. He was the founder and conductor of the

Cleveland Women's Orchestra The Cleveland Women's Orchestra is an American orchestra made up entirely of female musicians, based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1935 and performed its first concert in 1936. It is one of the oldest women's orchestra in the world after ...

, the oldest women's orchestra in the world.

Early life

Schandler was born in Riga, Latvia. He emigrated to Cleveland at the age of three with his mother and three sisters. His father, a tailor, had arrived two years earlier. At the age of nine, Schandler began his studies at Bailey's Music School, which later became the Cleveland Music School Settlement. He went to Central High School and West High School. At the age of 18, Schandler began conducting instrumental groups and teaching the violin at the settlement.1984 Special Citation for Distinguished Service to the Arts
Cleveland Arts Prize

Career

In 1927, Schandler auditioned for conductor Nikolai Sokoloff of the Cleveland Orchestra and became second violinist. He soon became principal second violinist, a position he held for 35 years. He performed with the orchestra for 48 years. In 1931, Schandler traveled to Salzburg, Austria, to study violin with Theodore Mueller and conducting with Herbert von Karajan. There, he performed with the Salzburg Festival Orchestra and Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg, Salzburg Mozarteum."Hyman Schandler, Founder of the Cleveland Women's Orchestra"
, The Cleveland Women's Orchestra In 1935, Schandler formed the

, an orchestra composed primarily of 60 women musicians, ranging from sixteen to seventy-five years old. Their first concert was on November 17, 1936, at Severance Hall."Women's Orchestra was outlet for talented players"
by Henry J. Gomez, ''The Plain Dealer'' (March 12, 2011) Since then, the orchestra has played annual concerts at Severance Hall as well as several concerts in nursing homes, hospitals, and other outreach programs. Schandler remained as the orchestra's conductor for 55 years until his death in 1990. He was succeeded by Robert Cronquist as musical director. Following his retirement in 1975, Schandler played for two seasons in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as principal guest conductor, which was then led by Louis Lane. During this time, he commuted back to Cleveland to continue conducting the Cleveland Women's Orchestra.

Personal life

In 1926, Schandler married Rebecca White, a pianist and faculty colleague. Their ceremony was performed at the Cleveland Music School Settlement. They had two daughters, Dorothy and Linda Porter (actress), Linda.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schandler, Hyman American male violinists American male conductors (music) 1900 births 1990 deaths Musicians from Cleveland 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American violinists Classical musicians from Ohio 20th-century American male musicians