“Anshel Brusilow, who served as music director and executive director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in the early 1970s, and subsequently headed orchestra programs at the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University, died at his home Monday,” writes Scott Cantrell in Tuesday’s (1/16) Dallas Morning News. “Brusilow, who retired from UNT in 2008, was also music director of the Richardson Symphony from 1992 until 2012…. The Philadelphia native studied violin at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Philadelphia Musical Academy. For 10 years, from age 16, he also studied conducting with Pierre Monteux. Brusilow [became] assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, under the fiercely demanding music director George Szell, from 1955 to 1959. Eugene Ormandy then tapped him as concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra…. Starting in 1962, he began a sideline of organizing and conducting, in succession, the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia…. [At] the Dallas Symphony … initially hired as interim conductor, replacing Donald Johanos, Brusilow was quickly promoted to music director and—in a highly unusual arrangement—executive director.” His autobiography, Shoot the Conductor, written with Robin Underdahl, was published in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn (née Marilyn Rae Dow), a son, and two daughters.
Posted January 17, 2018
