Serge Koussevitzky

Full biography Serge Koussevitzky

Serge Koussevitzky was a renowned Russian-born conductor, composer, and double bass player, born on July 26, 1874. He started his music education at a young age and then joined the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, where he played double bass. Koussevitzky later became the conductor of the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra and also conducted the Russian Symphony Concerts in Paris.

In 1924, Koussevitzky immigrated to the United States and became the conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for 25 years. During his tenure, he expanded the orchestra's repertoire to include many contemporary works and premiered pieces by such composers as Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and Igor Stravinsky. He also founded the Tanglewood Music Center, which is now the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Aside from conducting, Koussevitzky was also a prolific composer and wrote several works, including a Double Bass Concerto. He was a champion of contemporary music and worked closely with many prominent composers, including Copland and Bernstein. In fact, it was Koussevitzky who commissioned Bernstein to write his first symphony, the "Jeremiah Symphony."

Koussevitzky's legacy is still felt in the music world today, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress continues to award commissions for new musical works to contemporary composers , carrying on his legacy of supporting new and innovative music.