Evening star., 1939-08-13

Fraser Harrison, conductor of the
Rochester Civic Orchestra and as
sociate conductor of the Rochester
Philharmonic, who will conduct
both that evenings concert and
the following Sundays august 20),
has long enjoyed the reputation of
being an excellent program maker,
and the two programs he has pre-
pared for the Water Gate further
attest this fact. The soloistS ap-
pearing with him on Wednesdays
Sunset Symphony will be Miriam
Winslow and Foster FitZ-Simons,
who were hailed from coast to coast
last season as the newest, most ex-
citing partnership in the dance.
The two works of Mrs. Howe
which the National Symphony Or
chestra will play tonight under Mr..
CAMS direction are Spring Pas
torale' and Sand" which were re-
Gently performed by the Chicago
Womans Symphony Orchestra, also
with Mr.. CAM conducting, at Grant
Park, Chicago. In addition to Mrs.
Howe's compositions, Mr.. CAM will
conduct the orchestra in an all
symphonic program composed of
the overture to Berlioz'S Roman
Carnaval," Brahms Symphony No.
3 in D Major" "Wotan's Farewell"
and Magic Fire Music" from Wag-
ners Die Valkure," Johann Strauss
ARTISTS Life" aid the italian
Caprice" of Tchalkovsky. Mrs
Howe's numbers will follow the ex-
cerpts from Die Walkure."
Broad Training.
Although Guy Fraser Harrison,
guest conductor on Wednesday and
Sunday, August 20, has closely iden-
titled himself with American music
for the last 10 years, strictly speak
ing he is an American conductor
only by adoption. Actually Mr.. Har-
rison has been engaged in musical
activities in the two hemispheres.
A native of England, he received
the great part of his musical train
ing in that country. Like Mr.. CAM,
he is a pianist turned conductor;
he is also an organist and choir
conductor turned conductor. He be-
gan the study of piano under his
father at very early age. At he
was admitted to the Christ Church
Cathedral (OXford) Choir. At IL
he was studying harmony and two
years later had branched out to in
clude organ and counterpoint.
He was Just Is when he was ad
mitted to the Royal College of Mu-
sic, London, on an organ scholar
ship. There he studied organ under
Sir Walter Parratt, piano under
Herbert Sharpe and conducting and
choir training under Sir Walford
Davies. -Four years later he was in
the Philippines. the organist and
choirmaster at the Cathedral Of st.
Mary and st. John in Manila. Dur
ing his six years stay in Manila he
organized and conducted an orches-
ira composed entirely of Filipinos as
we'll as mixed chorus of Americans
and English.
1t wasn't until 1920 that Mr.. Har-
rison arrived in the United States.
For three years he was on the
faculty of the Eastman School of
Music, Rochester, N. Y, teaching
piano and organ, until his COM
patriot, the eminent English con-
ductor, Albert Coates, persuaded
him that his real forte lay in con-
Quoting. AS result he became con-
ductor of the Eastman Theater Or
ehestra and held that position until
the Rochester Civic Orchestra was
formed in 1929, when he was ap-
pointed permanent conductor of
that organization. In the last 10
years he has built the Rochester
Civic Orchestra into one of the
ranking permanent symphonic Or
CARNATIONS of the country and at
the same time has acted as asso-
ciate conductor with Jose Iturbi of
the Rochester Philharmonic Or
chestra.
Mr.. Harrison is we'll known over
the air waves as WE'LL in fact, he has
been broadcaStlng since 1929, and,
with Walter Damrosch, is a pioneer
In the matter OF symphony concerts
on the air One of the most active
of American directors, Mr.. Harrison
Is in great demand as guest con-
ductor with other major orchestras.
This last June a series which he
conducted in Minneapolis called
Nights in Old Vienna were so
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