Harley Hamilton (conductor)
Encyclopedia
Harley Hamilton was an American conductor
, violin
ist and composer
. He was the founder and first conductor of the LA Women's Orchestra in 1893 and of the LA Simphony in 1897. Hamilton was one of the first symphony american directors in those years, when most of conductors where born and trained abroad.
Hamilton was born in 1861 in New York
by Susan C. Williams and Henry W. Burnham. He was a member of the Oneida Community
in New York, which his parents joined in 1848, until the Community dissolved in 1881. Shortly before his mother's death, he was adopted by Erasmus H. Hamilton, from whom he took his name. He was trained as a violinst and a printer and it is believed that his stepfather sent him to study to the New York College of Music, where he graduated, and abroad. In 1881, when the Community dissolved, he started travelling as a member of a minstrel group and in 1883 he arrived to Los Angeles. He worked in Los Angeles both as a printer and as a musician, with several experiences as director and member of choirs, bands and orchestras. He worked with both amateur and professional orchestras.
Hamilton formed the LA Women's Orchestra in 1893 and the LA Symphony in 1897. Both orchestras became quite popular and contributed to the development of symphonic music in Los Angeles area. He resigned from both in 1913, probably due to advancing deafness.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He was the founder and first conductor of the LA Women's Orchestra in 1893 and of the LA Simphony in 1897. Hamilton was one of the first symphony american directors in those years, when most of conductors where born and trained abroad.
Hamilton was born in 1861 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by Susan C. Williams and Henry W. Burnham. He was a member of the Oneida Community
Oneida Community
The Oneida Community was a religious commune founded by John Humphrey Noyes in 1848 in Oneida, New York. The community believed that Jesus had already returned in the year 70 AD, making it possible for them to bring about Jesus's millennial kingdom themselves, and be free of sin and perfect in this...
in New York, which his parents joined in 1848, until the Community dissolved in 1881. Shortly before his mother's death, he was adopted by Erasmus H. Hamilton, from whom he took his name. He was trained as a violinst and a printer and it is believed that his stepfather sent him to study to the New York College of Music, where he graduated, and abroad. In 1881, when the Community dissolved, he started travelling as a member of a minstrel group and in 1883 he arrived to Los Angeles. He worked in Los Angeles both as a printer and as a musician, with several experiences as director and member of choirs, bands and orchestras. He worked with both amateur and professional orchestras.
Hamilton formed the LA Women's Orchestra in 1893 and the LA Symphony in 1897. Both orchestras became quite popular and contributed to the development of symphonic music in Los Angeles area. He resigned from both in 1913, probably due to advancing deafness.