Honoring Brico - Denver Philharmonic

Maestro Antonia Brico, born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 1902, moved to California with her foster parents at age 6 and endured a self-described ... dark-attentiondark-datedark-timedark-contactdark-infodark-playdark-pricedark-venueicon-alerticon-arrow-lefticon-arrow-righticon-blockquoteicon-calicon-clockicon-contactUI/Full-Part-VolunteerCopyCreatedwithSketch.EPSIconCreatedwithSketch.icon-facebook--dark_circleicon-facebook--dark_squareicon-facebook--outline_circleicon-facebook--outline_squareicon-facebookCreatedwithSketch.icon-infoicon-instagram--dark_circleicon-instagram--dark_squareicon-instagram--outline_circleicon-instagram--outline_squareicon-instagramicon-linkedin--dark_circleicon-linkedin--dark_squareicon-linkedin--outline_circleicon-linkedin--outline_squareicon-linkedinicon-logoicon-logo2icon-pinterest--dark_circleicon-pinterest--dark_squareicon-pinterest--outline_circleicon-pinterest--outline_squareicon-pinterestCreatedwithSketch.icon-playicon-priceicon-spotify--dark_circleicon-spotify--dark_squareicon-spotify--outline_circleicon-spotify--outline_squareicon-spotifyicon-twitter--dark_circleicon-twitter--dark_squareicon-twitter--outline_circleicon-twitter--outline_squareicon-twitterCreatedwithSketch.icon-youtube--dark_circleicon-youtube--dark_squareicon-youtube--outline_circleicon-youtube--outline_squareicon-youtubeCreatedwithSketch.FolderCreatedwithSketch.icon-zoomlight-attentionlight-callight-clocklight-contactlight-infolight-playlight-pricelight-venue Skiptocontent 2021ColoradoGivesDayisDecember7 Helpuscultivatecreativity. Scheduleyourdonationtoday» HonoringBrico ByLindaLebsackandMattMeier MaestroAntoniaBrico,borninRotterdam,theNetherlandsin1902,movedtoCaliforniawithherfosterparentsatage6andenduredaself-describedmiserablechildhood.Thoughwithtalentanddetermination,Bricorosetotheheightsoftheconductingworld. WilhelminaWolthius ThemaestrowasbornAntoniaBricobutraisedasWilhelminaWolthius.Sufferingabusebyfosterparentswhoneverformallyadoptedher,Wilhelminafoundsolaceatthepiano,crying,“Musicdoesn’thurtlittlegirls.”Itwasn’tuntilcollegethatsheknewthetruestoryofherillegitimatebirthtoaDutchteenagerandItaliannightclubpianistbythenameofBrico. Arisingcareer Reclaiming‘AntoniaBrico,’theaspiringconductormovedtoEuropein1923andstudiedunderworld-famousmusiciansZygmuntStojowski,KarlMuckandRichardWagner’sson,SiegfriedWagner.ComposerJeanSibeliuscametoknowBricoasa“sixthdaughter”aftershearrivedathishomeandprovedherabilitytoconducthisworkasheintended. WhilestudyinginGermany,shemadeherdebutasaconductorin1930.Atage28,BricoledtheBerlinPhilharmonicearningaglowingreviewwhichstatedthatshe“possessesmoreability,clevernessandmusicianshipthancertainofhermalecolleagueswhoboreusinBerlin.” In1934,shefoundedtheWomen’sSymphonyOrchestrainNewYorkto“provethatwomencouldplayineverycategory.”ThesuccessfulorchestragarneredsupportfromthelikesofEleanorRoosevelt. July25,1938,BricoconductedtheNewYorkPhilharmonic—thefirstwomantodoso.Ms.Brico,age36,impressedthecrowdatLewisohnStadium,thePhilharmonic’sthenoutdoorsummervenueinUpperManhattan.SheconductedworksbyTchaikovsky,Liszt,Sibeliusandtwopiecesyou’llhearSeptember30,2016inherhonor—Beethoven’sLeonoreOvertureNo.3andWagner’sOverturetoDieMeistersingervonNürnberg. TheNewYorkPhilharmonicarchivedepartmentwrites,“Tickets[toBrico’sdebut]cost50centsand[stadium]crowdscouldgrowtoover15,000.” TheNewYorkTimesreportedofBrico’sperformancethatshe“impressed”withthe“life[and]colorofherreadings,”expressedwith“verveandintensity,”andendedwithresoundingapplause. “Shewasthefirstwomantoachievenationalacclaimasanorchestraconductor,”long-timeDenverPhilharmonicviolinistPaulineA.Dallenbachsaid. Anewhome LuredtoDenverintheearly1940swiththepossibilityofbecomingtheprincipalconductoroftheDenverSymphony,BricowasaguestconductoratconcertsinRedRocksamphitheaterbutwasneverhired.Thehandsome,debonair—andmale—SaulCastonwonthejob. “Shetoldmeitwasthegreatestdisappointmentinherlife,”DallenbachtoldtheWestwordin1995. Despitehertalentanddrive,BricoseemedtoonlyhaveconductingopportunitiesduringWorldWarIIwhenmostmenwereserving.Shesaidthatshewasborn50yearstooearly. BricosettledinDenverin1942andmadeherhomehere.LegionsofDenvermusicianstookpianoandvoicelessonswithher.Sometimessheenlistedstudentstowalkherdogbeforeorafterasession.Abusywomanwithnorelatives,shewasknownforaskingfavors. HernextpositionwasasthefounderandfirstmusicdirectoroftheDenverBusinessmen’sSymphonyin1948.Atthepremiereperformance,BricoreceivedatelegramfromSibeliuswishingtheneworchestraluck.Theorchestra’snamelaterwaschangedtotheBricoSymphonyinthe1960s,CentennialPhilharmonicinthe1990sandfinally—youguessedit—theDenverPhilharmonicin2004. Asachild,GreeleyChamberOrchestraconductorDanFrantzdescribedseeingthemaestroconductthethen-BricoSymphony,“Sheworethishuge,black,flowingvelvetgown.…Itjustabsorbedlightanddrewyourattentionrighttoher.AndshehadthissternlookonherfacethatcouldhavemeltedpartsofGreenland.” Lastingfriendships Shehadanenduringfriendshipwith Dr.AlbertSchweitzer,theorgan-playingdoctorwhopracticedmedicineinthewildsofAfrica.ThetwosharedaloveofBach’smusic,andshedetouredhomefromanengagementinEuropetovisitSchweitzerinAfricain1950.Hehadinscribedtoher“withlove,”acopyofStravinsky:HisLifeandWork,whichisnowinaprivatecollection. DenverPhilharmonicBoardMemberEleanorGloverevenrecallshowBricotransportedautographedphotosofSchweitzerandSibeliusforoneanotherbetweenAfricaandFinland. Thebroadermusicworld’sinterestinBricowasrekindledin1974whenherformerDenverpianostudent(andlaterfamedfolksinger)JudyCollinsanddirectorJillGodmilowmadeadocumentaryfilmA Antonia:APortraitofaWoman.Thefollowingyear,shewasinvitedtoconductatNewYork’sMostlyMozartFestivalandin1977attheBrooklynPhilharmonia. Theeventwassoldoutimmediatelyandasecondperformancewasadded.ItwascapturedonLPrecording. Brico’slegacy Bricoretiredin1985andpassedawayin1989.TherearestillpeopleinvolvedwiththeDenverPhilharmoniclikePaulineDallenbachandherhusbandRobert,whoknewAntoniapersonally. Mrs.Dallenbach,whobeganwiththeorchestrain1964,remembersBricosayingshe“taughtandinspiredmanymusicians.” “InhonorofAntoniaBrico,thefirstwomantoconducttheNewYorkPhilharmonic,in1938,”thesymphonyorchestrawrites,”[we]salutetheDenverPhilharmonicastheyinauguratetheAntoniaBricoStage.…WewishtheDenverPhilharmonicmanysuchnightsfromtheirnewlydedicatedstage.” ThankyouforbeingpartofourhistoryonSeptember30 aswehonorBricoandinauguratetheAntoniaBricoStageatCentralPresbyterianChurch! December7,2021 ColoradoGivesDay.It’smorethanjustaday.It’samovementthatinspiresandunitesthousandsofdonorstogivewheretheyliveandsupportColoradononprofits. Pleasehelpuscontinuetocultivatecreativity. Scheduleyourdonationtoday. GiveNow LindaLebsack BoardMember MattMeier BoardMember Mattisaco-founderandthecreativedirectorofDenver-baseddesignstudio,LigatureCreative. Idonotcallmyselfawomanconductor.Icallmyselfaconductorwhohappenstobeawoman. AntoniaBrico