Michael Steinberg (music critic)
Encyclopedia
Michael Steinberg was an American music critic, musicologist, and writer. Born in Breslau, Germany
(now Wrocław, Poland), Steinberg left Germany as one of the Kindertransport
child refugees. He later immigrated to the United States before the end of the war with his brother and mother, and earned a degree in musicology from Princeton University
(the classical-music scholar and pianist Charles Rosen
was his roommate), before joining the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music
, where he taught music history. In 1964 he left his teaching position to become music critic for the Boston Globe. After writing for the paper for almost 12 years, he became program annotator for the Boston Symphony Orchestra
, 1976-1979. He then worked as the publications director and artistic advisor of the San Francisco Symphony
1979-1989. He was program annotator for a number of other orchestras during his career, including the New York Philharmonic
and the Minnesota Orchestra
, the latter of which he served as artistic advisor during the 1990s. He contributed several entries to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, wrote articles for music journals and magazine, notes for CDs, and published a number of books on music, both collected published annotations and new writings. He died in Edina, Minnesota
, at the age of 80.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(now Wrocław, Poland), Steinberg left Germany as one of the Kindertransport
Kindertransport
Kindertransport is the name given to the rescue mission that took place nine months prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. The United Kingdom took in nearly 10,000 predominantly Jewish children from Nazi Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Free City of Danzig...
child refugees. He later immigrated to the United States before the end of the war with his brother and mother, and earned a degree in musicology from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(the classical-music scholar and pianist Charles Rosen
Charles Rosen
Charles Rosen is an American pianist and author on music.-Life and career:In his youth he studied piano with Moriz Rosenthal. Rosenthal, born in 1862, had been a student of Franz Liszt...
was his roommate), before joining the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
, where he taught music history. In 1964 he left his teaching position to become music critic for the Boston Globe. After writing for the paper for almost 12 years, he became program annotator for the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
, 1976-1979. He then worked as the publications director and artistic advisor of the San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
1979-1989. He was program annotator for a number of other orchestras during his career, including the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
and the Minnesota Orchestra
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Emil Oberhoffer founded the orchestra as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, and it gave its first performance on November 5 of that year. In 1968 the orchestra changed to its name to the Minnesota Orchestra...
, the latter of which he served as artistic advisor during the 1990s. He contributed several entries to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, wrote articles for music journals and magazine, notes for CDs, and published a number of books on music, both collected published annotations and new writings. He died in Edina, Minnesota
Edina, Minnesota
Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, at the age of 80.