[3] He attended the Institute of Musical Art, then studied under Fritz Busch in Germany.

Although a pianist (he was accompanist to Efrem Zimbalist, Mischa Elman and Erica Morini), conducting was his goal.

He was a conductor at the Dresden State Opera and led orchestras in Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, New York, and Washington D.C.[4] From 1929 through 1944 he was Director of the Opera Department at the Eastman School of Music.

[2] He recorded two operas composed by Gian Carlo Menotti, The Medium and The Telephone.

He was married to Priscilla Brown who survived him, as did his siblings Edward Balaban and Stella Appelbaum.