Kurt Frederick (musician)

Frederick gave the world premiere for Arnold Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw with the Albuquerque Civic Symphony on November 4, 1948.

[11][13][14][15][16] Abstract - This interview features Kurt Frederick, a European refugee and conductor of the Albuquerque Civic Symphony Orchestra.

Frederick talks about hearing Arnold Schoenberg’s A Survivor from Warsaw and then corresponding with the composer in order to perform the work in New Mexico.

Furthermore, this interview discusses his introduction to the piece, his correspondences with Schoenberg, the premiere of the work, and also background information on Frederick’s life.

[17] Kurt Frederick reflects on his life in relation to Arnold Schonberg’s music and his career as conductor of the Albuquerque Civic Symphony Orchestra.

[8] The orchestra, originally called the Albuquerque Civic Symphony, was organized by local members of the Rotary Club and first performed on November 30, 1932, at Carlisle Gymnasium.

The founding conductor was Grace Thompson Edmister, who was one of the first women to lead a classical orchestra in the United States.

Frederick managed to convince the world-renowned Austrian-American composer Arnold Schoenberg to commission the premiere of his work "A Survivor from Warsaw“ to the ACS.

[23] An endowed scholarship was established in memory of Kurt Frederick providing assistance to main campus undergraduate students each year.