Louis Koemmenich

Louis Koemmenich (October 4, 1866 – August 14, 1922) was an American composer and conductor who died by suicide in 1922.

[2][1] He was the conductor of the chorus and orchestra for a huge civic or community masque (with a cast of 1500 amateur performers) entitled Caliban by the Yellow Sands by Percy MacKaye which played at the New York City College Stadium (the Lewisohn Stadium) from 23 May to 5 June 1916, for the Shakespeare Tercentenary celebrations.

[3][4] Koemmenich also conducted an open-air performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem at the Polo Grounds, New York City, on 4 June 1916.

The soloists were Louise Homer (under the assumed name of 'Lucile Lawrence'),[6] Maria Gay, her partner Giovanni Zenatello and Leon Rothier.

[7][5][8] Rehearsals had been going on for a month,[5] possibly taken by Arnaldo Conti who was also billed as a conductor;[7][9] but he seems not to have actually conducted during the performance.