Collection: Weisberg, Arthur

1931 - 2008

Arthur Weisberg was born (April 4, 1931) in New York City. He attended the High School of Music and Art and the Juilliard School of Music, majoring in bassoon with Simon Kovar. He played first bassoon with the Houston and Baltimore Symphonies and second bassoon with the Cleveland Orchestra, before coming back to New York City to study conducting with Jean Morel. At this time, Professor Weisberg was first bassoon with the Symphony of the Air (formerly the NBC Symphony under Arturo Toscanini).

He was bassoonist with the New York Woodwind Quintet for 14 years and has taught at Juilliard, the State University of New York at Stony Brook and Yale University. Professor Weisberg and the New York Philharmonic have recorded George Crumb's "A Haunted Landscape." He has conducted the Milwaukee Symphony and the Sjaellands and Aalborg Symphonies of Denmark. Professor Weisberg created the Contemporart Chamber Ensemble in 1961. While he was the conductor and music director, the CCE toured throughout the United States and the rest of the world, giving over 100 world premieres. They completed recordings, and have several prize winning recordings to their credit. Professor Weisberg authored two books, "The Art of Wind Playing", published by G. Schirmer, and "Performing 20th Century Music-a Handbook for Conductors and Instrumentalists," published by Yale University Press.

He composed numerous works, and has made several editions for bassoon, including a transcription of the Bach Cello Suites and a set of 15 Etudes for Bassoon in the style of 20th Century music. He passed away in January, 2009, in Florida.