Schenck, Andrew (Craig)

views updated

Schenck, Andrew (Craig)

Schenck, Andrew (Craig), American conductor; b. Honolulu, Jan. 7, 1941; d. Baltimore, Feb. 19, 1992. He was educated at Harvard Univ. (B.A., 1962) and Ind. Univ. (Mus.M., 1968), and then pursued training in conducting with Bernstein at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood, Monteux in Hancock, Maine, and in Germany on a Fulbright scholarship (1962–63), subsequently winning first prize in the Besançon conducting competition. He was asst. conductor of the Honolulu Sym. Orch. (1970–73) and the Baltimore Sym. Orch. (1973–80), and then founder-music director of the Baltimore Chamber Opera (1980–84). After serving as a resident conductor of the San Antonio Sym. Orch. (1986–88), he was music director of the Nassau (N.Y.) Sym. Orch. and the Atlantic Sinfonietta of N.Y. Schenck made a special effort to program American music at his concerts, both with his own orchs. and as a guest conductor with the Pittsburgh Sym. Orch., the Chicago Sym. Orch., the London Sym. Orch. et al.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire