Otterloo, (Jan) Willem van

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Otterloo, (Jan) Willem van

Otterloo, (Jan) Willem van,prominent Dutch conductor; b. Winterswijk, Dec. 27, 1907; d. in a automobile accident in Melbourne, Australia, July 27, 1978. He studied with Orobio de Castro (cello) and Sem Dresden (composition) at the Amsterdam Cons. In 1932 he became a cellist in the Utrecht Sym. Orch.; from 1933 to 1937, served as its asst. conductor, and from 1937 to 1949, as its chief conductor. He was chief conductor of the Residente Orch. in The Hague (1949–73); took it on a tour of the U.S. in 1963. He was also chief conductor (1967–68) and principal guest conductor (1969–71) of the Melbourne Sym. Orch.; then was chief conductor of the Sydney Sym. Orch. from 1973 until his tragic death; was also Generalmusikdirektor of the Düsseldorf Sym. Orch. (1974–77). His unmannered readings of the classics were esteemed. He also composed, producing a Sym., suites for Orch., chamber music, etc.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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