Henri Verbrugghen was a Belgian violinist and conductor.
Background
Henri Adrien Marie Verbrugghen was born on August 1, 1873, in Brussels. He was the son of Henri and Elisa (Derode) Verbrugghen.
The father was a well-to-do manufacturer, and he intended that his only son should become a surgeon.
Education
From early childhood, Verbrugghen was musical, and after studying under Jeno Hubay at the Brussels Conservatoire he made a public appearance at the age of eight.
He then studied with Eugene Ysaye and a year later made such a success when he played before the Cercle Litteraire et Musicale that Ysaye persuaded the boy's parents that he should follow a musical career.
Career
In 1888, Verbrugghen went to London with Ysaye, where he played in orchestras under Sir George Henschel, Sir Frederic Cowen, and Sir Henry Wood. Three years later, he went to Glasgow to become concertmaster in the Scottish Orchestra recently founded by Henschel. In 1894, he spent a year in Paris as concert-master of the Lamoureux Orchestra, but in 1895, he resumed his position in Glasgow, with the added appointment of assistant conductor.
During the next few years, he acted successively as a teacher of violin at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin, and as an orchestral conductor in Colwyn and Llandudno, Wales. In 1902, he organized the Verbrugghen String Quartet, and from 1902 to 1905, he conducted the Promenade Concerts in Queens Hall, London. After this engagement, he returned once more to Glasgow, where he had been appointed a head of the departments of an orchestra, opera, and chamber music at the Athenaeum.
In 1911, he succeeded Henry Coward as conductor of the Glasgow Choral Union. In 1915, an official committee from New South Wales visited Europe in search of a musician to become head of the state conservatory at Sydney, Australia. Verbrugghen was chosen from 400 applicants, and he held the position for seven years, acting also as conductor of a symphony orchestra in Sydney.
During the season of 1922-23, he came to America. When he appeared as one of five guest conductors with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, his conducting made such an impression on the audiences and the sponsors of the orchestra that he was offered a three-year contract as permanent conductor. Verbrugghen remained as director until the season of 1931-32, but after the first concert of that season he collapsed at rehearsal, and ill health prevented his resuming his duties.
After a period of rest and convalescence, he was able to accept (1933) the chairmanship of the music department at Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, a position he held at the time of his death in Northfield. In April 1930, Verbrugghen was made an officer of the Belgian Crown by King Albert, and the order was formally bestowed at one of his concerts.