Background
Landau, Siegfried was born on September 4, 1921 in Berlin. Son of Ezekiel and Helen (Grynberg) Landau. came to the United States, 1940, naturalized, 1946.
Landau, Siegfried was born on September 4, 1921 in Berlin. Son of Ezekiel and Helen (Grynberg) Landau. came to the United States, 1940, naturalized, 1946.
Student, Stern Conservatory. Student, Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory, Berlin. L.G.S.M., Guildhall School Music and Drama, London, England, 1940.
Conductors degree, Mannes College, New York City, 1942.
He was a music student at the Stern and Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatories in Germany. His family emigrated to London in 1939. In 1940, Landau came to New York City and was a pupil of Pierre Monteux.
Landau joined the Brooklyn Philharmonic (then called the Brooklyn Philharmonia) in 1955, an orchestra comprised at that time of freelance musicians in the New York City area with a focus on contemporary or infrequently performed classical music
His tenure as the orchestra"s music director was from 1955 to 1971, when he resigned after the orchestra had reduced its season and programming opportunities during a period of financial difficulty. From 1961 to 1981, he was the conductor of the Music for Westchester Symphony (later the White Plains Symphony), until he left the orchestra over disputes with the board of directors regarding programming.
He led the Chattanooga Opera Association from 1960 to 1973. In Europe, he was Generalmusikdirektor of the Westphalian Symphony Orchestra from 1973 to 1975.
Landau"s compositions included music for a dance drama, The Dybbuk, by Anna Sokolow.
Landau married Irene Gabriel in 1954, and they had two sons, Robert and Peter. Landau often conducted the music for Gabriel"s dance company in the 1950s and 1960s. Landau and Gabriel moved into their Brushton home in upstate New York in the 1980s.
They died in a fire which destroyed the residence.
Their sons survived them.
Fellow Jewish Academy Arts and Sciences. Member Societa Mici Della Music Jesi (honorary), National Jewish Music Council, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, American Musicol. Society, Association American Condrs. and Composers.
Married Irene Gabriel, May 2, 1954. Children— Robert, Peter.