Van Der Stucken Music Festival – March 30

Frank Valentine Van der Stucken was born in Fredericksburg, Texas, to Frank and Sophie Van der Stucken, née Schönewolf. He received his musical education at the conservatory of music conducted by Peter Benoit in Antwerp, Belgium. He was kapellmeister of the city theatre of Breslau, later giving concerts of his own compositions, in Weimar and elsewhere in Germany, under the patronage of Liszt.

He returned to the United States in 1884, and became the leader of the Arion society of New York, conducting novelty concerts in Steinway hall and symphonic concerts in Chickering hall. Van der Stucken gave a series of American concerts at the Paris exposition of 1889, made a concert tour in Europe with the Arion Society in 1892, and after 1895 conducted the symphony concerts in Cincinnati, in which city he was the dean of the college of music.

He died in Hamburg, Germany at age 70.

The 2012 Van der Stucken Music Festival is free and honors Fredericksburg born Frank Valentin van der Stucken, 1858-1929, the founder of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati College of Music. The festival will be held at the St. Joseph’s Halle at 212 W. San Antonio Street at 7:30 pm.