Dean Dixon
Charles Dean Dixon (January 10, 1915 – November 3, 1976) was an American conductor.
Career
Dixon was born in the upper-
In 1949, he left the United States for the
During the 1968 Olympic Games, Dixon conducted the Mexican National Symphony Orchestra.
Dixon returned to the United States in 1970[2] for guest-conducting engagements with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and San Francisco Symphony in the 1970s. He also served as the conductor of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, where he gained fame for his children's concerts. He also conducted most of the major symphony orchestras in Africa, Israel, and South America. Dixon's last appearance in the US was conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra in April 1975.
Dixon was honoured by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) with the Award of Merit for encouraging the participation of American youth in music. In 1948, Dixon was awarded the Alice M. Ditson award for distinguished service to American music.
Dixon was to tour Australia in the autumn of 1975 but had to cancel most of the tour due to heart problems. He returned to Europe and died in Zug, Switzerland, on November 4, 1976, after suffering a stroke. He was 61 years old.
He once defined the three phases of his career by the descriptions he was given: firstly, he was called "the black American conductor Dean Dixon"; when he started to be offered engagements he was "the American conductor Dean Dixon"; and after he had become fully accepted he was called simply "the conductor Dean Dixon".[3]
Personal life
Dixon was married three times. His first was to
In the late 1960s Dixon unsuccessfully tried twice to make contact and re-establish a relationship with Diane, the daughter from his first marriage.[7]
His final marriage was to Ritha Blume in 1973.
See also
References
- Dean Dixon biography at the African American Registry
- ^ Naxos
- ^ Kaj Kristoffersen, "Dean Dixon: hard work, perseveranace, sacrifice, humility," High Fidelity/Musical America (August 1970), p. 19.
- ^ Music Web International
- ^ Blackpast.org Dixon, Charles Dean (1915–1976)
- ^ Jet Magazine January 28, 1954 Page 18 – 19 Dixon Divorces N.Y. Wife, Will Marry Finnish Countess
- ^ Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad – Rufus Jones Jr. Page 81
- ^ Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad – Rufus Jones Jr. Page 110