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This site is dedicated to the players of the orchestra, which existed in Germany from 1952 to 1962,
and is still remembered.
Clarinetist Jerry Mattson expresses it aptly: "I don't normally live
in the past, but I have yet to come across anyone with a comparable
experience to hark back to. Those were strange and wonderful years."
In David Furholmen's video from the 2006 reunion, Sam Adler, founder and first conductor of the orchestra, tells the remarkable story of how it all began -- and how the orchestra "brought a message of peace and of friendship through the language of music to a large part of the world". For a 39-minute documentary film giving a fuller account of Sam's life and the beginnings of the orchestra, use this link and enter the password "adler2011". On January 13, 2024 Sam Adler presented a 75-minute lecture, the first of a four-part series "95 Years of Music to Speak to Our Time: Building Bridges through Music", for the Arts and Entertainment Lecture Series at the Performing Arts Building on Cape Cod. It covers his childhood in Germany, his family's escape from Mannheim on the last train out, just AFTER Kristallnacht, the start of his career in the US, and the beginning of his Army service. The second lecture, given on March 2, 2024, includes the story of the founding of the 7th Army Symphony. The third lecture, given on April 27, focuses on his almost 30 years of teaching at Eastman The fourth lecture was given on September 28. All are well worth a listen; among other things, Sam's memory for details is stunning..
In David Furholmen's video from the 2006 reunion, Sam Adler, founder and first conductor of the orchestra, tells the remarkable story of how it all began -- and how the orchestra "brought a message of peace and of friendship through the language of music to a large part of the world". For a 39-minute documentary film giving a fuller account of Sam's life and the beginnings of the orchestra, use this link and enter the password "adler2011". On January 13, 2024 Sam Adler presented a 75-minute lecture, the first of a four-part series "95 Years of Music to Speak to Our Time: Building Bridges through Music", for the Arts and Entertainment Lecture Series at the Performing Arts Building on Cape Cod. It covers his childhood in Germany, his family's escape from Mannheim on the last train out, just AFTER Kristallnacht, the start of his career in the US, and the beginning of his Army service. The second lecture, given on March 2, 2024, includes the story of the founding of the 7th Army Symphony. The third lecture, given on April 27, focuses on his almost 30 years of teaching at Eastman The fourth lecture was given on September 28. All are well worth a listen; among other things, Sam's memory for details is stunning..
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Westerstede where the orchestra played on February 15, 1962 |
February 9, 2025
Sadly, Mathew Doumitt reported the 2013 death of his father, Donald Doumitt (violin 1952), one of the original members of the orchestra. An obituary appears here. Matthew also sent in a couple of photos of his father from his time in the orchestra and before
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