Altshuler, Moisei Isaacovich (Altschuler, Modest) 15.feb.1873-12.sep.1963 Russia, Mogilev - USA California, Los Angeles West Covina
cellist, conductor, 1884-1886 studied cello with Goebelt at Warsaw Conservatory, 1886-1895 studied cello with Wilhelm Fitzenhagen and von Glen, orchestration with Anton Arensky and Aleksandr Taneyev and piano and conducting with Vasily Safonov at Moscow Imperial Conservatory, 1890 BMus, 1895-1896 toured Europe with the Moscow Trio, July 1896 emigrated to the USA and was active as cellist and teacher for some time, May 1903 founded the Russian Symphony Orchestra in New York, 7.jan.1904 debut as conductor at the first concert of the Russian Symphony Orchestra in the Auditorium of Cooper Union New York which gave regular annual series of concerts, 1904-1907 at Cooper Union, 1907-1919 at Carnegie Hall, 1919-1924 at regular concerts in New York, he toured with the orchestra throughout the US and Canada for several seasons and made 3 tours in Russia, he produced many American premieres of compositions of russian composers, 21.mar.1915 at Carnegie Hall his most spectacular, the revolutionary Prometheus by Scriabin performed in darkness with electricity in the hall turned off and a 'clavier a lumieres' on a screen behind the orchestra producing mobile colored lights completely written out in the score (critics judged the music as cacophony of impotent invention, unintelligible throughout, the lights continually shifting and melting without relation to the sounds, in all impossible to find a clue), 1918-1921 residing at 645 West 160th Street New York, 3.jan.1921 naturalized American, 1925-1950 conductor and cello teacher in Los Angeles, 1950 residence and studio at 1921 North Highland Avenue Los Angeles ; son of Isaac Altshuler and Bertha Slotzky ; 26.apr.1896 in Moscow he married his cousin Anita 'Annie' Altshuler (Russia 6.jun.1879-6.may.1943 Los Angeles) ; son Arthur Isaac (Manhattan 31.dec.1896-17.mar.1933 Los Angeles), daughter Elizabeth (Manhattan 23.dec.1897-)