Jean de Rimanoczy

de Rimanoczy, Jean
Jean de Rimanoczy. Violinist, conductor, b Vienna 4 Feb 1904, d Los Angeles 2 Mar 1958. Educated at the Academy of Music in Budapest under Jenö Hubay, Bartok, Kodály, and Leo Weiner, de Rimanoczy emigrated in 1925 to Canada, settling first in Winnipeg. He was a member 1928-33 of the Calgary Symphony Orchestra and performed as a soloist in western Canada. An appearance with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra led to his appointment in 1934 as concertmaster. He also became the first violin of the Allard de Ridder Chamber Music Quartette. A soloist on the CRBC and CBC program 'Jewels of the Madonna' in the mid-1930s, he also conducted a string orchestra 1938-52 for CBC radio's 'Classics for Today' and a larger orchestra briefly on 'Music in the Night'. He taught privately in Vancouver, where his pupils included Angelina Avison, George Bornoff, Ricky Hyslop, Gregory Millar, and Cardo Smalley. In 1943 he was engaged by Sir Thomas Beecham to be the concertmaster of the Seattle SO. In Seattle he was a string instructor 1944-9, and head of the violin department 1949-51, at the Cornish School (later Institute) of Music. In 1947 he founded the de Rimanoczy Quartet in Vancouver. He returned to the Vancouver SO as concertmaster and assistant conductor 1951-6. Prior to moving to Los Angeles in 1957, de Rimanoczy also conducted the Vancouver Junior Symphony Orchestra 1952-5 and was host (1955) for CBC TV's 'Theme in Seven,' a seven-part history of chamber music. All of his activities were marked by enormous energy, sensitivity, and a demand for accuracy. Though on occasion abrasive, he got results.

Author Bryan N.S. Gooch