William Steinberg: Jewish American Heritage Month, Recognizing Immigrants and Refugees

As a child, Steinberg demonstrated musical prowess on violin and piano. At age 13, he composed and conducted a cantata for chorus and orchestra based on the narrative poem Metamorphoses.

After graduating with distinction from the Cologne Conservatory in 1920, Steinberg became an assistant to the Cologne Opera’s famed conductor, Otto Klemperer. He later transitioned to principal conductor in 1924, succeeding Klemperer. During this time, Steinberg began appearing at many major concert halls across Europe and gained some notoriety.

However, soon fascist control of Germany and its persecution of the Jews forced him onto a different path. While conducting a rehearsal of Ernst Toch’s opera Der Fächer, Nazi henchmen literally took the baton from his hand and forced the maestro from his podium.

He moved to Palestine in 1936, where he formed what would become the Israel Philharmonic with his colleague, Bronislav Hubermann.

Legendary conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini, recruited Steinberg to come to America and serve as Associate Conductor from 1938 to 1941. From there, he toured the United States during World War II. In 1944, he became a U.S. citizen.

In 1945, he was named Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, a position he held until 1953. During his tenure, he recruited many excellent musicians who sought to flee war-torn Europe for a new life in America.

After his time in Buffalo, Steinberg became the conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1952, an orchestra he would lead for over three decades. He later served simultaneously as principal conductor of the London Philharmonic and then the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

During the 1970s, William Steinberg’s health declined. After conducting the New York Philharmonic for his final concert on May 1, 1978, he was hospitalized. He died on May 16, 1978, at the age of 78.