Orchestra History

Events 1 - 100 of 122

• 1808-03-06 1st college orchestra in US founded, at Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts

• 1858-01-30 Charles Hallé founds Halle Orchestra in Manchester, England

• 1878-11-09 1st performance of New York Symphony Orchestra, led by Leopold Damrosch; the group competes with the New York Philharmonic, until merging in 1928
• 1881-10-22 Boston Symphony Orchestra gives its first concert
• 1882-12-10 Johannes Brahms' choir and orchestra piece "Gesang der Parzen" (Song of the Fates) premieres in Basel
• 1883-12-02 Johannes Brahms' "3rd Symphony in F" premieres with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
• 1885-04-30 Henry Lee Higginson starts the "Popular Music" series with the Boston Symphony, which evolves into the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1900
• 1887-10-31 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral work "Capriccio Espagnol" premieres in St Petersburg, Russia
• 1888-03-10 1st performance of Caesar Franck's symphonic poem for chorus and orchestra "Psyché"

• 1895-01-25 New Haven Symphony Orchestra of Connecticut performs its first concert
• 1901-10-27 1st complete performance of Claude Debussy's orchestral composition "Nocturnes" by the Lamoureux Orchestra conducted by Camille Chevillard, in Paris, France
• 1901-11-05 Debut concert of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Emil Młynarski; program features Zygmunt Stojowski's Symphony in D minor (Op. 21)

• 1916-02-11 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presents its 1st concert, led by Gustav Strube of the Peabody Institute, at the Lyric Theatre

• 1919-10-23 Orchestra Hall, designed by C. Howard Crane opens in Detroit, Michigan; home of the Detroit Symphony, 1919-39 and 1989 to present, also known as The Paradise Theater, featuring top jazz performers and films, 1941-51
• 1920-02-28 Maurice Ravel's orchestral suite "Le tombeau de Couperin" premieres in Paris

• 1927-04-22 Roger Sessions' 1st Symphony in E premieres with Serge Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra

• 1930-10-22 1st concert of BBC Symphony Orchestra, at Queen's Hall, under Adrian Boult
• 1931-03-25 Hal Kemp & his Orchestra record "Whistles", with Skinnay Ennis as vocalist, in NYC

• 1936-12-26 Israel's Philarmonic Orchestra forms
• 1937-11-13 NBC forms first full-sized symphony orchestra exclusively for radio

• 1938-05-30 Walter Piston's dance work, The Incredible Flutist, written for the Boston Pops Orchestra, which premieres it, Arthur Fiedler conducting
• 1938-11-28 Dmitri Shostakovich's Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2 premieres in Moscow, USSR
• 1939-03-23 1st performance of Béla Bartók's 2nd Violin Concerto at the Concertgebow, Amsterdam with Zoltán Székely on violin and Willem Mengelberg conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra

• 1939-12-07 William Walton's Violin Concerto premieres in Cleveland; Ohio, with Jascha Heifetz as soloist and the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Artur Rodziński

• 1940-02-05 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra record "Tuxedo Junction"
• 1940-02-20 Larry Clinton & his Orchestra record "Limehouse Blues"

• 1941-01-03 Sergei Rachmaninoff's final composition "Symphonic Dances" premieres in Philadelphia, with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra
• 1941-02-07 Frank Sinatra & Tommy Dorsey orchestra record "Everything Happens to Me"
• 1941-03-14 Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra record "Babalu"
• 1941-03-19 Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestra record "Green Eyes" and "Maria Elena", with vocals by Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly, in New York City

• 1942-02-19 Tommy Dorsey & his orchestra record "I'll Take Tallulah"
• 1942-05-29 Bing Crosby records Irving Berlin's song "White Christmas", with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers, in just 18 minutes; becomes world's best-selling single (estimated 100 million copies sold)
• 1942-06-22 European broadcast première of Dmitri Shostakovich's 7th Symphony in London conducted by Sir Henry J. Wood and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
• 1942-07-19 US première of Dmitri Shostakovich' 7th Symphony in NYC by the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini in a concert broadcast nationwide on NBC radio
• 1942-09-27 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra give their final performance at Central Theater in Passaic, New Jersey; Miller disbanded the group as he joined the US Army
• 1944-10-22 David Diamond's 2nd Symphony premieres with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Serge Koussevitzky
• 1944-12-01 Béla Bartòk's Concerto for orchestra, premieres in Symphony Hall, Boston, by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Serge Koussevitzky

• 1945-11-03 Dmitri Shostakovich's 9th Symphony premieres in 25th season opening concert of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, under Yevgeny Mravinsky
• 1945-11-18 Arnold Schoenberg's Prelude for orchestra & mixed choir, premieres
• 1946-02-08 Béla Bartók's 3rd Piano Concerto premieres in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy with György Sándor as piano soloist

• 1947-12-09 Menahem Presser (19) makes his Carnegie Hall debut as soloist in Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto, with the Philadelphia Orchestra, under Eugene Ormandy's direction (NYC)
• 1948-01-09 Walter Piston's 3rd Symphony in E, premieres in Boston by the Boston Symphony Orchestra; conducted by Serge Koussevitzky; wins 1947 Pulitzer Prize

• 1949-08-18 Ralph Flanagan & his Orchestra records "You're Breaking My Heart"

• 1950-10-27 Paul Creston's 3rd Symphony, "Three Mysteries," 1st performance with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra
• 1950-10-30 David Diamond's 3rd Symphony premieres with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch

• 1951-03-18 William Grant Still's Symphony No. 4 ("Autochthonous"), premiere performance, by the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra with Victor Alessandro conducting
• 1951-03-30 1st performance of Walter Piston's 4th Symphony commissioned to mark the University of Minnesota's centennial, debuts by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Antal Doráti conducting
• 1952-01-30 Paul Creston's 4th Symphony premieres by the National Symphony Orchestra
• 1954-04-30 Darius Milhaud's 4th Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Op. 295) premieres in Haifa, Israel
• 1955-07-19 1st performance of Gerald Finzi's Cello Concerto, his last major work; John Barbirolli leading the Hallé Orchestra, with soloist Christopher Bunting at Cheltenham Music Festival in Gloucestershire, England
• 1956-02-24 Walter Piston's 5th Symphony, commissioned by the Juilliard School of Music for their 50th anniversary, premiere performance by the Juilliard Orchestra, conducted by Jean Morel
• 1957-03-08 David Diamond's 6th Symphony premieres with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch

• 1961-02-10 Walter Piston's 7th Symphony, commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra premieres under direction of Eugene Ormandy; wins 1961 Pulitzer Prize
• 1961-05-15 "Bonanza" by Al Caiola Orchestra hits #19
• 1962-01-26 David Diamond's 7th Symphony premieres with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy
• 1963-12-10 Leonard Bernstein premieres his Third Symphony "Kaddish" with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, in Tel Aviv, Israel
• 1964-02-07 Roger Sessions' 5th Symphony premieres in Philadelphia with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra
• 1965-07-15 Leonard Bernstein premieres his "Chichester Psalms" for chorus and orchestra at Philharmonic Hall, NYC
• 1967-10-01 Roger Sessions' 7th Symphony premieres in Ann Arbor, Michigan with Jean Martinon conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
• 1967-11-14 Orchestre de Paris, France's 1st full-time salaried orchestra, debuts, conducted by its founder Charles Münch
• 1970-11-09 William Grant Still's Symphony No. 5 ("Western Hemisphere"), premiere performance, by the Oberlin College Orchestra led by Robert Baustian
• 1976-01-13 Sarah Caldwell is 1st woman to conduct at NYC Metropolitan Opera House as she led orchestra in a performance of "La Traviata"
• 1977-03-04 Roger Sessions' 6th Symphony premieres (in fully completed form) in New York City with José Serebrier conducting the Juilliard Orchestra
• 1977-05-21 Electric Light Orchestra releases "Telephone Line" in the UK; it would peak in the Top 10 in the UK and US

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• 1889-02-27 Freddie Keppard, American jazz cornetist (Original Creole Orchestra), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1933)
• 1897-05-23 Fred Guy, American jazz banjo player and guitarist (Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra; Duke Ellington's Washingtonians), born in Burkeville, Virginia (d. 1971)
• 1902-04-06 James "Rosy" McHargue, American jazz clarinetist, and vocalist (Ted Weems Orchestra; The Wolverines), born in Danville, Illinois (d. 1999)
• 1902-04-08 Elmer Feldcamp, American big band baritone vocalist, saxophonist, and clarinetist (Freddy Martin Orchestra), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 1938)
• 1902-11-22 Emanuel Feuermann, American cellist (Chicago Symphony), born in Kolomyja, Galicia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Kolomyia, Ukraine) (d. 1942)
• 1903-01-18 (Wilford) "Min" Leibrook, American jazz tuba player and bassist (Paul Whiteman Orchestra), born in Hamilton, Ohio (d. 1943)
• 1904-05-31 Otto "Toby" Hardwicke, American jazz alto saxophone player (The Washingtonians, 1923-28; Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1932-46 - "Sophisticated Lady"; "In A Sentimental Mood"), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 1970)
• 1904-08-10 Geraldo [Gerald Walcan Bright], British "sweet music" dance band bandleader (Gaucho Tango Orchestra), born in London, England (d. 1974)
• 1906-03-03 Albany "Barney" Bigard, Creole-American jazz clarinetist (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1927-42 - "Mood Indigo"), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1980)
• 1907-07-25 (Cornelius) "Johnny" Hodges, American jazz alto saxophonist (Duke Ellington Orchestra), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts (d. 1970)
• 1908-02-04 (Emmanuel) "Mannie" Klein, American swing jazz and session trumpeter (Frank Trumbauer; NBC Orchestra), born in New York City (d. 1994)
• 1908-05-31 Gene Gifford American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and arranger (Jean Goldkette; Casa Loma Orchestra), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1970)
• 1908-06-13 Clarence Hutchenrider, American jazz clarinetist (Casa Loma Orchestra), born in Waco, Texas (d. 1991)
• 1909-10-28 Josef Gingold, Russian-American violinist (Primrose Quartet; Cleveland Orchestra, 1947-60) and pedagogue (Indiana University, 1960-95), born in Brest-Litovsk, Russian Empire (now Brest, Belarus) (d. 1995)
• 1910-02-21 Al Sears, American jazz and R&B saxophonist (Duke Elllington Orchestra; Johnny Hodges - "Castle Rock"), born in Macomb, Illinois (d. 1990)
• 1910-04-01 Harry Carney, American tenor and baritone jazz saxophonist (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1927-74), born in Boston, Massachussets (d. 1974)

• 1910-05-27 (Earl) "Jock" Caruthers American jazz saxophonist (Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra, 1932-47), born in Monroe, Mississippi (d. 1971)
• 1911-07-10 (Charles) "Cootie" Williams, American jazz, jump-blues, and R&B trumpeter (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1929-40 & 1962-74), born in Mobile, Alabama (d. 1985)
• 1912-05-12 Marshall Royal, American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist (Count Basie Orchestra), born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma (d. 1995)
• 1912-11-30 Constant Stotijn, Dutch cellist (Residence Orchestra), oboe player, and timpanist, born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1975)
• 1913-07-15 Dorothy Schwartz (neé Cohen), American violinist (Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra), born in Fort Dobbs, Iowa (d. 2007)
• 1914-03-09 Paul Winter, American classical and session violinist (NBC Orchestra, 1937-58), born in New York City (d. 1992)
• 1914-08-16 Edythe Wright, American big band era singer (Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, 1935-39), born in Bayonne, New Jersey (d. 1965) [1]
• 1915-02-11 Haakon Stotijn, Dutch oboist (Orkestgebouw Orchestra), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1964)
• 1915-12-14 Ruth Railton, British musical director (National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, 1948-65), born in Kent, England (d. 2001)
• 1916-02-16 Charlie Fowlkes, American baritone saxophonist (Count Basie Orchestra, 1953-80), born in New York City (d. 1980)
• 1916-07-24 Bob Eberly [Eberle], American big band singer (Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra), born in Mechanicville, New York (d. 1981) [1]
• 1917-07-14 Arthur Leavins, English violinist and concertmaster (Royal Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra), born in Leicester, England (d. 1995)
• 1919-02-11 Israel Baker, American concert and session violinist (NBC Symphony; Paramount Studios Orchestra), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2011)
• 1919-03-10 Marion Hutton [Thornburg], American singer (Glenn Miller Orchestra, 1938-42), and actress (In Society), born in Battle Creek, Michigan (d. 1987) [1]
• 1919-04-21 Don Cornell [Luigi Varlaro], American pop singer (Sammy Kaye Orchestra - "Room Full of Roses; solo - "Hold My Hand"), born in The Bronx, New York City (d. 2004)

• 1919-05-31 (Emmanual Tettey) "E.T." Mensah, Ghanaian saxophonist, known as the "King of Highlife" music (Accra Rhythmic Orchestra; The Tempos), born in Accra, West Africa (d. 1996)
• 1919-07-15 Jack Hunter [John Averona], American big band vocalist (Elliot Lawrence Orchestra - "Apple Blossom Time"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1991)
• 1919-10-14 Joseph de Pasquale, American violist (Boston Symphony, 1949-64: Philadelphia Orchestra, 1964-96), and educator (Curtis Institute, 1965-2015), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2015)
• 1920-03-08 (James Daniel) "Danny" Turner, American jazz saxophonist and flautist (Count Basie Orchestra), born in Farrell, Pennsylvania (d. 1995)
• 1920-04-28 Nan Merriman, American-Dutch singer (Arturo Toscanini NBC Orchestra), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2012)
• 1920-05-13 Gareth Morris, British flautist (Philharmonia Orchestra, 1948-72), and educator (Royal Academy of Music, 1945-85), born in Clevedon, Somerset, England (d. 2007)
• 1920-05-23 Helen O'Connell, American big-band singer (Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra - "Green Eyes"; "Anapola"), and TV host (Today Show, 1956-58), born in Lima, Ohio (d. 1993) [1]
• 1920-06-18 Jack Ellory, British orchestral and session alto and bass flute player (Philharmonia Orchestra; The Beatles - "The Fool on the Hill"), born in Cornwall, England (d. 2009)
• 1921-09-08 Norris Turney, American jazz flute and saxophone player (Billy Eckstine, 1947-48; Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1968-73), born in Wilmington, Ohio (d. 2001)
• 1921-12-09 Terence Weil, British cellist (English Chamber Orchestra; Melos Ensemble), born in London (d. 1995)
• 1923-03-27 Victor Hochhauser, British impresario (Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra), born in Košice, Czechoslovakia (d. 2019)
• 1926-04-02 David Mason, British orchestral, solo and session trumpet player (The Beatles - "Penny Lane"), born in London, England (d. 2011)
• 1926-07-27 Claire Hogan, American jazz and big band singer (Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, 1948-50), born in Elyria, Ohio (d. 2000) [1]
• 1928-04-04 Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Cuban jazz trumpeter (Orchestra Harlow; Eddie Palmieri), born in Santa Clara, Cuba (d. 2016)
• 1929-12-02 Harvey Phillips, American tubist (NYC Ballet Orchestra), born in Aurora, Missouri (d. 2010)

• 1932-03-21 Joseph Silverstein, American violinist, concertmaster and conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1955-84), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2015)
• 1933-11-29 John Lamb, American jazz double bassist (Duke Ellington Orchestra), born in Vero Beach, Florida
• 1935-01-07 Tommy Johnson, American orchestral tubist (Jaws theme), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2006)
• 1937-07-10 George Young, American jazz and session saxophonist (White Elephant Orchestra; Saturday Night Live Band, 1991-96), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 1937-08-06 Charlie Haden, American jazz double-bassist (Liberation Music Orchestra; Quartet West), born in Shenandoah, Iowa (d. 2014)
• 1938-11-10 Hein van Royen, Dutch director of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1974-91), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1991)
• 1940-01-17 Richard Maloof, American bassist and tuba player (Lawrence Welk Orchestra, 1967-82), born in Sacramento, California
• 1941-02-05 Rick Laird, Irish jazz-fusion bassist (Mahavishnu Orchestra, 1971-73; Gerry Niewood & Timepiece), and photographer, born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 2021)
• 1941-10-19 Eddie Daniels, American jazz, session, and classical clarinetist (With The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra; Bob James), born in New York City
• 1942-01-04 John McLaughlin, British jazz-rock fusion guitarist (Mahavishnu Orchestra), born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England
• 1942-09-29 Jean-Luc Ponty, French jazz-fusion electric violinist (Frank Zappa; Mahavishnu Orchestra; Cosmic Messenger; Tchokola), born in Avranches, France
• 1944-05-16 Billy Cobham, Panamanian-American jazz drummer (Mahavishnu Orchestra), born in Colón, Panama
• 1945-06-09 Mick Goodrick, American jazz guitarist (Liberation Music Orchestra), and pedagogue (The Advancing Guitarist), born in Sharon, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)
• 1945-11-25 Bev Bevan, English drummer (Electric Light Orchestra), born in Birmingham, England
• 1946-02-28 Pierre Dørge, Danish avant-garde and jazz-fusion guitarist (Thermaenius; New Jungle Orchestra), born in Copenhagen, Denmark
• 1946-09-09 Christopher Francis Palmer, British composer, orchestrator, and musicologist, born in Norfolk, England (d. 1995)
• 1947-02-27 Louis Clark, British musical arranger and keyboard player (Electric Light Orchestra), born in Kempston, England
• 1947-10-14 Norman Harris, American soul, R&B, and disco session guitarist (Philadelphia International; O'Jays; Salsoul Orchestra), born in Danville, Virginia (d. 1987)
• 1948-05-06 Jacques Israelievitch, French Canadian classical violinist, concertmaster (St. Louis Symphony, 1978-88; Toronto Symphony, 1988-2008), and music director (Koffler Chamber Orchestra, 2005-14), born in Cannes, France (d. 2015)

• 1949-08-25 (Reinhold) Mack, German audio engineer (Electric Light Orchestra) and record producer (Queen; Sparks), born in West Germany
• 1952-06-06 Yukihiro Takahashi, Japanese pop-rock drummer and singer (Yellow Magic Orchestra), born in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan (d. 2023)
• 1953-12-10 Diane Schuur, American jazz pianist and singer (Diane Schuur & the Count Basie Orchestra; Heart To Heart), born in Tacoma, Washington
• 1954-10-20 Steve Orich, American orchestrator and composer (Jersey Boys), born in New York City
• 1958-10-26 Bassam Saba, Lebanese violinist, oud, and nay player (New York Arabic Orchestra; Silk Road Ensemble), born in Tripoli, Lebanon (d. 2020)
• 1961-10-08 Steven Bernstein, American jazz trumpeter, slide trumpeter, arranger, and band leader (Sex Mob; Millennial Territory Orchestra), born in Berkeley, California
• 1962-05-17 Steven Honigberg, American classical cellist (National Symphony Orchestra; Potomac String Quartet), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1967-08-18 Blas Elias [Gomez], American rock drummer (Slaughter - Stick it Live: Trans-Siberian Orchestra; Blue Man Group), born in Kennedy, Texas
• 1971-07-19 Russell Allen, American rock vocalist (Symphony X; Trans-Siberian Orchestra), born in Long Beach, California
• 1979-06-14 Carlos Henriquez, American jazz and Latin jazz double bassist (Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra), born in New York City
• 1980-10-31 Alondra de la Parra, Mexican-American conductor (Queensland Symphony, 2015-present), and founder and artistic director of the New York-based Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (2004-11), born in New York City
• 1984-11-02 Tamara Hope [Lindeman], Canadian actress (The Sandy Bottom Orchestra; Guinevere Jones), and singer-songwriter (The Weather Station), born in Toronto, Ontario
• 1999-04-04 Sheku Kanneh-Mason, British classical cellist (Chineke! Orchestra; The Kanneh-Masons), born in Nottingham, England

• 1933-07-15 Freddie Keppard, American jazz cornetist (Original Creole Orchestra), dies of tuberculosis at 44
• 1938-09-27 Elmer Feldcamp, American big band baritone vocalist, saxophone, and clarinet player (Freddy Martin Orchestra), dies of heart failure at 36
• 1942-05-25 Emanuel Feuermann, Ukrainian-born cellist (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), dies of complications during surgery at 39
• 1943-06-08 (Wilford) "Min" Leibrook, American jazz tuba player and bassist (Paul Whiteman Orchestra), dies of meningitis at 40
• 1964-02-03 Haakon Stotijn, Dutch oboist (Orkestgebouw Orchestra), dies at 49
• 1965-10-27 Edythe Wright, American big band era singer (Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, 1935-39), dies of pancreatic cancer at 51
• 1966-01-04 Marcel Tabuteau, French-American oboist (Philadelphia Orchestra, 1915-54), dies at 78
• 1970-08-05 Otto "Toby" Hardwicke, American jazz alto saxophone player (The Washingtonians, 1923-28; Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1932-46 - "Sophisticated Lady"; "In A Sentimental Mood"), dies at 66
• 1970-11-12 Gene Gifford American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and arranger (Jean Goldkette; Casa Loma Orchestra), dies at 62
• 1971-04-05 Earl "Jock" Caruthers American jazz saxophonist (Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra, 1932-47), dies at 60
• 1971-12-22 Fred Guy, American jazz banjo player and guitarist (Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra; Duke Ellington's Washingtonians), dies at 74
• 1974-05-04 Geraldo [Gerald Walcan Bright], British "sweet music" dance band lbandeader (Gaucho Tango Orchestra), dies of a heart attack at 69
• 1974-10-08 Harry Carney, American tenor and baritone jazz saxophonist (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1927-74), dies at 64
• 1975-09-23 Constant Stotijn, Dutch cellist (Residence Orchestra), oboe player, and timpanist, dies at 62
• 1980-02-09 Charlie Fowlkes, American baritone saxophonist (Count Basie Orchestra, 1953-80), dies at 63
• 1980-06-27 Albany "Barney" Bigard, Creole-American jazz clarinetist (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1927-42 - "Mood Indigo"), dies at 74

• 1981-11-17 Bob Eberly [Eberle], American big band singer (Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra), dies of a heart attack at 65 [1]
• 1985-09-15 (Charles) "Cootie" Williams, American jazz, jump-blues, and R&B trumpeter (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1929-40 & 1962-74), dies of kidney problems at 74
• 1987-01-10 Marion Hutton [Thornburg], American singer (Glenn Miller Orchestra, 1938-42), and actress (In Society), dies of cancer at 67 [1]
• 1987-03-20 Norman Harris, American soul, R&B, and disco session guitarist (Philadelphia International; O'Jays; Salsoul Orchestra), dies of cardiovascular disease at 39
• 1990-03-23 Al Sears, American jazz and R&B saxophonist (Duke Elllington Orchestra; Johnny Hodges - "Castle Rock"), dies at 80
• 1991-02-27 Hein van Royen, Dutch director of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1974-91), dies at 52
• 1991-08-18 Clarence Hutchenrider, American jazz clarinetist (Casa Loma Orchestra), dies at 83
• 1991-12-06 Jack Hunter [John Averona], American big band vocalist (Elliot Lawrence Orchestra - "Apple Blossom Time"), dies at 72
• 1992-08-01 Chico Alvarez, trumpeteer (Stan Kenton Orchestra), dies of cancer at 72
• 1992-08-22 Paul Winter, American classical and session violinist (NBC Orchestra, 1937-58), dies at 78
• 1993-09-09 Helen O'Connell, American big-band singer (Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra - "Green Eyes"; "Anapola"), and TV host (Today Show, 1956-58), dies of cancer at 74
• 1994-05-31 [Emmanuel] "Mannie" Klein, American swing jazz and session trumpeter (Frank Trumbauer; NBC Orchestra), dies at 86
• 1995-01-04 Leonard Hirsch, British violinist and conductor (BBC Empire Orchestra), dies at 92
• 1995-01-11 Josef Gingold, Russian-American violinist (Primrose Quartet; Cleveland Orchestra, 1947-60) and pedagogue (Indiana University, 1960-95), dies following a heart attack at 85
• 1995-01-22 Christopher Francis Palmer, British composer, orchestrator, and musicologist, dies of AIDS complications 48

• 1995-02-25 Terence Weil, British cellist (English Chamber Orchestra; Melos Ensemble), dies at 73
• 1995-05-09 Marshall Royal, American jazz alto saxophonist & clarinetist (Count Basie Orchestra), dies at 82
• 1996-07-19 (Emmanual Tettey) "E.T." Mensah, Ghanaian saxophonist, known as the "King of Highlife" music (Accra Rhythmic Orchestra; The Tempos), dies at 77
• 1999-06-08 James "Rosy" McHargue, American jazz clarinetist, and vocalist (Ted Weems Orchestra; The Wolverines), dies at 97
• 2000-04-25 Claire Hogan, American jazz and big band singer (Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, 1948-50), dies at 73 [1]
• 2001-01-17 Norris Turney, American jazz flute and saxophone player (Billy Eckstine, 1947-48; Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1968-73), dies at 79
• 2001-02-23 Ruth Railton, British musical director (National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, 1948-65), dies at 85
• 2004-02-23 Don Cornell [Luigi Varlaro], American pop singer (Sammy Kaye Orchestra - "Room Full of Roses; solo - "Hold My Hand"), dies of emphysema and diabetes at 84
• 2007-09-26 Dorothy Schwartz (neé Cohen), American violinist (Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra), dies at 94
• 2009-07-05 Jack Ellory, British orchestral and session alto and bass flute player (Philharmonia Orchestra; The Beatles - "The Fool on the Hill"), dies at 89
• 2010-10-20 Harvey Phillips, American tubist (NYC Ballet Orchestra), dies at 80
• 2011-04-29 David Mason, British orchestral, solo and session trumpet player (The Beatles "Penny Lane"), dies of leukemia at 85
• 2011-12-25 Israel Baker, American concert and session violinist (NBC Symphony; Paramount Studios Orchestra), dies at 92
• 2012-07-22 Nan Merriman, American-Dutch singer (Arturo Toscanini NBC Orchestra), dies at 92
• 2014-07-11 Charlie Haden, American jazz double-bassist (Liberation Music Orchestra; Quartet West), dies at 76

• 2015-06-22 Joseph de Pasquale, American violist (Boston Symphony, 1949-64: Philadelphia Orchestra, 1964-96), and educator (Curtis Institutu, 1965-2015), dies at 95
• 2015-09-05 Jacques Israelievitch, French Canadian classical violinist, concertmaster (St. Louis Symphony, 1978-88; Toronto Symphony, 1988-2008), and music director (Koffler Chamber Orchestra, 2005-14), dies of lung cancer at 67
• 2016-01-06 Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Cuban jazz trumpeter (Orchestra Harlow; Eddie Palmieri), dies of prostate cancer at 87
• 2018-11-06 Hugh McDowell, British cellist (Electric Light Orchestra - "Strange Magic"; "Evil Woman"), dies of cancer at 65
• 2019-03-22 Victor Hochhauser, British impresario (Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra), dies at 95
• 2020-12-04 Bassam Saba, Lebanese violinist, oud, and nay player (New York Arabic Orchestra; Silk Road Ensemble), dies of COVID-19 complications at 62 [1]
• 2021-07-04 Rick Laird, Irish jazz-fusion bassist (Mahavishnu Orchestra, 1971-73; Gerry Niewood & Timepiece), and photographer, dies of lung cancer at 80
• 2022-11-16 Mick Goodrick, American jazz guitarist (Liberation Music Orchestra), and pedagogue (The Advancing Guitarist), dies from complications of Parkinson's Disease at 77
• 2023-01-11 Yukihiro Takahashi, Japanese pop-rock drummer and singer (Yellow Magic Orchestra), dies from complications of a brain tumor at 70

• Alan Menken
• Burt Bacharach
• George Frideric Handel
• Glenn Miller
• Steve Allen
• Walter Piston