1974 March 12

Kermit Moore was born in Akron, Oh, on March 11, 1929. Although primarily a cellist, Kermit Moore was also a conductor, composer, and teacher. Having begun his music training as early as six-years-old, Moore began studying with cello faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and went on to spend a summer at the Tanglewood Music festival all before simultaneously attending both Julliard and New York University for three years receiving an MA in Music. Becoming the principal cellist at the Hartford Symphony in 1949, he became one of the few African Americans regularly performing in a symphony in the United States. In 1950, Moore moved to France to studying composition with Nadia Boulanger. He then lived in Brussels for four years conducting European orchestras and doing research. Upon his return to New York in 1961, he began to perform, teach, and conduct with such orchestra as the New York Philharmonic and the New York Festival Orchestra. Moore went on to help found the Symphony of the New World, the first racially integrated orchestra in the United States and actively welcomes minority artists. Together with his wife Dorothy Rudd Moore and others, he founded the Society of Black Composers. He was also a member and board member of the Musicians Club of New York. Kermit and Dorothy married in 1964. Mr. Moore died November 11, 2013 at the age of 84. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kermit_Moore / https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/arts/music/kermit-moore-musician-interested-in-the-black-experience-is-dead-at-84.html]

Black Experience in the Arts Collection