Byron Hanson: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's 'Petite Suite de Concert, Op. 77' on Orchestra Program for August 17, 1937 at National Music Camp

[Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a comprehensive Works List and a Bibliography by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com. We are collaborating with the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Foundation of the U.K., www.SCTF.org.uk]

Byron Hanson, Archivist at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, Michigan, writes about a performance of a work of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: 

Dear Bill,

Here is another tiny contribution regarding the progress of Coleridge-Taylor's works in the United States:

I found a orchestra program from the 10th season of National Music Camp (now Interlochen Arts Camp) dated August 17, 1937, that included Coleridge-Taylor's Petite suite de concert, Op. 77 (1911).  

Each of the four movements was led by a different conductor chosen by Vladimir Bakaleinakoff from the members of his conducting class. I have no information about the American premiere or other early performances of this work, but it is interesting to speculate that  Bakaleinakoff may have chosen the relatively "new" Suite for his students to learn, among other reasons, so that they would have to study and present music unfamiliar to them, rather than the standard repertoire listed for the rest of this concert. 

Bakaleinakoff was a violist and assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at that time, and mentor to the young Loren Maazel! 

Cordially,

Byron Hanson
Archivist
Interlochen Center for the Arts
www.interlochen.org