- unitid
-
{"value"=>"21001", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"Sc MG 324", "type"=>"local_call"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1939-1979", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1939/1979"}
{"value"=>"1950-1976", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1950/1976"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Dean Dixon papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"8 record cartons, 2 print boxes, 1 archival box, and a 1/2 archival box", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"10 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Dean Dixon Papers reflect Dixon's career as a conductor of philharmonic orchestras; the majority of the material covers his time in Europe (1950s - 1960s) and his American tours in the early 1970s."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
{"value"=>"Some of the printed matter and letters are written in German, Dutch, and Czech."}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Dixon, Dean, 1915-1976", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Dean Dixon was a renowned conductor of symphonic orchestras in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia, and he guest conducted virtually all of the leading orchestras on four continents. Born in Harlem, New York, in 1915 to West Indian parents, Dixon began studying violin at the age of 1 or 2, and played most of the instruments that comprise an orchestra. He graduated from the Juilliard Institute of Musical Art, Juilliard Graduate School and Columbia University Teachers College (1936-1939). While still in high school, he organized his own amateur orchestra, and developed and conducted several other orchestras from 1932 - 1937. In 1941 he became the first black person to direct the NBC Summer Symphony Orchestra. The following year, in 1942, Dixon made his debut as guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, thereby becoming the first black person to conduct this major orchestra. In the 1940s he also served as a guest conductor for other American orchestras. Unable to secure a permanent position in the United States due to racial discrimination, Dixon went to Paris in 1949, at the invitation of a radio symphony. He found success conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra during the 1950 - 1951 season, and in 1953 was appointed permanent conductor of the Göteborg Symphony Orchestra in Sweden, a position he held until 1960.</p> <p>Between 1961 and 1970 Dixon served as the main conductor of the Hesse Radio Symphony Orchestra in Frankfurt, Germany. During this period he held two posts simultaneously, as he was also the principal conductor of Australia's Sydney Symphony from 1964 - 1967, returning there for the 1973 opening performances of the new Sydney Opera House. Throughout this period he toured widely as a guest conductor for major symphony and radio orchestras in Europe, the Far East, and Latin America.</p> <p>In 1970 Dixon ended his twenty-one year self-imposed exile and returned to the United States. After twenty-eight years he again conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, this time before an audience of 75,000 in Central Park. He also conducted the St. Louis Symphonic Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphonic Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphonic Orchestra, among others, receiving glowing reviews for his performances. His acclaim in the summer of 1970 was repeated in 1971 following numerous appearances as a guest conductor with leading American orchestras, while continuing his conducting activities in Europe.</p> <p>Dixon recorded with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, the Prague Chamber Orchestra, and other orchestras for European recording companies. He died in 1976, a few days after returning home from a concert engagement in Brussels.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Dean Dixon Papers reflect Dixon's career as a conductor of philharmonic orchestras; the majority of the material covers his time in Europe (1950s - 1960s) and his American tours in the early 1970s.</p>The collection consists of personal papers including biographical articles, resumes, college diplomas, certificates and awards, medical records, date books, and passports. Of special interest are a series of interviews conducted by journalist Kaj Kristoffersen for an article he wrote in 1967. There are also Dixon's general impressions of Japan, written during a tour in which he guest conducted the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo. The correspondence files (personal and professional) discuss primarily music-related topics with such individuals as Kaj Kristoffersen, friends, and associates from the United States and Europe. Correspondence also concerns Dixon's recordings, invitations to guest conduct university and other orchestras, and honorary awards (1960s - 1970s). There are no correspondence files for the 1940s and 1950s. Other files pertain to Dixon's positions as an orchestra conductor. His founding and the operation of the American Youth Orchestra in New York in 1944 are described in a lengthy report that he wrote. His concert itinerary, including his touring schedule for 1964 - 1975 when he was head conductor of the Radio Symphony Orchestra (Hessischer Rundfunk Sinfonie) in Frankfurt, Germany, is in the collection. In the files for the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) are news clippings and other documents concerning labor grievances Dixon and other orchestra members shared against the manager ABC from 1964 - 1967. Dixon maintained detailed files of his repertoire including works he had performed and wanted to perform; these are categorized by composers, conductors, music editors, and festivals from 1961 - 1973. To handle his extensive touring schedule during which he guest conducted in Europe, Israel, and Latin America, Dixon hired Martin Taubman as his worldwide general manager and Sherman Pitluck as his manager for the American tour in the 1970s. The collection includes extensive correspondence with these managers, and for the 1950s - 1970s, there are detailed itineraries, typed programs, and contracts. His tour to the United States included conducting the Young People's Concert for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and his verbatim script for this teaching experience forms an interesting portion of the series. The Dixon Papers also encompass hundreds of printed programs featuring concerts Dixon conducted both as head and guest conductor. The programs cover performances in Europe, the United States, Japan, Israel and Australia from 1939 - 1976. Although the files pertaining to Dixon's career prior to his leaving the United States for Europe in 1949 are sparse, the programs for the early time period in New York are especially interesting and include concerts for the American Youth Orchestra, the NBC Symphony Orchestra, the Juilliard Orchestra, and others. The recordings made while conducting in Europe are documented via agreements, interviews, and correspondence. A vast number of reviews and feature articles (including obituaries and other posthumous articles) about Dixon offer a comprehensive understanding of the man as a musician from 1939 - 1979. Scrapbooks of news clippings and photographs document Dixon's tours conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in 1962 and 1966, and as musical director of the SSO in 1967. Publicity files primarily concern the planning of Dixon's American tour from 1968 - 1972. Dixon remained committed to music education from the time of his youth when he was awarded a Master of Arts degree in education from Columbia University. The collection contains his evaluations of numerous international students he taught for the Stichting Nederlandsche Radio Unie in Holland in 1963 and again in 1971. Additional papers discuss Dixon's teaching philosophy for music courses taught in Sweden, Germany, and Australia. While the Dean Dixon Papers do contain some information from the 1950s (programs, news clippings, and itineraries), there is very little correspondence. Additionally, only scattered personal information can be found in the personal papers and correspondence. More information can be found in articles where Dixon discussed his experiences as a black student aspiring to become a conductor and the discrimination which prevented him from receiving more conducting offers in the United States. He also referred to the more tolerant and less prejudicial attitudes he encountered in Europe and Australia, which allowed him to conduct professionally."}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Dean Dixon papers are arranged in eleven series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552326'>Personal papers</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552343'>Correspondence</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552363'>Conducting positions</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552373'>Teaching</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552378'>Repertoire</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552393'>Tours</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552446'>Programs</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552458'>Recordings</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552464'>Reviews and articles</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552506'>Scrapbooks</a></div>\n</li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21001#c1552516'>Publicity</a></div>\n</li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>Organized into eleven series: (1) Personal papers; (2) Correspondence; (3) Conducting positions; (4) Teaching; (5) Repertoire; (6) Tours; (7) Programs; (8) Recordings; (9) Reviews and articles; (10) Scrapbooks; and (11) Publicity.</p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Roswitha Dixon, 1999 and 2002.</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>Transferred to the Art and Artifacts Division: two keys to the City of New York, 1970 and one medal for Distinguished Service from Columbia University Teachers College, 1975.</p> <p>Transferred to the Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division: record albums and reel to reel tapes.</p> <p>Transferred to the Photogrqaphs and Prints Division: one record carton primarily of publicity stills and two prints of Diane Dixon by Gordon Parks.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Accessioned by Janice Quinter, November 21, 2003.</p>"}
- date_start
-
1939
- keydate
-
1939
- date_end
-
1979
- date_inclusive_start
-
1939
- date_inclusive_end
-
1979
- date_bulk_start
-
1950
- date_bulk_end
-
1976
- extent_statement
-
10 linear feet (8 record cartons, 2 print boxes, 1 archival box, and a 1/2 archival box)
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"[Item], Dean Dixon papers, Sc MG 324, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library"}