Richard Hageman

Composer, songwriter, conductor and pianist, educated at the Brussels Conservatory (Mus. D.) and the Royal Conservatory of Amsterdam, on scholarships. He was a concert pianist at six and accompanist for the Royal Opera Company in Amsterdam, assuming the conductorship in 1899. Coming to the USA with Yvette Guilbert, he became a US citizen in 1906 and assistant conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in 1908, and conductor between 1914 and 1932, conducting the Sunday Night concerts for eight years. He went on to head the opera department at Curtis Institute for four years, then the music directorship at the Chicago Civic Opera and the Ravinia Park Opera for seven years. He conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra summer concerts for four years, and guest-conducted symphony orchestras across the USA. Coming to Hollywood in 1938, he conducted the Hollywood Bowl for six seasons. He joined ASCAP in 1950.