Shaker Heights Patch is celebrating the 100 years of Shaker Heights history by creating an online scrapbook. Each day for 100 days, we'll feature a photograph that helps tell the story of Shaker Heights.
Today's photograph features conductor George Szell standing with the Cleveland Orchestra. Szell conducted the orchestra from 1946 until he died in 1970. He's credited with making the orchestra one of the best in the world, and among the top five in the nation. He lived on Larchmere Boulevard approximately 20 years.
Szell was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1897, but he studied music in Vienna. He was 16 when he debuted as a conductor, and was 18 when he became an assistant conductor at the Berlin Royal Opera.
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In 1930, he made his U.S. debut with the St. Louis Symphony. After several years as guest conductor for numerous American orchestras and symphonies, he became the musical director of the Cleveland Orchestra.
Sources: "George Szell: Celebrating the Legacy," "Szell, George" - Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, "George Szell: A Life of Music" - Michael Charry
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You can join our celebration of Shaker Heights history. Share your memories in the comments. Or upload your photos and we'll feature them in this scrapbook. Follow #ShakerCentennial on Twitter.