Alberto Zelman

(Samuel Victor) Alberto Zelman (15 November 1874 – 3 March 1927) was an Australian musician and conductor, and founder of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Alberto Zelman was born in Melbourne, Australia. His father, Alberto Zelman (senior), had come from Trieste via India as conductor of an opera company, and settled in Melbourne.

Alberto jr. was educated at King's College, Melbourne, and showed early talent as a violinist, afterwards becoming a violin teacher. He was connected with the Melbourne Philharmonic Society for over 30 years, first as leader of the second violins in the orchestra, and from 1912 as conductor. He was leader of the British Musical Society's quartet, and after the death of George Marshall-Hall he founded and conducted the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in 1906. It was mainly amateur with a core of professional players, and Alberto conducted it over the years, giving many memorable performances.

Considering that the MSO had no endowment, Zelman did remarkable work with it, and he was always hoping that all the musical interests in Melbourne would pool their resources so that his native city would have a permanent, properly supported orchestra. Alberto Zelman was also well known in the Spa Country region of Victoria, and he lived for a short period in a cottage on 7th Street in Hepburn Springs that stands today and which features a freize of the local bush painted by his artist brother Victor.

Alberto Zelman (senior)

Alberto Zelman (1832 – 28 December 1907) was a Trieste-born Australian composer, music conductor, music teacher, organist and pianist.

Biography

Alberto Zelman was born at Trieste, Austria (now part of Italy), of Italian parents. He was educated as a musician and made his mark as a conductor in northern Italy. He then went to Calcutta, India, where he was successful for some years as a teacher and conductor, and about 1870 came to Australia as conductor of an opera company. He settled at Melbourne, was much esteemed as a man and as a musician, was for many years conductor of the Melbourne Liedertafel, and was a well-known piano teacher.

His compositions included orchestral works, masses and many solos for the violin. He died at Melbourne in 1907 leaving a widow and four sons.

His son, also named Alberto Zelman, was also a musician and the founder of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Another son, Victor Zelman, was a painter and etcher.

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