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AMQCtfttea Kress t aserptH»oDOUBLE DEBUT - Richard L. Watson. 32, a neophyte conductor, background, and Soviet Jewish immigrant violinist Albert Markov, 43, made their debuts with the Houston Symphony. Watson was able to conduct because his sister and friends bought the privilege forsome $14,000 as a Christman gift through a Houston department store.::: By NICHOLAS C. CHRISS£ (c) 1976 Los Angeles Times8 Washington Post News Service: HOUSTON — Richard Llewellyn Watson, pretty much an unknown in music circles, conducted the Houston Symphony . Monday night to fulfill his life s dream at age 32 — but it costX Watson, a trained musician, had aspired without success to ?: be a conductor until his sister saw an ad in a department ft store Christmas catalog.* “The Ultimate Gift” in the Sakowitz department store g; catalog offered an opportunity to conduct the Houston ;$ Symphony in one evening performance for $14,500£: Watson’s sister, Margery Royer of Houston, saw the gift* advertised last November, knew of her brother’s ambition «;•: and work and rounded up about 60 friends to put up the money.v Mrs. Royer said she has paid the symphony $8,000 of the $14,500 and would pay the remainder by the end of the year.•:* “I know even more pledges will come in after the concert £ but if they didn’t Richard has promised to sell a fine viola v bow to pay off the debt, or I will give him the money myself,” £ she saidX The pledges have ranged from $2 to $500 to the $1,000 Mrs. g Royer gave.X Perhaps it could only happen in America, but also makingg his debut in the United States with Watson nas Albzert £ Markov, 43, a remarkable Jewish violinist who immigrated v from the Soviet L nion only three months ago £ Between them, the neophyte conductor and the violin virtuoso captivated the crowd, receiving standing ovations g with a difficult program Markov performed Paganini’s Second Concerto, including his own original cadenzas The g composition is seldom done and requires almost acrobaticX ability on the violin.g Watson also conducted Rossini's The Siege of Corinth and £ Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5g Watson said after the concert that he was most worried £ about conducting the symphony while Marlon performed •j: “It separates the men from the boys, but Mr Markov was £ exceedingly flexible,” Watson said Markov, who wanted to play m the United States but hadg been forbidden to tour this country.by Soviet authorities, waswidely acclaimed in his own country, v The Soviet violinist received only $250 for his debut He and* •' '-V vhis family, which includes his wife and two sons, are sup g ported by Jewish immigrant organizations Watson received
Newspaper Details
Victoria Advocate
Victoria, Texas, US
Wed, May 26, 1976
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Terry B.
TX, USA 02 Aug 2022
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