Frieda Belinfante Dutch cellist and conductor Date of Birth: 10.05.1904 Country: Netherlands

1. Biography of Frieda Belinfante
2. Early Life and Musical Education
3. Conducting Career
4. World War II and Resistance
5. Emigration to the United States and Later Years

Biography of Frieda Belinfante

Frieda Belinfante was a Dutch cellist and conductor, as well as a lesbian and a member of the Dutch Resistance during World War II. After the war, she emigrated to the United States and continued her musical career. Belinfante founded, served as the artistic director, and conducted the Orange County Philharmonic Orchestra. She was born on May 10, 1904, in Amsterdam, into a musical family. Her father, Aron Belinfante, was a renowned pianist and music educator in Amsterdam, while her mother, Georgine Antoinette Hesse, took care of their home and children.

Early Life and Musical Education

Frieda Belinfante began studying the cello at the age of 10. In addition to other teachers, she traveled to Paris multiple times to take lessons from French cellist Gérard Hekking, whom she developed a close friendship with despite their significant age difference. Belinfante graduated from the Amsterdam Conservatory and made her professional debut at the age of 17, performing in one of the concert halls of the Concertgebouw, accompanied by her father on the piano.

Conducting Career

For several years, Belinfante conducted school, student, and professional chamber orchestras. In 1937, the Concertgebouw management offered her the position of artistic director and conductor of the chamber orchestra 'Het Klein Orkester', making her the first woman in Europe to lead an active orchestra. During this time, she also appeared weekly on Dutch National Radio as a guest conductor and performed with various orchestras in the Netherlands and Northern Europe. In the summer of 1939, she attended a master class by German conductor Hermann Scherchen, where she honed her conducting skills and earned first place among twelve male conductors in the class.

World War II and Resistance

The Nazi occupation interrupted Belinfante's musical career, and she became actively involved in the Dutch Resistance, primarily forging documents for Jews. In March 1943, her group attacked the Amsterdam population registration office, destroying thousands of personal files of Dutch Jews and regime opponents before going into hiding. Belinfante lived with friends for six months, disguised as a man, and constantly received news of captured and executed friends. In winter 1944, she walked across the Alps to Switzerland, saved from deportation by her former teacher, Scherchen. She spent the rest of the war in a refugee camp and returned to the Netherlands in the spring of 1945.

Emigration to the United States and Later Years

In 1947, Belinfante relocated to the United States, settling in Laguna Beach, California, as staying in the Netherlands became unbearable for her. Two years later, she joined the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1953, she organized 'The Vine Street Players,' an ensemble consisting of colleagues and professional musicians. The success of the ensemble led to the creation of the Orange County Philharmonic Orchestra in 1954, the second orchestra of its kind in the world led by a woman. Belinfante transformed the small orchestra into a renowned and successful musical collective with its own school and international tours. However, in 1962, her contract was not renewed, as the board of directors believed that a male conductor would raise the orchestra's prestige and income. Two years later, the orchestra disbanded. After leaving the orchestra, Belinfante established a private studio in Laguna Beach, where she taught many talented musicians. She also served on the board of directors for the Laguna Beach Chamber Music Society for over 20 years and acted as an artistic consultant and agent for various music groups. In her later years, Belinfante received recognition for her contributions to the field of music. She passed away from cancer on April 26, 1995, at the age of 90 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.