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In December 1936, Peter Meremblum began his Orchestra. Our orchestra began it's 65th Anniversary Celebration at the December 15, 2001 concert. On August 14 and 15, 2003, nearly 100 alumni who played under Peter Meremblum from 1936 - 1966 met for dinner on Friday at the Smokehouse in Burbank and on Saturday for lunch in Fiesta Hall, which some recalled was constructed to accomodate Meremblum's orchestras. An interesting observation by a trombone player was that the stage appeared smaller than he remembered. People traveled from as far away as Buffalo, New York and Vancouver, Canada.

Email your story to memories@meremblum.org and we'll post it here.
Share memories from when you were in the orchestras.
Let us know how you keep music in your life.
Find friends' stories sorted by decade in future updates to this page.

LETTER FROM THADDEUS WATSON received in November, 2002 Many years have gone by since I was forced to leave the Meremblum Orchestras in 1972 to make that weary trek to study music in Chicago. I began in the Pathfinders Orchestra under the direction of George Rodden in 1966. Having only been playing a very short while, I had to learn to count long periods off rests to be patient. All of the other flutists at the time, and I mean all of them, could vibrato when I arrived. A very embarrassing situation... So I asked my neighbour if he could remind me how to vibrato, since I had supposedly forgotten how to do it...After a few years I moved up to the Pioneers and then on to the Junior Symphony with Arthur Mauntner. I am amazed to this day at the influence of those stormy years on my playing, and what was to later become my career. I am a Piccolist, and at that time I began specialising on the piccolo. I performed the Vivaldi C Major with the orchestra both at the Festival Hall and in Seal Beach. I studied music at Northwestern University near Chicago with Walfrid Kujala. Afterwards I moved to Freiburg Germany to continue my studies with Aurèle Nicolet and had private lessons with James Galway. I became the piccolo player in a small German Opera House in the city of Aachen for four years, and then became a member of the Radio Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt where I been for 18 years. I often mention to my colleagues "Oh! I haven't played this or that piece for 25 or 30 years". The usual answer is something like, " What haven't you played, or, how could you have possibly played of this music as a kid? The answer is of course on Santa Monica Blvd. Saturday mornings. The orchestra was a saviour to me during my last years in high school. Good luck and best wishes Thaddeus Watson

 

LETTER FROM JIM SMITH received in August, 2002 I write with delight and very fond memories of Peter Meremblum and the Meremblum youth orchestra, having just come across the web-site. I played clarinet and bass clarinet in the orchestra in 1956-57, if memory serves me right. It was during my last year of high school, Hollywood H.S., my family having just moved from Detroit, Michigan. I subsequently went on to USC and then Stanford to study music. Although my profession subsequently became psychology, I have continued to play clarinet avocationally throughout my life. I remember with great fondness the gentle spirit of Peter Meremblum; I remember the wealth of musical talent of those in the orchestra - and those who came to conduct, ie. Charlie Previn, Andre Previn and William Grant Still, who conducted his own work in rehearsal; and, I remember the thrill of playing on the Dave Garroway show on TV. I learned so much about music - and life - that year. It sounds like the orchestra continues on in Peter Meremblum's spirit, better than ever. Thanks to all who are making that effort. Best wishes, Jim Smith

LETTER FROM NORMAN SCHWEIKERT received - May 2002 Dear Meremblum Orchestra Staff and Members, I saw the article about the yearlong celebration of the orchestra's 65 years of serving musical youth in the December 2001 issue of OVERTURE. Sorry to be so slow to respond to it! My experiences with both the Pioneer Orchestra, under Joseph Oroop's direction, and the California Junior Symphony, under Peter Meremblum, go back to the 1940s. I started as a violinist in the Pioneer Orchestra, working my way up to concertmaster, and then was promoted to the "big" orchestra. The last concert I played as a violinist was on July 13, 1951, at the Redlands Bowl. I then switched to the horn and played with the CJS until leaving Los Angeles to join the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in October of 1955. I owe so much to my training in the Meremblum orchestras. Surely, I would not have made such a positive impression during my audition for Erich Leinsdorf, Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic, had I not experienced so much of the standard symphonic literature at Plummer Park! My memories of those years are happy ones and I am so grateful that I had the chance to partake of such excellent training, with the exposure to so many great musicians who came as guest conductors and soloists. For a time my mother, Hilda Schweikert, was the secretary for the orchestra. I still have her hand-typed membership book of December 6, 1952, with members' names, addresses, telephone numbers, and date of birth, all organized by instrument groups. I also have a collection of programs, brochures, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and Pioneer Orchestra photos from my years with the organization. It always gives me great pleasure to look through them and remember the old days. My years in the Rochester Philharmonic were 1955 to 1966, with three years out for military service with the USMA Band at West Point, 1962-64. From Rochester I went to the Interlochen Arts Academy as Instructor of Horn and member of the Interlochen Arts Quintet (woodwind), 1966-71. In June 1971 I joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as assistant principal horn, moving to 2nd horn in 1975 where I remained until retiring in August 1997. Since then I have continued to play with the orchestra as a substitute or extra horn. I also taught horn at Northwestern University, 1973-98. Since August, 1998, my wife and I have been living on Washington Island, Wisconsin, where we have a small farm. My wife raises angora goats (their fleece produces mohair - my wife is a weaver) and I keep busy with many things, including musical research into the lives of U.S. orchestra musicians. My collection of material on this subject is probably the largest private collection anywhere. I have published a few articles and hope to get a book put together one of these days. I hope you've enjoyed my short narrative. Best regards, Norman Schweikert

LETTER FROM RICHARD KAUFAMAN received - December 2001. I had the great privilege of playing violin in the Peter Meremblum California Junior Symphony for several years. It was, without a doubt, one of the great experiences of my life, both personally and musically. Mr. Meremblum challenged us to be not only the best we thought we could be, but better. How often I sat in a Saturday morning rehearsal, having not really looked at the music ahead of time, and eventually saw my life pass before my eyes as Mr. Meremblum had me play an un-practiced passage alone. He would then look at me in what can only be described as a cross between pity and disgust. After that kind of "special moment", one would usually practice ALOT before the next rehearsal. Then there were his memorable words to a rather out-of-tune trumpet section....."Go and wash your ears out in Turkish Bath!!"....that was the humor, and great desire for perfection that Mr. Meremblum brought to us every Saturday morning. I remember how special it was to sit among such talented and dedicated young musicians, and to watch as many of them proceeded to have wonderful careers in music. In my work as a violinist and conductor, I often run across someone with whom I share a unique bond...we both played and studied under the baton of Peter Meremblum. Needless to say, the musical opportunities these days are almost nonexistent in the Los Angeles City Schools. The Meremblum California Junior Symphony Orchestra now has an even more important place in the musical culture and education of Southern California. I commend those who continue to bring the opportunity of orchestral and ensemble study to the young people of the community, and wish you well in your noble efforts. The letter I received asked that we tell you a bit about how we have "kept music in our lives". I played violin professionally as a studio musician for nine years. During that time, I was serving as Music Director and Conductor for the Los Angeles Civic Light at the Music Center, and was also conducting for various singers in concert. I began supervising music at MGM studios approximately 18 years ago, and am still with MGM. I have also pursued a career in conducting, and have been very fortunate indeed (I wish Mr. Meremblum were still here....I have about a thousand questions for him about conducting!). I am in my fifth season as Principal Pops Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and am in my tenth season as Principal Pops Conductor of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in Orange County. I also do a good deal of guest conducting with various symphony orchestras in the United States, and have recorded CDs with orchestras including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and the the Nuremberg Symphony. None of these opportunities could have become a reality without my experience as a student of Mr. Meremblum. On this 65th Anniversary, my very best wishes to the mentors and students of the Meremblum California Junior Symphony as you continue the legacy of a kind and generous man, and an extraordinary musician and teacher. Sincerely, Richard Kaufman

This page is dedicated to all the members and their families who are forever part of the Meremblum Family.

The orchestras are sponsored by the California Junior Symphony Association, which is a member of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras, the American Symphony Orchestra League and Chamber Music America.