Simeon Bellison, first clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, died here yesterday at the age of 71. Throughout his long career Mr. Bellison was interested in Jewish music. He both collected it and played it at many concerts. He played at an estimated 5,000 concerts during his lifetime, organized a number of chamber music groups and served on the faculties of several music schools.
A native of Russia, Mr. Bellison organized–in 1918 after the Russian Revolution–a musical ensemble under the name of Zimro, the Hebrew word for “music.” In 1920, after a world tour, he came to the United States and shortly thereafter became associated with the Philharmonic. He was graduated from the Moscow Conservatory with highest honors and played with the Moscow Opera and the Moscow Symphony for 10 years.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
