Theodor Rogalski

Theodor Rogalski (1901-1954) was a Romanian composer, conductor and pianist of Polish origin. He played an important role in the development of Romanian musical culture in the first half of the twentieth century. After studying in Bucharest with Alfonso Castaldi and Dimitrie Cuclin, he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory (1920 - 1923) and then at the Schola Cantorum in Paris (1923-1926), where he was a disciple of Vincent d'Indy (composition, conducting) and of Maurice Ravel (orchestration). In 1926, he won First Prize at the George Enescu National Composition Competition, with the work String Quartet in F major. He also entered the concert programs of the Philharmonic with Two Romanian Dances for Winds, Piano and Drums (1927) and Two Symphonic Sketches (1929), whose value has determined George Enescu to select it for the concert held at the International Exhibition in New York in 1939. The two decades, 1930-1950, in which composing remained in the background, were dedicated by the musician to conducting and building an ensemble, from its establishment to the level of a prestigious orchestra, today bearing the name of National Radio Orchestra of Romania. As such, he was the first conductor of the orchestra starting from 1930. The baton of first conductor was also offered to him at the "George Enescu" Philharmonic (1950-1954). In these last years of his life he also held the position of orchestration teacher at the Bucharest Conservatory.