Alberto Zelman (senior)

Alberto Zelman (1832 – 28 December 1907) was a Trieste-born Australian composer, music conductor, music teacher, organist and pianist.^[1]

He was born at Trieste, Austria (now part of Italy), of Italian parents. He was educated as a musician and made his mark as a conductor in northern Italy. He then went to Calcutta, India, where he was successful for some years as a teacher and conductor, and about 1870 came to Australia as conductor of an opera company. He settled at Melbourne, was much esteemed as a man and as a musician, was for many years conductor of the Melbourne Liedertafel, and was a well-known piano teacher.

Zelman compositions included orchestral works, masses and many solos for the violin. He died at Melbourne in 1907 leaving a widow and four sons.^[2]

His son, also named Alberto Zelman, was also a musician and the founder of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Another son, Victor Zelman, was a painter and etcher.

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