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SIDNEY ROTHSTEIN Obituary

ROTHSTEIN
SIDNEY


A nationally known conductor whose professional career spanned a 50 year period, died at the age of 80, in Wyomissing, Pa. on February 2, 2017. Rothstein's specialty was working with metropolitan orchestras with whom he used his extensive repertoire to build the artistic level of their musicians.
Born in Philadelphia in 1936, his life was a musical journey. He began lessons on his grandfather's violin at the age of 9, becoming an accomplished violinist and violist of profess-ional stature. At the age of 25 Rothstein received formal training from the legendary Pierre Monteaux in Maine and in Europe. In 1964 he founded the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia and was their Music Director from 1964-1976. In his final year with that orchestra he conducted the Symphony No. 8 by Gustav Mahler (The Symphony of a Thousand) to officially open Philadelphia's Bicentennial celebration. The performance was broadcast nationally and widely acclaimed as a spectacular accomplishment. "At the close of the concert, the audience went wild and joined the sea of performers in cheering their brilliant, masterful conductor, Sidney Rothstein" (Philadelphia Bulletin, March 27, 1976.)
In 1976 he began his tenure with the Reading Symphony (RSO). During his time in Reading he also, for various periods, held conducting posts with orchestras in Honolulu, Charleston, West Virginia, Orlando, Florida, and Ridgefield, Connecticut.
In April 2006, Rothstein brought to a close a 30 year career as Conductor and Music Director of the RSO. A newspaper tribute from Susan Pena, Music Critic of the Reading Eagle, noted "No one has done more to shape the fabric of this orchestra, or indeed, music in our community, through the past three decades, while under his leadership, the RSO entered a period of unprecedented growth."
Rothstein is survived by his brother, Dr. Edward Rothstein and his wife Christine, 2 nephews and niece.
A Memorial Service is scheduled for 11:00 A.M. Sunday February 26, 2017 at the Conservatory at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, 225 Belmont Ave., Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. Arrangements by:

WEST LAUREL HILL FUNERAL HOME, INC. www.westlaurelhill.com

Published by Philadelphia Inquirer/Philadelphia Daily News on Feb. 17, 2017.
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Robin Sherman

February 2, 2018

Joyce Oxfeld

July 27, 2017

Joyce Oxfeld

July 27, 2017

May your name be a blessing to all lives you touched and to our maker Hashem.

Joyce Oxfeld

Student

July 26, 2017

Joyce Oxfeld

Student

July 26, 2017

Joyce Oxfeld

Student

July 26, 2017

Joyce Oxfeld

Student

July 26, 2017

Joyce Oxfeld

Student

July 26, 2017

He wasn't always warm and fuzzy to get close too, but that's how ambitious professional musicians , who are driven as Sid were can be. But I learned the ropes about playing professionally at the earliest point with him, and I admire and genuinely miss him and always will.

Joyce Oxfeld

Student

July 26, 2017

I didn't see this tribute notice until now. I've known and admired Sidney Rothstein greatly since I was 11 years old and those were very formative years for me. Sidney was the first one to audition me on violin, for professional level repertoire . Someone who taught me how to comport myself onstage and in music circles, and present myself as well as I could.

Joyce Oxfeld

July 26, 2017

I echo Dr. Hester Sonder's sentiment, also being a Girls High graduate. Being inspired by Sidney, I became a synagogue Cantor for over 20 years and am currently conducting a choir of my own. Sid and I remained in touch over the years and he was always a great friend and mentor.

Robin Sherman

July 15, 2017

Mr. Rothstein was the instrumental teacher at Central High School during my time there (1967-1971). He did memorable work with the school orchestra, conducting the Mozart Requiem, Mendelsohn's Elijah -- even excerpts from Strauss's Rosenkavalier. He was my violin instructor.

Gary Freedman

June 26, 2017

This is to Sidney and his entire family. I was lucky enough to have met Sid when I was 16 years old and a student at Girls High School. We were rehearsing Beethoven' 9th Symphony with the Central High School orchestra for which Sidney was the conductor. This began a friendship that lasted for several years and I had the privilege of attending most of the Friday evening concerts of the Philadelphia Orchestral Society and the having a late supper with Sid and numerous members of the orchestra. He was young and dashingly handsome and his passion about music was infectious. We who knew him at that time in his life predicted that it was only a matter of time until he was invited to conduct a great orchestra and become its musical director which is exactly what happened.

Sid would invite selected musicians and me, a lyric soprano, to his apartment in West Philly where we would rehearse and then perform some of the most significant choral and string quartet pieces he could find. These were great times for all of us and I was inspired to apply to university as a music major where I spent 4 years immersing myself in the history, composing of and performing of classical music. It was because of Sidney Rothstein that my life was and is still made so much richer for my love and devotion to classical music! Sid will be missed by so many people whose lives he touched during his long and illustrious life and career and his legacy is carried on by the RSO whose very existence and success moving forward is, in large part, the result of Maestro Rothstein's works and devotion!

We will miss you Sidney...and your legacy will live on for decades after your passing!

Hester Sonder. M. D.

May 6, 2017

Dr.,Christine and Family,

I had the pleasure of knowing Sidney in the 70's. After a night of entertaining, Sidney would come to my family's restaurant, The Crystal Restaurant, and glow in the admiration of everyone. With his top hat and cape he certainly controlled not only the symphony, but everywhere he went.

We reunited again while I was a food service supervisor. That is where I had the pleasure of meeting you during one of your visits. I was so happy to see Sidney and we laughed while we remember back then.

May his memory be eternal.

Stephanie(Mantis) Hoffman

February 19, 2017

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Memorial service

11:00 a.m.

West Laurel Hill Cemetery

225 Belmont Ave., Bala Cynwyd, PA

Funeral services provided by:

Laurel Hill West & Laurel Hill Funeral Home

225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

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