Max Salpeter

British classical violinist and orchestra leader (born 16 April 1908 in Whitechapel, East London, England, UK; died 1 January 2010). His parents had recently arrived from Kolomiya, Ukraine (formerly known as Kolomea, a small town in Galicia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire). He became a member of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1933, playing in the first violins until 1939, when he joined the RAF Symphony Orchestra. In 1949 he was invited to co-lead the Philharmonia Orchestra by the orchestra's founder, Walter Legge. On leaving the Philharmonia in 1956, he formed the Prometheus Ensemble. He also led the London Mozart Players, The New London Orchestra, The Boyd Neel Orchestra, and the Pro Arte Orchestra Of London. He was also a member of several string quartets, including the Kutcher Quartet, and the Blech String Quartet. He retired from playing in 1986.