Harry Gorodetzer

Who is Harry Gorodetzer?

Harry Gorodetzer was a cellist for the Philadelphia Orchestra for 50 seasons during a period in which the orchestra received world-wide acclaim for its "Philadelphia Sound". It was during this time that the Orchestra also produced some of its most well-known recordings.

Mr. Gorodetzer was the last musician hired for the orchestra by legendary conductor Leopold Stokowski. In 1936, while still a student at the famed Curtis Institute of Music, Mr. Gorodetzer auditioned for Leopold Stokowski, who would soon turn over his post as orchestra director to Eugene Ormandy. Ormandy was also present at the audition. Gorodetzer played again for Stokowski when Stokowski conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra's performance of the musical score of the 1940 Walt Disney movie Fantasia.

During his long career, Mr. Gorodetzer performed with many great musicians and was one of the Orchestra's most social members during seminal visits around the world, including their historic 1973 tour of the People's Republic of China, where they were the first Western symphony orchestra to visit in decades.