Mehli Mehta Biography 
Mehli Mehta was an Indian conductor and violinist. Born in a Parsi family in Mumbai in 1908, music became a part of his life at an early age. He founded Bombay String Quartet in the year 1940 and has spent many years in New York city. He organized the American Youth Symphony with students from all the universities in Los Angeles in the year 1964 and has given significant contribution to music as a conductor and violinist. Zubin Mehta, a leading name in the field of western music, better known as a conductor is the son of Mehli. His son, Zarin Mehta is executive director of the New York Philharmonic.
Mehta was born in Mumbai, British India in a Parsi family in September 25, 1908. He was influenced towards the field of music at a younger age and was attracted to Jascha Heifetz, whom Mehta saw as his true inspiration. He founded the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in 1935, and remained as its Concertmaster (1935-1945) and later as its conductor (1945-1955). In 1940, he founded the Bombay String Quartet. He moved to New York in 1945 and spent 5 years there learning violin under Ivan Galamian. He also earned University of Bombay and Trinity College of Music in London. In 1955 Mehli Mehta moved to England and served as Assistant Concertmaster and Concertmaster of the Halle Orchestra of Manchester under Sir John Barbirolli for a term of 5 years. Barbiirolli has been his greatest influence of his life as a music conductor.
In 1959 he joined the Curtis Quartet of Philadelphia and later moved to Los Angeles as Director of the Orchestra Department at UCLA. He organized the American Youth Symphony in 1964 which included students from all the universities in Los Angeles. He conducted Beethoven symphony on Beethoven's 200th birthday in1970, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, one of the memorable chapters of his career.
Published: N/A
Updated: February 26, 2014
