Daniel Sternefeld

Sternefeld took private lessons with Renaat Veremans and Paul Gilson at the Royal Conservatory of Flanders in Antwerp, after which he studied conducting under Frank van der Stucken. He completed his studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg with Bernard Paumgartner, Clemens Krauss and Herbert von Karajan. In 1929, he joined the orchestra of the Royal Flemish Opera, and in 1938, he was appointed as its principal conductor. Between 1930 and 1940 Sternefeld was also working for the Koninklijke Nederlandse Schouwburg of Antwerp, for whom he wrote incidental music. He also conducted the Cercle musical juif and several choral societies in Antwerp. During the occupation Sternefeld, an ethnic Jew, was forced into hiding in Antwerp. In 1942, he risked his life by attending the funeral of his teacher Paul Gilson in Brussels. He was arrested in late 1943 and incarcerated in the Dossin Barracks in Mechelen. He stayed several months in this Sammellager but was released. It was during this period that he wrote his first symphony. In 1948, he left the Royal Flemish Opera for the Belgian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Brussels – serving initially as associate conductor, and then from 1957 to 1970 as principal conductor – where he became known for his interpretations of modern music. He travelled the world as a guest director and also gave conducting classes at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp from 1948 until his retirement in 1971. While his work as a conductor left him little time to compose, the last 17 years of his life were devoted to writing music.

Daniel Sternefeld (Antwerp, 27 November 1905 – Brussels, 2 June 1986) was a Belgian composer and conductor.