Van Koppenhagen, Otto

Otto Van Koppenhagen (1895-1978), professor of music, was born in Arnheim, The Netherlands, on January 19, 1895. He began his musical career as a cellist with the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra. He came to the United States in 1921 and spent his first summer on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, which reminded him of his home. In 1930 he bought a summer home in Edgartown, and in 1934 began a series of concerts held in his living room, which held an audience of 150, in which he was joined by his wife, a soprano, who was also a native of Arnheim. He spent 21 years as a cellist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, after which he came to Brown in 1949 as a visiting assistant professor of music. The next year he was appointed to the regular staff of the Department of Music, and in 1957 he was named associate professor of music (artist), a title used for the first time at Brown to distinguish a professor who is a performing musician from one involved in teaching and research. When he came to Brown, he also became first cellist with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Meanwhile his summer concert series in Edgartown continued, moving to St. Elizabeth’s Hall in 1939 and to the auditorium of the Methodist Church in 1950. He involved other members of the Music Department in his series, Edward Barry Greene at the piano, Arlan Coolidge, violin,, and Martin J. Fischer, viola. After retirement from Brown in 1961, he continued to teach privately. He died in Providence on his eighty-third birthday, January 19, 1978.