Ernest Ansermet, born on November 11, 1883, in Vevey, Switzerland, was a conductor and musicologist. He studied at the University of Lausanne, earning a degree in physical sciences and mathematics in 1903. Initially a professor of mathematics, Ansermet began his musical career by studying composition with Alexandre Denéréaz and Ernest Bloch. His first concert as a conductor took place in Lausanne in 1911. From 1912 to 1914, he directed the Orchestre du Kursaal de Montreux. In 1915, Ansermet started conducting subscription concerts in Geneva and became closely associated with the Ballets Russes from 1915 to 1923, directing works by Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, and others. He founded the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in 1918 and served as its chief conductor until 1967. Ansermet also co-founded the Société Internationale pour la Musique Contemporaine in Europe with Alban Berg and Anton Webern in 1922. Throughout his career, he made numerous recordings and wrote extensively on music philosophy, advocating for tonal music. He received honorary citizenship of Geneva in 1953 and was promoted to Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur in 1955. Ansermet died on February 20, 1969, in Geneva.
