text: jacques gershkovitch jacques gershkovitch ( 1884 – 1953 ) was a russian conductor and musician who became the first music director of the portland junior symphony ( now known as the portland youth philharmonic ) , the first youth orchestra in the united states , based in portland , oregon . born to a musical family in irkutsk , gershkovitch was sent to saint petersburg in his late teens to study at the imperial conservatory . in 1913 , he graduated with honors in flute and conducting , and was awarded the schubert scholarship for a year of study under german conductor arthur nikisch in berlin . gershkovitch returned to irkutsk to enlist during world war i , and by 1916 he had become head of the imperial russian army 's military symphony orchestra . he held this position through the russian revolution and thereafter , as concerts were often presented as benefits for orphans and the red cross . gershkovitch married in irkutsk in 1918 . there , he established a fine arts conservatory and symphony orchestra which continued under the bolshevik regime . in 1921 , he and his wife crossed the border in china to escape from russia . ballerina anna pavlova offered gershkovitch the assistant conductor position with her orchestra , which was touring throughout asia . gershkovitch remained in japan to lead the newly organized tokyo symphony orchestra . however , the 1923 great kantō earthquake disrupted the organization and caused gershkovitch and his wife to emigrate to the united states . the couple arrived in san francisco in november 1923 and made their way to portland in 1924 . there , was approached to lead the portland junior symphony . known for his discipline and high performance standards , gershkovitch conducted the orchestra for twenty - nine years , gaining national attention for the ensemble and pioneering the youth orchestra movement until his death in 1953 . early life and education jacques gershkovitch was born in 1884 to a jewish family in irkutsk near lake baikal in siberia , russia . his father , an amateur violinist " who made up in enthusiasm what he lacked in skill " , and mother had seven children , six of whom became professional conductors or singers . chamber music was a common activity in the household . gershkovitch was sent to saint petersburg in his late teens to study at the imperial conservatory . the 4 , 000 - mile ( 6 , 400 km ) journey took two weeks via the newly constructed trans - siberian railway , and gershkovitch arrived with " 17 rubles in his pocket and his flute under his arm " . he auditioned and was awarded a scholarship . there he learned from respected russian composers such as alexander glazunov , nikolai rimsky - korsakov and nikolai tcherepnin , and completed coursework in opera and ballet production . to pay his own expenses , and to assist in paying the expenses of two of his siblings who were also studying at the conservatory , gershkovitch performed with bands and orchestras . this delayed his undergraduate work , but in 1913 he graduated with the title of " laureate " ( the conservatory 's highest honor ) with honors in flute and conducting , and was awarded the schubert scholarship for a year of study under german conductor arthur nikisch in berlin . however , this period was shortened due to world war i , and gershkovitch returned to irkutsk to enlist . early career in 1916 , gershkovitch became head of the imperial russian army 's military symphony orchestra , a position he held through the russian revolution . army duties continued after the war as concerts were often given as benefits for orphans and the red cross , and it was during this period that gershkovitch met his future wife lucia . then an engineer working on a construction project near khabarovsk , she had previously been a piano student at the conservatory during the same period gershkovitch was there . the two met in 1917 , and in 1918 they married in irkutsk . in irkutsk , he organized a fine arts conservatory and symphony orchestra . the institute was successful , and by 1920 enrollment had reached more than 1 , 550 students . following a successful takeover of the city by the bolsheviks , gershkovitch conducted bands for funeral services under the new regime . during a service rehearsal , gershkovitch removed a man causing numerous interruptions . as a result , gershkovitch was commanded to visit the cheka , the presiding chief of which was the victim of the previous day 's incident . however , the chief was a devotee of music and requested that gershkovitch produce a grand opera . he provided a collection of musical instruments previously confiscated by the bolsheviks . gershkovitch 's conservatory , orchestra , and newly established opera continued under the bolshevik regime . relocation when living conditions deteriorated , gershkovitch traveled to chita and obtained permission to visit vladivostok via manchuria . after crossing the border to china in 1921 , he remained in harbin , where he met lucia , who had also escaped from russia . together they made their way to tientsin , where they met and became close friends with composer aaron avshalomov . when ballerina anna pavlova heard that gershkovitch had escaped from russia , she offered him a position as assistant conductor with her orchestra , which was touring throughout asia . following three months of touring , gershkovitch settled in tokyo to undertake the newly organized tokyo symphony orchestra under the patronage of baron okura , a wealthy nobleman and relative of the mikado . the orchestra 's premiere concert took place at the imperial hotel auditorium ; many concerts followed and were well received until the great kantō earthquake of 1923 " disorganized all the business and musical interests of the city " . gershkovitch and his wife , guests at baron okura 's home , endured the earthquake for six days before leaving for kobe . with assistance from americans , the norwegian consul , and financial aid from baron okura , the couple left for san francisco , arriving in november 1923 . following the advice of san francisco symphony conductor alfred hertz , gershkovitch and his wife made their way to portland , oregon , in 1924 . it was here that gershkovitch was approached by mary dodge and two of her students to lead the portland junior symphony ( pjs ) . he taught flute and conducted the ellison - white conservatory 's student orchestra , at the time directed by jacob avshalomov , until the pjs duties required his full attention . portland youth philharmonic under gershkovitch 's leadership , the portland junior symphony ( now known as the portland youth philharmonic ) was founded in late 1924 as the first youth orchestra in the united states . the symphony performed for the first time on february 14 , 1925 , at the lincoln high school auditorium ( which later became portland state university 's lincoln hall ) , playing schubert 's unfinished symphony . gershkovitch allegedly introduced the composition and stated " you play , or i keel [ sic ] you " in his heavy accent at the ensemble 's first rehearsal . concert attendees reportedly surged the stage after the concert to congratulate the musicians , gershkovitch and dodge , who was present and called to the stage . one reviewer for the oregon sunday journal wrote the following day that the " audience that almost filled the auditorium to capacity broke into storm upon storm of applause " . according to ronald russell , author of a new west to explore ( 1938 ) , the audience " had experienced a new emotional thrill , and forthwith became strong advocates and supporters of the junior symphony cause " . gershkovitch , known for his discipline and high performance standards , conducted the orchestra for twenty - nine years , gaining national attention for the ensemble and pioneering the youth orchestra movement . by the 1930s , pjs concerts were broadcast nationally on the cbs radio network . in 1956 and 1958 both nbc and cbs transmitted broadcasts of the orchestra 's programs across the united states , and three transcribed programs were broadcast overseas from voice of america in washington , d.c. gershkovitch was also responsible for adding a preparatory orchestra ( later renamed the conservatory orchestra ) due to increased membership . he tried to incorporate at least one american composition in each concert . gershkovitch had a distinctive personality and a unique way with words , using expressions such as " more nicely , can 't you more ? " and " debussy is beauty , french beauty " ( as recollected in one former student 's diary ) . for twenty - five years , david campbell served as master of ceremonies for the children 's concerts since gershkovitch " never gained a command of english sufficient enough for public use " . gershkovitch 's often - quoted philosophy was that he did " not teach music " , but rather he taught " young people through music " . though there were times he desired to conduct professional ensembles , gershkovitch 's primary concern was educating the youth . apart from music education , he stressed the importance of proper conduct , manners , and " values in life and art " in order to build character . following gershkovitch 's death in 1953 , guest conductors led the orchestra for its thirtieth season – one conductor was jacob avshalomov , a columbia university teacher and pjs alumnus who had studied under gershkovitch while a student at reed college ( 1939 – 1941 ) .