David Fetler, alleged to be America’s longest-serving music director of an orchestra, has died. Fetler directed the Rochester Chamber Orchestra for over 50 years, surpassing Arthur Fiedler’s record of 49 with the Boston Pops. (On the world stage, there have been longer.)

Fetler was born in Riga, Latvia, the tenth of a family of thirteen children. He came to the United States at the age of 12. He studied at Juilliard, Westminster Choir College in Princeton, and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, as well as with conductors Pierre Monteux and Leopold Stokowski.

His available recordings are few, but I recognized his named immediately from a lovely album of Howard Hanson’s music. Fetler conducted the premiere of Hanson’s ballet “Nymphs and Satyr” (1979). I’ve always been especially fond of the infectious scherzo, based on a melody the composer whistled to his Irish terrier, Molly, while feeding her biscuits. Hanson, best known for his Symphony No. 2, the “Romantic,” served as the Eastman School’s director for 40 years, beginning in 1924.

From the same album, here’s Fetler’s recording of Hanson’s Concerto for Organ, Harp and Strings (1926):

It was Hanson who invited Fetler to join the conducting faculty in Rochester. In that capacity, Fetler presented a wide variety of instrumental and choral music with the Eastman Collegium Chamber Orchestra and Singers. Fetler’s programs frequently juxtaposed composers from different eras and included plenty of new music.

He founded the Rochester Chamber Orchestra with musicians from the Rochester Philharmonic. Also written for the group was David Diamond’s “Lilac Festival Overture.”

He also founded and conducted Rochester’s Greece Symphony Orchestra. For many years, he was choral director at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Fetler died on Sunday. He was 96 years-old.