Oliver Roosevelt

Oliver Roosevelt (born 1927 - died January 9, 2007) was a manager of the Birmingham Civic Orchestra and a long-time music critic for The Birmingham News.

Roosevelt, the grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt's first cousin, James West Roosevelt studied music at Harvard University, where he was a member of the Harvard Glee Club and a pupil of composer Walter Piston. In 1948 he became program director for WQXR, a New York City classical station. Two years later he accepted the position of manager for the Birmingham Civic Orchestra.

In 1955, Roosevelt began reporting for the Shades Valley Sun. In 1960 he joined the News as a music critic and radio/television reporter. In addition to reviewing more than 3,000 concerts, he served as an advisor to numerous local arts groups.

He continued his involvement in the music community, organizing the massive Basically Bach Festival celebrating the 300th anniversary of J. S. Bach's birth in 1985. He also assembled a 1000-piece choir and orchestra to perform W. A. Mozart's Requiem in 1991, the 200th anniversary of that composer's death.

Roosevelt retired from the News in 1991. He died in 2007 after a long illness. He was survived by his wife, Ann, and five children, Verdery, Oliver, Laura, Mary and Carolyn.

References

• Roosevelt, Oliver (n. d.) Music is My Mistress. unpublished memoir.
• Huebner, Michael (January 10, 2007) "Oliver Roosevelt, classical music critic at The News from 1960-1991, dies at 79." Birmingham News.