At 100, Ed Simons Became the World's Oldest Active Orchestra Conductor

Ed Simons, who passed away on June 26th, 2018 at the age of 101, was the oldest active orchestra conductor in the world. From learning how to play the violin by watching musicians at his local concert hall at age nine, to performing for President Truman as he headed to the Potsdam Peace Conference, to conducting eight Broadway shows, Ed Simons lived a life dedicated to music. “So what’s your secret? How do you get to be 100?” a former student asked Ed. He answered, “Music. Music is the medicine.”