David B. Freed papers, 1964-1997

David B. Freed (1910-1998) was born in Philideplphia, to Morris and Rose Freed. He was married twice, the first time to Belle Roman, who died, and later to Dorothy Trimble in 1962. Together they had two children, Elida and Maureen.

David Freed was a cellist of some note. He began studying the cello as a youngster, and was accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philidelphia, one of it's youngest pupils. In a prelude to what would be another defining force in his life, he quit music in 1935, to become an Executive Director of the New York City Local of the American Federation of Musicians. His principal aim was to help the 3000 musicians who were left unemployed after the advent of recorded music in the movies, as well as the Depression. After serving in WWII (1943-1945), David Freed studied at the Julliard Institute, eventually becoming their Principal Cellist. In addition to this, he played under Toscaninni and Cantelli, as well as working on Broadway muscials such as Porgy and Bess and West Side Story. In 1956, Freed played the Bach Suites at Carnegie Hall. This was the first performance of all six of the suites in a single occasion, and he was critically lauded for his performance. Also in 1956, at the invitation of Maurice Abravanel, he joined the Utah Symphony as their Principal Cellist, and stayed for twenty-five years. In that time, David Freed also began to teach music at public schools. He invented an instrument which taught string instrumentation, and wrote two books, Cello Adventures 1965, and Cello Explorer 1967.

After his retirement at age 70, David B. Freed devoted the last eighteen years of his life to political activism. He and his wife were especially involved in the United Nations Association of Utah, an institution that was actively pursuing peace and understanding between nations. He died in Oxford, England, on a visit with his daughter in 1988.