Contemporary witnesses

Flautist Uri Toeplitz was taught in the early 1920s in Bonn by one of the first school music educators trained under the Kestenberg Reform. The changeover from old-school singing classes to the reformed programme of music instruction was truly a stroke of luck for Toeplitz. His musical talent was not lost, as happened to so many who were classified as "unmusical" because they - like Toeplitz - did not have a voice suited for singing. On the contrary: his musicality was discovered and fostered.

Toeplitz was so impressed by his music teacher Wilhelm Haas that he decided to train to be a school music teacher in Cologne, just like Haas. Although Toeplitz passed the entrance exam with flying colours, he was not permitted to enrol. Disappointed, he wrote a letter to Kestenberg in which he asked for support. Even in 1932, shortly before the National Socialists came to power, Kestenberg's influence was still formidable enough to see to it that Toeplitz was allowed to study. By 1934, Toeplitz was the last Jewish student in his school music programme.

In 1936, Toeplitz was appointed flautist in the Palestine Orchestra and immigrated to Tel Aviv. Soon after, he was voted onto the orchestra board. Two years later, in 1938, Kestenberg was appointed General Manager and Artistic Director of the orchestra and also immigrated to Tel Aviv.

As a member of the orchestra board, Toeplitz was in regular contact with Kestenberg from then on. When the audience numbers dwindled and subsidies from abroad were not forthcoming, Kestenberg was blamed. Soon there were difficulties with mutinous orchestra members who could not live on their meagre student salaries. Toeplitz recalled this difficult time for Kestenberg, which ended in 1945 with Kestenberg's voluntary resignation, with regret.