Kitchener Conservatory of Music

Kitchener Conservatory of Music

Kitchener Conservatory of Music. Founded in Berlin, Ont, in 1911 by George Ziegler, as the Ziegler Associated Studios. It became the Berlin Conservatory in 1913 and, reflecting the new name of the city, the Kitchener Cons in 1916. Instruction was offered in piano, orchestra and band instruments, voice, guitar, theory, and elocution. The conservatory, which had by 1950 a staff of 21 and at one time as many as 700 students, closed when Ziegler retired in 1974. In the early years Ziegler directed the Berlin Cons Chorus of 124 voices and an orchestra of 54 students and teachers. Over the years many concerts were presented, ranging from conventional solo recitals to such rarities as a six-piano-12-player ensemble.