LOGAN, WALTER (19 June 1876-11 Mar. 1940) was a violinist who helped organize the CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA and, as a pioneer musical director, was the first to produce operas for radio broadcast.
Logan was born in Montreal, Canada to James and Grace McIlvried Logan. He came to Cleveland as a boy and studied music under violinist Sol Marcosson. Logan gave his first professional engagement at age 12 and at 14 became the City's youngest conductor, leading the YMCA Orchestra. Logan pursued music studies at Oberlin College, graduating from the Conservatory of Music in 1899.
Moving to Chicago Logan studied under Max Bendix, concert master of the Chicago Symphony, and violinist Emile Sauret. Logan studied further at Northwestern University, later joining the faculty, teaching violin, and was a violin soloist for the Chicago Symphony. Logan remained in Chicago for 15 years, where he taught, conducted and composed.
Returning to Cleveland in 1912 Logan identified himself with almost every local event of musical importance. He became dean and head of the CLEVELAND MUSIC SCHOOL SETTLEMENT violin department and composed the comic opera "Nearly a Duchess," produced in Cleveland in 1916. In 1918 Logan conducted the Cleveland Young Peoples Symphony Orchestra and became an original violinist with the Cleveland Orchestra whose nucleus he had helped gathered. Logan also helped organize the Cleveland Concert Band, the City's official band. Logan was a radio music director (1922-1940) for stations WTAM/WEAR and WHK.
Logan married Vida Cotabish on 24 Dec. 1919. They had one child, Nelson Logan. Logan was buried in WOODLAND CEMETERY.