Simeon Bellison

{{Short description|American clarinetist and composer}}

File:Simeon Bellison.jpg

Simeon Bellison (September 4, 1881{{cite web |last=Leeson|first=Dan |title=Biography of Simeon Bellison |url=http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Study/Bellison.html |access-date=6 September 2012}} – May 4, 1953), born in Moscow, was a clarinetist and composer. He became a naturalised American after settling in the US in 1921. Bellison established an early clarinet choir (including women) in the United States; from an initial eight members, the group's size grew by 1948 to 75 members. Bellison was later the first clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. The Philharmonic's online archive contains papers related to Bellison's leadership of his Philharmonic-sponsored clarinet ensemble, including various clarinets owned by the Philharmonic for the group's use, insurance policies, and sale of many of these in 1943.{{cite web |url=http://archives.nyphil.org/index.php/artifact/a8c23d65-f935-46e8-9f03-74286d1f17b6/fullview#page/157/mode/1up |title=Committee on Ensemble Musical Training and Scholarships; Instrument Insurance, Sep 24, 1930 - Oct 18, 1943 (ID: 003-02-31) |work=New York Philharmonic Archives: Viewer |access-date=23 November 2024}}

In addition to some hundred works for clarinet, Bellison wrote a novel, "Jivoglot," (Eat 'em Alive), based on the life of poor and obscure musicians in historic Russia.{{cite web |title=Biography of Simeon Bellison |url=http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Study/Bellison.html |website=www.woodwind.org |access-date=23 November 2024}}