Bluebird’s Broadmoor Symphony

Bluebird’s Broadmoor Symphony

This is the amazing estate sale of the late John Shenaut and his wife, Frances Bustillo.

Shenaut was the founding Music Director and Conductor of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra.

This small but charming house has so many treasures to choose from. Among them are a beautiful Wm. Knabe & Co. Parlor Grand Piano, signed prints from famed Louisiana artist George Rodrigue, and an incredible selection of local historical documents and photos.

There is a large collection of Victorian Cabinet photos as well as significant WWII promotional photos.

Among the several mid-century letters for sale is a prisoner of war letter.

Both Shenaut and Bustillo spent time abroad, and there is a wonderful collection of treasures from around the world.

Antique prayer cards, some dating to the 1800’s, is just one part of the large Catholic section.

There is an incredible book selection filled with classic lit, philosophy, religion and of course, music. Speaking of, there are hundreds of symphony records and vintage music books to browse through. A great selection of art books as well, but also a nice amount of real paintings and religious prints to choose from.

Vintage clothes, purses….this is a VERY good one!

More about Shenaut (1916-2011) – from LSUS

John Shenaut was the founding Music Director of the current Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. He conducted the first concert at Byrd High School Auditorium on November 9, 1948 and led the orchestra for thirty-three years, building it from scratch into a well respected ensemble, with the help of many community partners and supporters. In addition to his skills on the podium, he displayed an uncanny knack for identifying and presenting talented young artists who would go on to major careers, including both Van Cliburn and Eugene Fodor before they won the Tchaikovsky Competition and then went on to achieve international stardom. He was a strong proponent of the educational mission of the orchestra and helped to develop the diversity of musical offerings by the orchestra.

Shenaut was born in Galesburg, Illinois, November 9, 1916,son of Charles and Amelia Haggenjos Shenaut. He studied in the United States with Pierre Monteux and Rudolph Ganz and abroad with Rafael Kubelik in Lucerne, Nadia Boulanger and Eugene Bigot in Paris, Bernard Paumgartner at Salzburg's Mozarteum, Sergiu Celibidache in Prague and Herbert Ahlendorf at the Academy of Music in Berlin. His earlier musical training was on the violin at Knox College Conservatory. He received his Bachelor of Music from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, Ilinois, and his Master of Music from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 1996, the "Maestro", as he was widely known, was honored by Knox College of Galesburg with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of his long and distinguished career as a conductor and music educator. Shenaut began his musical career as an instructor at Yankton College in Yankton, South Dakota, in violin, orchestra and music theory. He then began making his way towards the South, becoming the band director at Murray State Teachers College in Murray, Kentucky. While at Murray State he was recruited to Louisiana State Normal College, now Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA, to create new orchestra programs based on string study scholarships. In 1950 he co-founded the Shreveport Symphony/Nena Plant Wideman Piano Concerto Competition. In 1958 he was instrumental in founding of the Symphony Opera Repertory Company. During his tenure with the symphony, his record of never having missed a rehearsal or performance was without parallel in the history of conductors of American orchestras. Shenaut was known as the complete conductor. His career simultaneously embraced orchestral concerts, opera and ballet. Under Shenaut, the Symphony gave over 300 performances a year as the Maestro brought symphonic music into the public schools. His podium career assumed international dimensions with conducting engagements and studies abroad in Europe and Mexico. He shared the stage with some of the greatest artists of his time. They included pianist Van Cliburn, actor Vincent Price and Metropolitan Opera stars Jerome Hines and Robert Merrill.