Roger Birnstingl Oral History
Object number2025.001.0106
Date12/10/2025
ClassificationsOral Histories
Oral history interview subject
Roger Birnstingl
Oral history interviewer
Stephen Fagin
ObjectOral history
Credit LineOral History Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumBorn digital (.mp4 file), Born digital (.vtt file), Born digital (.m4a file)
DimensionsDuration: 37 Minutes
Collections
- All Online Objects
- Oral History Collection
DescriptionVideotaped oral history interview with Roger Birnstingl. As a bassoonist with the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Birnstingl was part of a 1963 tour of the United States. His orchestra performed in Dallas one week prior to the Kennedy assassination and was in Fresno, California, on November 22, 1963.
Interview conducted via Zoom on December 10, 2025 by Stephen Fagin. The interview is thirty-seven minutes long.
Curatorial CommentaryThe Museum's Jimmy Brown Collection (2025.029) includes one 35mm color slide showing Commerce Street in downtown Dallas in November 1963 approximately one week prior to the Kennedy assassination. The late Mr. Brown was, like Mr. Birnstingl, a member of the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and he took the photograph during their visit to Dallas. The slide was donated by his son, Dan Brown, in 2025. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London was established in 1946 and became well known for their tours, which brought orchestral music to broader, mainstream audiences. More information on the orchestra may be found on their website: Home - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
Roger Birnstingl learned to play the bassoon at the age of 14. He was the principal bassoonist of the London Philharmonic from 1956 to 1958; the Royal Philharmonic from 1961 to 1964; and the London Symphony Orchestra from 1964 to 1977. When he retired in 1997, he was principal bassoonist with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva, Switzerland. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
