US violinist Melvin Ritter, who was concertmaster of the St Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1961 to 1965, has died at the age of 89, reports the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

Born in Cleveland in 1923, Ritter studied violin at the Peabody Conservatory with Oscar Shumsky and later with Ivan Galamian and William Kroll. He joined the St Louis Symphony in 1955.

With his pianist wife Jane Allen he formed the Ritter-Allen Duo. They gave annual concerts at Carnegie Hall and toured across the US and internationally.

Ritter and Allen were sought-after teachers and taught in St Louis and at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.

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