December 22, 1901
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia

1906
With family
St. Petersburg, Russia

1908
First piano lesson, age 6
St. Petersburg, Russia

1917
Bolshevik Revolution. Father leaves for Finland. Mother, sisters and brother go south to Kislovodsk. Remains alone in St. Petersburg, now called Petrograd.

1919
Pianist for Alexander Aslanof studio
and Kislovodsk Opera

1920
Returns to Petrograd and begins studies
at the Petrograd Conservatory

July 15, 1920 – February 1, 1922
Assistant conductor and coach at Mariinsky Opera

1922
Emigrates to America.
Rejoins family in New York City.

1926
First public performance in NYC at Manhattan Opera House as accompanist for singer Helen Stanley.

1926
Begins working with manager Arthur Judson for Columbia Artist Management

1928
Becomes US citizen. Begins working with the
Atlantic Broadcasting Company.

1930
Becomes conductor of the CBS Orchestra

1931
Meets Lily Pons

1933
Broadcasts Kostelanetz Presents

1934
Begins the Chesterfield Radio Program. First recording with RCA Victor (2 records)

1935
Conducts RKO film score for I Dream Too Much

1936
Conducts RKO film score That Girl from Paris

1937
Conducts RKO film Hitting a New High and performs with his Orchestra in RKO film Artists and Models

1938–1943
Conducts Coca-Cola Programs with CBS Orchestra

1938
Marries Lily Pons

July 17. 1939
Conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic at Lewisohn Stadium

1940
Performs with his Orchestra in film
Music in My Heart

1941
Begins commissions of American music
by American composers

1942
Approaches Pentagon with establishing a conductor/pianist unit for Armed Forces with Oscar Levant. Commissions Aaron Copland to compose A Lincoln Portrait and Jerome Kern to compose his Mark Twain Suite

1944
Commissions Paul Creston to compose Frontiers.

Begins USO tours overseas.

1945
Moves into 10 Gracie Square, New York City

1953
Signs first contract with the New York Philharmonic and begins his “Special Concerts”

March 7, 1954
Appearance on CBS TV series What’s My Line
as "Mystery Guest"

1955–1956
Three appearances on CBS TV series
Toast of the Town

1956
Commissions William Schuman to compose New England Triptych and Ferde Grofé to compose Hudson River Suite

May 29, 1963
Begins “Promenade” concerts with New York Philharmonic

1970
Commissions Alan Hovhaness to compose
And God Created Whales.

August 18, 1979
Last New York Philharmonic “Promenade” concert

December 31, 1979
Last performance conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

January 13, 1980
Dies in Port-au-Prince, Hait

October 11, 1980
New York Philharmonic plays
A Tribute to Andre Kostelanetz