James A. Swift, 89; Valley Orchestra Leader Let Local Musicians Play

James A. Swift, an aerospace engineer and gifted musician who was founding conductor and music director of what is now the New Valley Symphony Orchestra for 35 years, has died. He was 89.

Swift, who retired from leadership of the community orchestra on Feb. 8, died Nov. 15 in Laguna Hills of natural causes.

Associated with musical groups in the San Fernando Valley for half a century, Swift devoted himself to providing free public concerts. He also sought to offer local musicians of all ages, amateur or professional, a place to perform and to showcase the work of local composers.

Drawing on personal friendships and community pride, Swift enticed such celebrities as Henry Mancini, Stan Kenton, Lalo Schifrin, Steve Allen and Dennis Weaver to perform with the orchestra at its quarterly concerts.

He wanted the music to educate as well as entertain, and lamented the decline in younger listeners among his audiences in recent years. Swift, a former music teacher, blamed the lack of interest among young people in classical and other quality music on cutbacks in school music programs.

“It’s tragic,” he told The Times in 1997. “Children should be educated in more than just the three Rs. Our music is an appreciation for a form of culture. It broadens the individual, the character -- makes them a richer, fuller person.”

A native of Minnesota, Swift began playing the violin as a child and later switched to viola. He also played trombone and sang tenor. He earned bachelor’s degrees in engineering and music and a master’s in music from the University of Minnesota. He worked for the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. and performed with the Duluth and Milwaukee symphonies.

After moving to Long Beach, he taught music in local schools and played with the Long Beach and Pasadena symphony orchestras.

Swift spent most of his career as an industrial aerospace engineer with Lockheed. During those years, he lived in Glendale and in Northridge and worked in San Fernando Valley musical organizations.

In the 1950s, he conducted the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra and was minister of music in charge of chancel and cathedral choirs at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. He was also active in the Valley Community Concerts Assn. and the Valley Choral Directors Guild.

When the Valley orchestra decided to become professional in the late 1960s, ousting Swift and hiring Elmer Bernstein as conductor, Swift founded the Los Angeles Solo Repertory Orchestra. That name was changed to New Valley Symphony Orchestra in 1996.

That gave the San Fernando Valley three groups with similar names: Swift’s New Valley Symphony Orchestra, performing at Liberty Hall in Forest Lawn Cemetery; the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, performing at Pierce College; and the Valley Symphony Orchestra, performing at Valley College’s Little Theater.

Swift is survived by his wife of 67 years, Margery; daughters Susan Kelly and Linda Means; son Christopher; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

No funeral services are planned. The New Valley Symphony Orchestra will dedicate its holiday concert in his honor. The free concert is scheduled for 2 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Hall of Liberty, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.