Colorado Symphony

Last updated

Colorado Symphony
Orchestra
Founded1989
Concert hall Boettcher Concert Hall
Website coloradosymphony.org
Denver Performing Arts Complex Denver Performing Arts Complex.jpg
Denver Performing Arts Complex
Frontman Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic performing with the band and the Colorado Symphony at Red Rocks on August 26, 2019. OneRepublic (48916367982).jpg
Frontman Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic performing with the band and the Colorado Symphony at Red Rocks on August 26, 2019.

The Colorado Symphony is an American symphony orchestra located in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1989 as the successor to the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony performs in Boettcher Concert Hall, located in the Denver Performing Arts center, and throughout the Front Range, presenting education and outreach programs, as well as Masterworks, Pops, Holiday, Family, and the Inside the Score and Symphony on the Rocks series.

Contents

History

The Colorado Symphony began as the successor organization to the Denver Symphony Orchestra shortly after the Denver Symphony cancelled the remainder of its 1988–1989 season for financial reasons. In August 1989, percussionist Terry Smith and former principal bassoonist John Wetherill filed articles of incorporation with the Colorado Secretary of State, founding the Colorado Symphony. [1] A dispute was going on between the Denver Symphony Orchestra's management and its musicians. As the registered agent of the newly formed organization, Smith was the primary target of potential lawsuits. The Denver Symphony's union contract prohibited musicians from joining competing ensembles. However, when the musicians voted to quit the Denver Symphony en masse and join the Colorado Symphony, legal challenges and threats to remove players diminished. With the Denver Symphony filing for bankruptcy protection on October 4, 1989, the Colorado Symphony played its first concert on October 27. Days later, on November 1, Smith and Wetherill signed the new nonprofit corporation over to the musicians' elected representatives. The Denver Symphony Orchestra merged with the Colorado Symphony in May 1990.

The Colorado Symphony started initially as a smaller orchestra employing many of the Denver Symphony musicians. [2] Since its founding, the Colorado Symphony roster has expanded to 79 full-time musicians and 1 full-time librarian. In 1993, Marin Alsop was appointed as the orchestra's Principal Conductor, and later became its music director. She is now its conductor laureate. During her tenure, the Colorado Symphony gained increased recognition on both the regional and national levels, and made a number of recordings for the Naxos label.

In April 2004, the Colorado Symphony appointed Jeffrey Kahane as the ninth music director in the 82-year history of the Denver and Colorado Symphony Orchestras, effective in 2005. The Denver Post described Kahane's a tenure as one "that has been marked by increased audiences and an uncommonly strong bond with the orchestra's musicians." [3] In 2008, Kahane extended his Colorado Symphony contract through 2012. However, in July 2008, Kahane announced his resignation from the orchestra at the end of the 2009–2010 season. He cited a case of severe hypertension in 2007, which caused him to cancel several weeks of concerts, as the primary catalyst in his decision to concentrate more on his solo piano career:

"I had a real scare. That forced me to really stop and take a look at my life and say, 'You know what? You can't do everything.' I don't think I underestimated the job. I think I overestimated myself, not in my abilities but just being in a body and turning 50." [3]

Andrew Litton became the orchestra's artistic advisor in September 2012, with an initial contract through the 2014–2015 season. In August 2013, the orchestra elevated Litton to music director, with immediate effect. [4] [5] In September 2015, the orchestra announced that Litton is to stand down from the music directorship after the 2015–2016 season, and to become its artistic advisor and principal guest conductor through the 2017–2018 season. [6] With Litton conducting, the orchestra made its first recording for its own self-produced label, of Beethoven's Symphony No 9.

In July 2016, Brett Mitchell first guest-conducted the orchestra. Based on this appearance, in September 2016, the orchestra named Mitchell its next music director, effective with the 2017–2018 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. He held the title of music director-designate for the 2016–2017 season. [7] Mitchell concluded his tenure with the orchestra in 2021.

In February 2022, the orchestra announced the appointment of Oundjian as its principal conductor. Oundjian had previously served as the orchestra's principal guest conductor from 2003 to 2006. [8] In September 2024, the orchestra announced the promotion of Oundjian to the post of its music director, effective with the 2025-2026 season, with an initial contract of four years. [9]

Music Directors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra</span> English orchestra with a remit to serve the South and South West of England

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an English orchestra, founded in 1893 and originally based in Bournemouth. With a remit to serve the South and South West of England, the BSO is administratively based in the adjacent town of Poole, since 1979. The orchestra is resident at Lighthouse in Poole, with other major concert series given at Portsmouth Guildhall, the Great Hall of Exeter University and Bristol Beacon. Shorter series are also given in Bournemouth and Basingstoke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Symphony Orchestra</span> Orchestra

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Dallas, Texas. Its principal performing venue is the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Symphony Orchestra</span> Orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. Klaus Mäkelä was named music director-designate in 2024, with his first contractual season to begin in 2027. The orchestra's most recent music director is Riccardo Muti, whose tenure spanned the season's from 2010 to 2023, and he continues to perform on occasion as director-emeritus. The CSO is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Symphony</span> Orchestra

The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO). Peter Oundjian was the music director from 2004 to 2018. Sir Andrew Davis, conductor laureate of the TSO, was the orchestra's interim artistic director from 2018 to 2020. Gustavo Gimeno has been the music director of the TSO since the 2020–2021 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra</span> American orchestra based in Ohio

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cincinnati Symphony is the resident orchestra for the Cincinnati May Festival, the Cincinnati Opera, and the Cincinnati Ballet. Additionally, the orchestra supports the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra (CSYO), a program for young musicians in grades 9 to 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Scottish National Orchestra</span> Scotlands national symphony orchestra based in Glasgow

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) is a Scottish orchestra, based in Glasgow. It is one of the five national performing arts companies of Scotland. Throughout its history, the Orchestra has played an important part in Scotland’s musical life, including performing at the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament building in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra</span> Brazilian symphony orchestra

The São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra is a Brazilian orchestra based in São Paulo. The principal concert venue of OSESP is the Sala São Paulo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Oundjian</span> Canadian-American violinist and conductor

Peter Haig Oundjian is a Canadian-American violinist and conductor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marin Alsop</span> American conductor

Marin Alsop is an American conductor, the first woman to win the Koussevitzky Prize for conducting and the first conductor to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. She is music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Ravinia Festival, and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008 and to the American Philosophical Society in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Symphony Orchestra</span> American symphony orchestra based in Washington, DC

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1930 by cellist Hans Kindler, its principal performing venue is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus Symphony Orchestra</span> American symphony orchestra

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Columbus, Ohio. The oldest performing arts organization in the city, its home is the Ohio Theatre. The orchestra's current executive director is Denise Rehg. Rossen Milanov is the orchestra's music director.

Andrew Litton is an American orchestral conductor. Litton is a graduate of The Fieldston School.

Harold Farberman was an American conductor, composer and percussionist.

Douglas Boyd is a British oboist and conductor.

Jeffrey Alan Kahane is an American classical concert pianist and conductor. He was music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for 20 years, the longest of any music director in the orchestra's history. He is the music director of the Sarasota Music Festival, a program of the Sarasota Orchestra, music director-designate of the San Antonio Philharmonic, and a professor of keyboard studies (Piano) at the USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Mitchell</span> American conductor, composer, and pianist (born 1979)

Brett Mitchell is an American conductor, composer, and pianist. He is currently Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony and Artistic Director & Conductor of the Sunriver Music Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota Orchestra</span> American symphony orchestra

The Sarasota Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra located in Sarasota, Florida. The orchestra is administratively based at the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center. The orchestra performs concerts in Sarasota at several venues:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Symphony Orchestra</span> American orchestra

The Denver Symphony Orchestra, established in 1934 and dissolved in 1989, was a professional American orchestra in Denver, Colorado. Until 1978, when the Boettcher Concert Hall was built to house the symphony orchestra, it performed in a succession of theaters, amphitheaters, and auditoriums. It was the predecessor to the Colorado Symphony, although the two ensembles were legally and structurally separate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken-David Masur</span> German-born American conductor (born 1977)

Ken-David Masur is a German-born American conductor.

References

  1. ↑ "Articles of Incorporation – Colorado Symphony Orchestra".
  2. ↑ Goble, Gary and Joanne, 2005 historical note, Denver Public Library archival collection: Denver Symphony Orchestra and Association papers, 1922–1990 Archived July 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. 1 2 MacMillan, Kyle (July 10, 2008). "CSO music director Kahane's tenure is taking an early bow". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
  4. ↑ Dobreff, Nick (December 18, 2014). "Litton to Continue as Music Director". Colorado Symphony. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  5. ↑ Ray Mark Rinaldi (August 21, 2013). "CSO conductor Litton named orchestra music director". Denver Post. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Andrew Litton To Become Colorado Symphony Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor" (Press release). Colorado Symphony Orchestra. September 15, 2015. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ Brad Turner (September 12, 2016). "Colorado Symphony Introduces New Music Director Brett Mitchell". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  8. ↑ Ray Mark Rinaldi (March 1, 2022). "When this violinist was injured, he reinvented himself as a conductor. Now he's leading the Colorado Symphony". Denver Post. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Colorado Symphony Elevates Peter Oundjian to Music Director" (PDF) (Press release). Colorado Symphony. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.