Huntsville Symphony Orchestra

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The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra is a symphonic orchestra located in Huntsville, Alabama. The current conductor and music director is Gregory Vajda. Vajda has been the conductor since the 2011-2012 season. The orchestra's resident conductor is Joseph Lee.

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History

The Huntsville Symphony was founded in 1955 by Alvin Dreger, a cellist from Huntsville. [1] Forty musicians participated, many of whom were scientists in German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun's team. The symphony's first conductor was Dr. Arthur M. Fraser. [1]

The HSO is the oldest continuously-operating professional orchestra in the state of Alabama. Past conductors include Arthur Fraser (1954-1959), Russell Gerhart (1959-1971), Marx Pales (1971-1988), Taavo Virkhaus (1989-2003) and Carlos Miguel Prieto (2003-2011).

The yearly concert programs include a Classical series, a Pops series and a "Casual Classics" series. Notable guest performers have included renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the Canadian Brass and classical guitarist Manuel Barrueco. Hungarian composer Máté Balogh dedicated his piece Alabama March to the orchestra on the bicentennial of the State of Alabama in 2019. [2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Laney, Monique (2015). German Rocketeers in the Heart of Dixie: Making Sense of the Nazi Past During the Civil Rights Era. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 83. ISBN   978-0-300-19803-4.
  2. ↑ "Before the premiere of Alabama March: A talk with Máté Balogh – Editio Musica Budapest Zeneműkiadó Kft". www.emb.hu. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
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