Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

Last updated
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Orchestra
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.jpg
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2019
Short nameISO
Founded1930 (1930)
Concert hall Hilbert Circle Theatre
Principal conductor Jun Märkl
Website Official website
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra logo.svg

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is an American orchestra based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The largest performing arts organization in Indiana, the orchestra was founded in 1930 and is based at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis on Monument Circle.

Contents

History

Ferdinand Schaefer, founding music director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Ferdinand Schaefer.jpg
Ferdinand Schaefer, founding music director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

The orchestra was founded in 1930 by Ferdinand Schaefer, a local violin professor, with the help of Leonard A. Strauss. Strauss became the first president of the ISO. [1] [2] In 1937, Fabien Sevitzky was hired as the orchestra's first music director, as the musicians became fully professional, paid a weekly salary for a 20-week season. The orchestra quickly ascended to national prominence, issuing a series of phonograph recordings on RCA Victor and Capitol Records in the 1940s and early 1950s. Some of the orchestra's earliest recordings have been reissued. [3]

In 1956, Izler Solomon was appointed music director. The orchestra toured nationally and produced a series of international salute concerts. This series won a US State Department Award.

The orchestra performed in such venues as Clowes Hall on the campus of Butler University and Caleb Mills Hall. John Nelson became music director in 1976. During his tenure, the orchestra relocated to the renovated Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis, which re-opened on October 12, 1984. [4] Nelson brought the ISO back to the airwaves on NPR and PBS, as well as concerts in Carnegie Hall in 1989 and 1991 and at the Kennedy Center. In 1987, he took the orchestra on its first-ever foreign tour in Germany, with concertmaster Hidetaro Suzuki.

Raymond Leppard succeeded Nelson as music director, in 1987. Under Leppard's direction, the orchestra began a 52-week season and made a series of recordings on the Koss Classics label. Leppard returned the orchestra to Europe for two more tours in 1993 and 1997. Leppard became conductor laureate of the orchestra following the conclusion of his tenure in 2001. In 2009, the ISO announced its first-ever ensemble-in-residence, Time for Three.

In April 2010, Krzysztof Urbański first guest conducted the orchestra. He was subsequently engaged for a return appearance in June 2010 at the orchestra's summer series, "Symphony on the Prairie". Based on these two appearances, the ISO named Urbański its 7th music director, effective September 1, 2011, with an initial contract of 4 years. [5] In May 2019, the orchestra announced the scheduled conclusion of Urbański's tenure as music director at the close of the 2020–2021 season. [6]

In May 2021, the orchestra announced the appointment of Jun Märkl as its artistic advisor for the 2021–2022 season. Märkl had first guest-conducted the orchestra in August 2000 in a "Symphony on the Prairie" concert. [7] On January 23, 2024, the orchestra announced the appointment of Märkl as its next music director, effective with the 2024–2025 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. Märkl took the title of music director-designate with immediate effect. [8] [9]

Music directors

Principal Pops conductors

See also

Related Research Articles

<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">English Chamber Orchestra</span> British symphony orchestra

The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. With a limited performance size, the orchestra specializes in 18th-century music and was created to perform Baroque Music. The orchestra regularly tours in the UK and internationally, and holds the distinction of having the most extensive discography of any chamber orchestra and being the most well-traveled orchestra in the world; no other orchestra has played concerts (as of 2013, according to its own publicity) in as many countries as the English Chamber Orchestra.

Raymond John Leppard was a British-American conductor, harpsichordist, composer and editor. In the 1960s, he played a prime role in the rebirth of interest in Baroque music; in particular, he was one of the first major conductors to perform Baroque opera, reviving works by Claudio Monteverdi and Francesco Cavalli. He conducted operas at major international opera houses and festivals, including the Glyndebourne Festival where he led the world premiere of Nicholas Maw's The Rising of the Moon, the Metropolitan Opera and the Royal Opera House. He composed film scores such as Lord of the Flies and Alfred the Great.

<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.

Arnold Maurice Jacobs was an American tubist who spent most of his career with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He held that position from 1944 until his retirement in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchestre Symphonique de Québec</span> Canadian orchestra

The Orchestre symphonique de Québec is a Canadian symphony orchestra based in Quebec City. The orchestra also performs with the Théâtre lyrique du Québec, the Opéra de Québec, and the Choeur symphonique de Québec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Symphony</span> Orchestra based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

The Oregon Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded as the 'Portland Symphony Society' in 1896, it is the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, and oldest in the Western United States. Its home venue is the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland's Cultural District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra</span> German radio orchestra

The NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra is a German radio orchestra. Affiliated with the Norddeutscher Rundfunk, the orchestra is based at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. Earlier the ensemble was called the NDR Symphony Orchestra, and was also known in English as the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra.

The Bern Symphony Orchestra is a Swiss orchestra based in Bern. The orchestra primarily gives concerts at the Kursaal in Bern, and also acts as the orchestra of the Bern Theatre, for opera and dance performances. The orchestra is under the auspices of the Stiftung Berner Symphonieorchester, and receives government funding from the federal government of Switzerland and the canton and city of Bern.

Andrey Boreyko is a Polish-Russian conductor.

Fabien Sevitzky was a Russian-born American conductor. He was the nephew of renowned double-bass virtuoso and longtime Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor Serge Koussevitzky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas City Symphony</span>

The Kansas City Symphony (KCS) is an American symphony orchestra based in Kansas City, Missouri. The orchestra is resident at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The orchestra performs a 42-week season, and is also the accompanying orchestra for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and the Kansas City Ballet.

Jun Märkl is a German conductor. He was chief conductor at the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andris Nelsons</span> Latvian conductor (born 1978)

Andris Nelsons is a Latvian conductor. He is currently music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Gewandhauskapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. He was previously music director of the Latvian National Opera, chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, and music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchestre National de Lyon</span> French orchestra

The Orchestre National de Lyon (ONL) is a French orchestra based in Lyon. Its primary concert venue is l'Auditorium de Lyon. The orchestra operates with the help of a subsidy from the French Ministry of Culture and from the Rhône-Alpes regional council. The current general director of the orchestra is Aline Sam-Giao.

The Miami Philharmonic Orchestra was an American symphony orchestra based in Miami, Florida. The orchestra began as the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra, and was also known as the Greater Miami Philharmonic Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra</span> Symphony orchestra in Columbus, Ohio, US

The Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra was a symphony orchestra of the United States, located in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1941 and disbanded in 1949, the Columbus Philharmonic was the first professional symphony orchestra in Columbus and was a precursor to the present Columbus Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra's music director was the American conductor Izler Solomon.

The MDR-Sinfonieorchester is a German radio orchestra based in Leipzig. It is the radio orchestra of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, the public broadcaster for the German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. It is one of the oldest Radio orchestras in the world and the oldest in Germany. It was founded in Leipzig, Germany in 1923, with 115 musicians. Apart from a short interruption during World War II, it has been the main orchestra of the Central German Broadcasting Company (MDR) since 1924. The orchestra performs concerts in Leipzig at the Gewandhaus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Music Festival</span> Classical music festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido

The Pacific Music Festival (PMF) is an international classical music festival held annually in Sapporo, Japan. It was founded in 1990 by Leonard Bernstein, along with the London Symphony Orchestra, and 123 young musicians from 18 countries. The original artistic directors were Bernstein and Michael Tilson Thomas.

Krzysztof Urbański is a Polish conductor and composer.

References

  1. "City Music Lovers Owe Much to Strauss". The Indianapolis News . February 1, 1954. p. 7. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  2. "Leonard A. Strauss Was a Great Cultural Asset". The Indianapolis News . February 2, 1954. p. 6. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  3. Gary Lemco (2016-08-19). "Fabiren Sevitzky & the Indianapolis Sym. Vol. I – Pristine Audio". Audiophile Audition. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  4. Harold C. Schonberg (1984-11-05). "Indianapolis Symphony Settles Into New Home". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  5. Kathleen McLaughlin (2010-10-19). "ISO chooses young maestro Urbanski as director". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
  6. Domenica Bongiovanni (2019-05-10). "Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra music director Krzysztof Urbański will leave after 2021". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
  7. "Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Announces Jun Märkl as Artistic Advisor" (PDF) (Press release). Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  8. "Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Announces World-Renowned Conductor Jun Märkl as New Music Director" (Press release). Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  9. Domenica Bongiovanni (2024-01-23). "'A household name in classical music': Indianapolis Symphony names new music director". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2024-01-24.