The Phoenix Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Phoenix, Arizona. The orchestra performs primarily at Phoenix Symphony Hall, and is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the state of Arizona.
The Phoenix Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Phoenix, Arizona. The orchestra performs primarily at Phoenix Symphony Hall, and is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the state of Arizona.
Founded in 1947, the orchestra began as an occasional group of amateur musicians performing four concerts each year, with John Manley Barnett as its first music director, from 1947 to 1948. In subsequent years, music faculty from Arizona State University joined the ensemble, which attained part-time status. During the music directorship of Theo Alcántara, from 1978 to 1988, the orchestra achieved full-time status in 1983. [1] [2]
During the music directorship of James Sedares, from 1989 to 1995, the orchestra recorded commercially for KOCH International Classics. [3] Hermann Michael was principal guest conductor and artistic adviser of the orchestra for two seasons, and then its music director from 1997 to 2004. [4]
Michael Christie was music director of the orchestra from 2005 to 2013. In 2011, Jim Ward became president and chief executive officer of the orchestra, and negotiated financial restructuring to address fiscal deficits and financial challenges. [5] [6] With Christie, the orchestra recorded commercially for Naxos Records. Christie was subsequently music director laureate of the orchestra from 2013 to 2016. [7]
In February 2014, the orchestra named Tito Muñoz as its 11th music director, [8] after two guest-conducting appearances by Muñoz with the orchestra. [9]
In January 2020, the orchestra announced the appointment of Suzanne Wilson as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 21 January 2020, in succession to Ward following his retirement from the post. [10] In March 2020, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting concert cancellations, the orchestra furloughed its musicians for the remainder of the 2019-2020 season, along with reductions in its administrative and artistic personnel, and salary reductions for remaining staff. [11] In August 2020, the orchestra announced the cancellation of its 2020-2021 concert season, the first US orchestra to cancel its planned 2020-2021 season in its entirety, again in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. [12] The orchestra resumed performing for the 2021-2022 season.
Wilson stood down as the orchestra's president and chief executive officer in 2022. In January 2023, the orchestra announced the appointment of Peter Kjome as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 1 February 2023. [13] In March 2023, the orchestra announced that Muñoz is to conclude his tenure as its music director at the close of the 2023-2024 season, and subsequently to take the title of artistic partner for two seasons. [14]
The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in 1881, the BSO performs most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at Tanglewood.
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 13 seasons, 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".
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its primary performance venue is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood. Jader Bignamini is the current music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, with Jeff Tyzik as Principal Pops Conductor, Enrico Lopez-Yañez as Principal Pops Conductor Designate, and Na'Zir McFadden as assistant conductor. Leonard Slatkin, the previous music director, is the orchestra's current music director laureate. Neeme Järvi, music director from 1990 to 2005, is the orchestra's current music director emeritus.
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). The TSO's most recent music director was Peter Oundjian, from 2004 to 2018. Sir Andrew Davis, conductor laureate of the TSO, has most recently served as the orchestra's interim artistic director. Gustavo Gimeno is music director of the TSO, since the 2020–2021 season.
Muhai Tang is a Chinese conductor. He is the youngest son of celebrated Chinese film director Tang Xiaodan and brother of painter and poet Tang Muli.
Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra in the state of Queensland. The orchestra is based in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's building in South Bank. The Orchestra is funded by private corporations, the state government and the Australian federal government through the Australia Council.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1880 by Joseph Otten as the St. Louis Choral Society, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest professional symphony orchestra in the United States, preceded only by the New York Philharmonic. Its principal concert venue is Powell Hall, located in midtown St. Louis.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, it began regular performances at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda.
David Eric Robertson is an American conductor. He was chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and was formerly music director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2005 until 2018. He is Director of Orchestral Studies at Juilliard.
Arizona Opera is an opera company which operates in both Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.
Andrew Litton is an American orchestral conductor. Litton is a graduate of The Fieldston School. He studied piano with Nadia Reisenberg and conducting with Sixten Ehrling at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree and his Master of Music degree from in piano and conducting. He also received lessons in conducting from Walter Weller at the Salzburg Mozarteum and Edoardo Müller in Milan. His early teachers included John DeMaio. The youngest-ever winner of the BBC International Conductors Competition in 1982, he served as Assistant Conductor at Teatro alla Scala and Exxon/Arts Endowment Assistant Conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C. under Mstislav Rostropovich (1982-1985), where subsequently he was Associate Conductor (1985-1986). Litton was a participant in the Affiliate Artists Exxon-Arts Endowment Conductors Program. In 2003, he was awarded Yale University's Sanford Medal.
The Konzerthausorchester Berlin is a German symphony orchestra based in Berlin. The orchestra is resident at the Konzerthaus Berlin, designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The building was destroyed during World War II, and was rebuilt from 1979 to 1984.
Kazushi Ōno is a Japanese conductor. He is currently music director of the Brussels Philharmonic and of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of New National Theatre Tokyo.
The Nashville Symphony is an American symphony orchestra, based in Nashville, Tennessee. The orchestra is resident at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is an American orchestra administratively based in Norfolk. The VSO performs concerts in various venues in Virginia, including:
Michael Christie is a Grammy-winning American conductor.
Tito Arturo Muñoz is an American conductor. He is currently music director of The Phoenix Symphony. He was previously music director of the Opéra national de Lorraine and Orchestre symphonique et lyrique de Nancy in Nancy, France, and Ensemble LPR in New York City, as well as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Keitaro Harada is a Japanese conductor and music and artistic director of Savannah Philharmonic, Permanent Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Partner for the Aichi Chamber Orchestra. In May 2024 he was announced as the incoming Music and Artistic Director Designate for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Harada is a former Associate Conductor of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Arizona Opera, Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra. He has been Music Director & Conductor of the Phoenix Youth Symphony, Assistant Conductor of Macon Symphony Orchestra. In 2013, he was featured in the Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview by the League of American Orchestras. In 2023, he received The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award from the Solti Foundation U.S. On May 30, 2024, Harada was announced as the new Music and Artistic Director Designate for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in Dayton, Ohio beginning with the 2024-2025 season, officially taking the helm as the orchestra's new leader beginning July 1, 2025.
This article lists major events and other topics related to the year 2017 in classical music.
Cristian Măcelaru is a Romanian conductor. He is currently chief conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, music director of the Orchestre National de France, and the designated music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
| Authority control databases: Artists |
|---|
