The Colorado Symphony is an American symphony orchestra located in
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Colorado. Established in 1989 as the successor to the
Denver Symphony 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 successio ...
, the Colorado Symphony performs in
Boettcher Concert Hall
Bottcher or Böttcher is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Albrecht Böttcher (born 1954), German mathematician
* Arthur Böttcher (1831–1889), German pathologist and anatomist
* August Friedrich Böttcher (1825–1 ...
, 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.
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. 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.
[Goble, Gary and Joanne, 2005 historical note, ]
Denver Public Library archival collection: Denver Symphony Orchestra and Association papers, 1922-1990
' Since its founding, the Colorado Symphony roster has expanded to 79 full-time musicians and 1 full-time librarian. In 1993,
Marin Alsop
Marin Alsop ( mɛər.ɪn ˈæːl.sɑːp born October 16, 1956) 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 ...
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
''The Denver Post'' is a daily newspaper and website published in Denver, Colorado. As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 ...
'' described Kahane's a tenure as one "that has been marked by increased audiences and an uncommonly strong bond with the orchestra's musicians."
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."
Andrew Litton
Andrew Litton (born May 16, 1959, New York City) 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 Y ...
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. 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. 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
Brett Mitchell (born July 2, 1979) is an American conductor, composer, and pianist. He began a three-year term as Artistic Director & Conductor of the Sunriver Music Festival in August 2022. He previously served as music director of the Colorad ...
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 has the title of music director-designate for the 2016–2017 season.
CEO and Board Chairman
Jerome "Jerry" Kern retired on September 9, 2021 after two decades with the symphony.
Peter Oundjian
Peter Oundjian (born 21 December 1955) is a Canadian-American violinist and conductor.
Early life
Born in Toronto, Ontario, as the youngest of five children from an Armenian father and English mother, Oundjian also claims Scottish ancestry throu ...
was appointed Principal Conductor on February 15, 2022.
Music Directors
*
Marin Alsop
Marin Alsop ( mɛər.ɪn ˈæːl.sɑːp born October 16, 1956) 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 ...
(1993-2005)
*
Jeffrey Kahane (2005-2010)
*
Andrew Litton
Andrew Litton (born May 16, 1959, New York City) 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 Y ...
(2013-2016)
*
Brett Mitchell
Brett Mitchell (born July 2, 1979) is an American conductor, composer, and pianist. He began a three-year term as Artistic Director & Conductor of the Sunriver Music Festival in August 2022. He previously served as music director of the Colorad ...
(2017–2021)
*
Peter Oundjian
Peter Oundjian (born 21 December 1955) is a Canadian-American violinist and conductor.
Early life
Born in Toronto, Ontario, as the youngest of five children from an Armenian father and English mother, Oundjian also claims Scottish ancestry throu ...
(2022-present)
References
External links
Official homepage of the Colorado Symphony
{{Authority control
Orchestras based in Colorado
Musical groups from Denver
Musical groups established in 1989
Wikipedia requested audio of orchestras
Performing arts in Colorado