The Phoenix Symphony is an American

symphony orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ce ...

based in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

. The orchestra performs primarily at

Phoenix Symphony Hall Symphony Hall is a multi-purpose performing arts venue, located at 75 North 2nd Street between North 3rd Street and East Washington Street in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Part of Phoenix Civic Plaza, the hall is bounded to the north by the West B ...

, and is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the state of Arizona.

History

Founded in 1947, the orchestra began as an occasional group of amateur musicians performing four concerts each year, with John Barnett as its first music director, from 1947 to 1948. In subsequent years, music faculty from

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...

joined the ensemble, which attained part-time status. During the music directorship of

Theo Alcántara Theo is a given name and a hypocorism. Greek origin Many names beginning with the root "Theo-" derive from the Ancient Greek word ''theos'' (''θεός''), which means god, for example: *Feminine names: Thea, Theodora, Theodosia, Theophania, ...

, from 1978 to 1988, the orchestra achieved full-time status in 1983. During the music directorship of James Sedares, from 1989 to 1995, the orchestra recorded commercially for KOCH International Classics.

Hermann Michael Hermann Michael (1937–2005) was a German symphonic and opera conductor. He studied piano and cello at the Stuttgart Conservatory and had not formally studied conducting when he audited a master class led by Herbert von Karajan in Berlin in ...

was principal guest conductor and artistic adviser of the orchestra for two seasons, and then its music director from 1997 to 2004. 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. With Christie, the orchestra recorded commercially for Naxos Records. Christie was subsequently music director laureate of the orchestra from 2013 to 2016. In February 2014, the orchestra named

Tito Muñoz Tito Arturo Muñoz (born July 14, 1983) is an American conductor and is 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, ...

as its 11th music director, after two guest-conducting appearances by Muñoz with the orchestra. 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. 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. 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. The Orchestra resumed performing for the 2021-22 season, opening the season with a program of Romantic Era music featuring violin soloist Giora Schmidt on October 22, 2021.

References

Music directors

*John Barnett (1947-1948) *Robert Lawrence (1949-1951) *Leslie Hodge (1952-1958) *Guy Taylor (1959-1968) *Philip Spurgeon (1969-1971) *

Eduardo Mata Eduardo Mata (5 September 19425 January 1995) was a Mexican conductor and composer. Career Mata was born in Mexico City. He studied guitar privately for three years before enrolling in the National Conservatory of Music. From 1960 to 1963 he ...

(1972-1978) *

(1978-1988) *James Sedares (1989-1995) *

(1997-2004) * Michael Christie (2005-2013) *

(2014-present)

External links

Official website of the Phoenix Symphony

Stephen Lemons, 'Michael Christie and the Ongoing Rumble in the Phoenix Symphony'. ''Phoenix New Times'' (blog entry), 23 March 2009
{{Authority control Musical groups established in 1947 American orchestras 1947 establishments in Arizona Performing arts in Arizona Musical groups from Phoenix, Arizona