The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra (DSSO) is an American

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, c ...

based in

Duluth, Minnesota , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

. Founded in 1932 as the Duluth Civic Orchestra, it became the city's first permanent symphony orchestra. In 2000, it performed the North American premiere of ''Spring Symphony'' by Chinese composer Xiao-Gang Ye. Since 1966, the DSSO has performed at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) Auditorium. The orchestra's season runs from September to May each year.Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra official website
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History

The beginnings of the Duluth Civic Orchestra occurred in 1931 at the house of Alphin Flaaten, a professional music teacher. The first concert was on May 2, 1932 conducted by Walter Lange.Craven, Robert R. (1986)
''Symphony Orchestras of the United States: Selected Profiles''
pp. 189-191. Greenwood Press, . Paul Lemay, principal violist and assistant conductor of the

Minneapolis Symphony The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Em ...

, became the first full-time conductor. The initial concerts took place at the

Duluth Armory The Duluth Armory is a former armory and event venue in the East Hillside neighborhood of Duluth, Minnesota, United States. It was built in 1915 for the National Guard and naval militia, and expanded in 1941. From the beginning the National Gu ...

. In 1966, the orchestra moved to the DECC, seating over 2,200 with a waterfront location. In the 1974-75 season, the name of the orchestra was changed to Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra to reflect the close relationship between the

Twin Ports The Duluth MN-WI Metropolitan Area, commonly called the Twin Ports, is a small metropolitan area centered around the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. The Twin Ports are located at the western part of Lake Superior (the weste ...

: Duluth and

Superior, Wisconsin , native_name_lang = oj , nickname = , total_type = , motto = , image_skyline = Tower Avenue.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Downtown Superior , ima ...

. As of 2013, its music director is Dirk Meyer.

Music director

The 2013-2014 season is

Dirk Meyer Derrick R. "Dirk" Meyer (born November 24, 1961) is a former Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Micro Devices, serving in the position from July 18, 2008 to January 10, 2011. Education He received a bachelor's degree in computer engineering ...

's first year as

music director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the d ...

. Meyer conducted six concerts for the DSSO last year as the Music Director Designate. In the past, Meyer has held positions with the

Sarasota Orchestra The Sarasota Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra located in Sarasota, Florida. The orchestra is administratively based at the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center. The orchestra performs concerts in Sarasota at several venues: * Holley Hall ...

in Florida, the Springfield Symphony, Naples Philharmonic and

The Florida Orchestra The Florida Orchestra is an American orchestra based in the tri-city area of Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Florida. It was founded as the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony upon the 1968 merger of the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and the T ...

.Dirk Meyer's page
on the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra official website

Concertmaster

Erin Aldridge has been DSSO's

Concertmaster The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signifi ...

since 2005. She also maintains an active performance schedule as a soloist and a chamber musician. Aldridge attended Indiana University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning her Bachelor's degree in Violin Performance, Master's degree and Performer's Certificate in Chamber Music Performance, and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance.Brissett, Jane (7 December 2009)
"She Stuck with the Violin, DSSO concertmaster began playing at age 2"
''Duluth News-Tribune''

Past music directors

* Dirk O. Meyer (2013–present) *

Markand Thakar Markand Thakar (born 1955, New York City) is an American conductor. He is music director of Baltimore Chamber Orchestra (BCO). Biography From the age of six, Markand Thakar attended the Juilliard School's Pre-College Division, where he was a pian ...

(2001 - 2013) Markand Thakar biography
markandthakar.com *Yong-yan Hu (1995 - 2000)
. Yongyanhu.com *Taavo Virkhaus (1977 - 1994) *

Joseph Hawthorne Joseph Campbell Hawthorne (1908 – March 20, 1994) was an American conductor, violinist, violist, and military officer. Born in Provincetown, Massachusetts, he was the son of artists Charles Webster Hawthorne and Ethel "Marion" Campbell. After ...

(1967 - 1977) *Hermann Herz (1950 - 1967) *Joseph Wagner (1947 - 1950) *

Tauno Hannikainen Tauno Heikki Hannikainen (February 26, 1896 – October 12, 1968) was a Finnish cellist and conductor. Born in Jyväskylä, he was the son of the composer Pekka Juhani Hannikainen. The pianist Ilmari Hannikainen and the conductor Väinö Han ...

(1942 - 1947) *Paul Lemay (1932 - 1942)

References

{{authority control Orchestras based in Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota