São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra
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The São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra ( pt, Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, OSESP) is a Brazilian
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
São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
. The principal concert venue of OSESP is the
Sala São Paulo The Júlio Prestes Cultural Center, which is located in the Júlio Prestes Train Station in the old north central section of the city of São Paulo, Brazil, was inaugurated on July 9, 1999. The building has been restored and renovated by the Sã ...
.


History

The orchestra, initially called the ''Orquestra Sinfônica Estadual'' (State Symphony Orchestra), gave its first concert on 18 July 1953 at the Municipal Theatre of São Paulo, conducted by João de Sousa Lima. The Brazilian government officially codified the establishment of the orchestra in a decree (Law No. 2733) dated 13 September 1954, signed by Lucas Nogueira Garcez. Sousa Lima served as the orchestra's first principal conductor and artistic director. OSESP alternated between periods of success and great difficulty, including a hiatus in its activities. In 1964, the Italian conductor Bruno Roccela became principal conductor. In 1972,
Eleazar de Carvalho Eleazar de Carvalho (28 June 1912, Iguatu, Ceará – 12 September 1996, São Paulo) was a Brazilian conductor and composer. Biography De Carvalho's parents were Manuel Afonso de Carvalho and Dalila Mendonça. He studied in the United State ...
succeeded Roccela, and served as principal conductor until his death in 1996. In 1978, the orchestra formally took on its current name of the ''Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo''.
John Neschling John Neschling is a Brazilian orchestral and operatic conductor. He was the musical director and the chief conductor of the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo State Symphony) from 1997 to 2008. He was the Artistic Director o ...
became principal conductor of OSESP in 1997. One condition that Neschling set for signing his contract was the establishment of a permanent home for OSESP. In 1999, the orchestra took up residence in a newly renovated venue located in the spaces of the abandoned Júlio Prestes Station, the Sala São Paulo. In 2005, the OSESP Foundation, a non-profit organization presided by former President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso, took over operations of OSESP. In January 2009, following reports of conflicts between Neschling and the OSESP governing board and musicians, OSESP rescinded Neschling's contract, with immediate effect.
Yan Pascal Tortelier Yan Pascal Tortelier (born 19 April 1947) is a French conductor and violinist. Biography Born in Paris, Tortelier is the son of the cellist Paul Tortelier, and the brother of Maria de la Pau. Tortelier began piano and violin studies at age 4. ...
served as principal conductor from 2009 to 2011, and subsequently as principal guest conductor from 2011 to 2013. From January 2010, music scholar and writer Arthur Nestrovski was named Artistic Director, in charge of programming, educational activities, publications and outreach programs. In February 2011, OPSESP announced the appointment of
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 ...
as principal conductor, the first female conductor named to the post, with an initial contract of five years, effective in 2012. In August 2012, under the direction of Alsop, OSESP made its first-ever appearance at
the Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...
, the first Proms appearance by any Brazilian orchestra. In July 2013, OSESP granted Alsop the title of music director. In April 2015, OSESP extended her contract to the end of 2019. In December 2017, OSESP announced that Alsop is to stand down as its chief conductor in December 2019, and subsequently to take the title of honorary conductor. In October 2016,
Thierry Fischer Thierry Fischer (born 28 September 1957) is a Swiss orchestra conductor and flutist. Early life and education Fischer was born in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Zambia) to Swiss parents. He studied flute with Aurèle Nicolet and began h ...
first guest-conducted OSESP. In June 2019, OSESP announced the appointment of Fischer as its next music director, effective in 2020, with an initial contract through 2024. The orchestra has made commercial recordings for such labels as Biscoito Fino, BIS, and Naxos. These albums include symphonies of Camargo Guarnieri, Francisco Braga's opera ''Jupyra'', works by
Francisco Mignone Francisco Paulo Mignone (September 3, 1897, São Paulo – February 19, 1986, Rio de Janeiro) was one of the most significant figures in Brazilian classical music, and one of the most significant Brazilian composers after Heitor Villa-Lobos. I ...
and
Cláudio Santoro Cláudio Franco de Sá Santoro (23 November 1919 – 27 March 1989) was an internationally renowned Brazilian composer, conductor and violinist. Biography Early life A native of Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, Santoro started to study violin ...
, and
Heitor Villa-Lobos Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the ...
's complete symphonies, ''
Bachianas Brasileiras The ''Bachianas Brasileiras'' () (an approximate English translation might be ''Bach-inspired Brazilian pieces'') are a series of nine suites by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written for various combinations of instruments and voic ...
'' and ''
Chôros ''Chôros'' is the title of a series of compositions by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, composed between 1920 and 1929. Origin and conception The word ''chôro'' (; nowadays spelled simply ''choro'') is Portuguese for "weeping", "cry", ...
''. With Alsop, OSESP has recorded commercially music of Prokofiev.


Principal conductors

* João de Sousa Lima (1954–1964) * Bruno Roccela (1964–1972) * Eleazar de Carvalho (1972–1996) *
John Neschling John Neschling is a Brazilian orchestral and operatic conductor. He was the musical director and the chief conductor of the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo State Symphony) from 1997 to 2008. He was the Artistic Director o ...
(1997–2009) *
Yan Pascal Tortelier Yan Pascal Tortelier (born 19 April 1947) is a French conductor and violinist. Biography Born in Paris, Tortelier is the son of the cellist Paul Tortelier, and the brother of Maria de la Pau. Tortelier began piano and violin studies at age 4. ...
(2009–2011) *
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 ...
(2012–2019) *
Thierry Fischer Thierry Fischer (born 28 September 1957) is a Swiss orchestra conductor and flutist. Early life and education Fischer was born in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Zambia) to Swiss parents. He studied flute with Aurèle Nicolet and began h ...
(2020–present)


References


External links


Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orquestra Sinfonica Do Estado De Sao Paulo Musical groups established in 1954 Brazilian orchestras Musical groups from São Paulo (state)