Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Saint 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 SLSO is the second-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States as it is preceded by the New York Philharmonic
.
at Locust and Broadway in Downtown St. Louis
. During the 1881–82 season the 80-member chorus was joined by an orchestra of 31 members. A disbanded Musical Union joined the group. In 1893 the St. Louis Choral-Symphony was formally incorporated. It remained largely a choral organization through its performances at the 1904 World's Fair under Alfred Ernst when it expanded to a 200-member chorus and an orchestra of 55. Under Max Zach's tenure (1907 to 1921), it changed its name to the St Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Before moving to its current home in Powell Symphony Hall
, it performed for many years at the Kiel Opera House. The orchestra has given concerts regularly at Carnegie Hall
and has made overseas tours to Europe and to Japan. The SLSO has recorded for the Columbia, RCA Victor, Red Seal, Telarc, Vox/Turnabout and Angel EMI labels. It has also issued CD recordings on its own label, Arch Media, and has received six Grammy Awards and fifty-six nominations. For Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
, the SLSO has been the resident orchestra since 1978, divided into two ensembles, each performing two of the operas in the season.
The symphony has an extensive education and community outreach program, known as the Community Partnership Program. SLSO musicians give several hundred free performances a year of chamber music in schools, churches and other venues, such as community centers. The symphony has a partnership with IN UNISON, an association of 36 local African-American churches. The IN UNISON Chorus, drawn from IN UNISON churches and area residents, performs with the symphony as well as on its own programs. Also associated with the symphony is the Saint Louis Symphony Chorus, which was founded in 1977. Its first director was Thomas Peck, and its current director is Amy Kaiser. The Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra
was established in 1970 by Leonard Slatkin.
The national prestige of the SLSO grew most prominently during the music directorship of Leonard Slatkin
, from 1979 to 1996. During his tenure, the SLSO made many recordings for the EMI and RCA Victor labels, and toured to Europe and the Far East, as well as concerts at Carnegie Hall
. However, this growth in prestige was not matched by stabilization of long-term finances. As of 2000, the SLSO endowment stood at US$
28 million. In 2000, the executive director and President of the Symphony at the time, Don Roth, had secured a US$40 million challenge grant from the Taylor family to help the SLSO money situation. However, in that same year, he revealed the situation of severe financial problems with the SLSO finances, which nearly led to the orchestra's bankruptcy in 2001. Roth resigned his position in July 2001, and was succeeded by Randy Adams, a retired St. Louis bank executive. Adams embarked on extensive fund-raising efforts in the following years, seeking to enlarge the endowment of the SLSO in the process. As part of the budget cuts and cost-saving measures, the musicians agreed to salary cuts over that time, and also a reduction of their 52-week contract to 42 weeks.
In January 2005, a labor dispute related to salaries led to a cancellation of concerts for two months. While the musicians considered themselves to be locked out, and the management considered this action to be an illegal strike, the action was ruled in the courts to be an illegal strike. In March 2005, the musicians and Adams agreed to a new contract.
Since September 2005, the American conductor David Robertson
is the Music Director of the SLSO, having been named to that position in December 2003. In September 2006, he extended his contract to 2010, with an evergreen clause to allow for automatic yearly renewal with the consent of both parties. As of November 2009, Robertson is contracted to the SLSO music directorship through the 2011–2012 season.
The post of Resident Conductor (formerly Assistant Conductor), who also acts as music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, is currently held by Ward Stare
, from the beginning of the 2008–2009 season. Past SLSO Assistant Conductors have included Slatkin, Gerhardt Zimmermann, David Loebel, David Amado, and Scott Parkman.
Past vice-presidents of artistic administration have included Jeremy Geffen and Peter Czornyj. The current vice-president of artistic administration is Bret Dorhout. In February 2007, the SLSO announced the resignation of Adams from positions as its President and Executive Director, as of June 2007. In December 2007, the SLSO announced the appointment of Fred Bronstein as the orchestra's new president and executive director. Bronstein took up the posts in March 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
symphony orchestra based in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. Founded in 1880 by Joseph Otten as the St. Louis Choral Society, the SLSO is the second-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States as it is preceded by the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
.
History
The St Louis Choral Society performed in the auditorium of the St. Louis Mercantile LibrarySt. Louis Mercantile Library
The St. Louis Mercantile Library, founded in 1846 in St. Louis, Missouri, was originally established as a subscription library, and is the oldest extant library west of the Mississippi River. Since 1998 the library has been housed at the University of Missouri-St. Louis...
at Locust and Broadway in Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis is the central business district of St. Louis, Missouri, the hub of tourism and entertainment, and the anchor of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The downtown is bounded by Cole Street to the north, the river front to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue...
. During the 1881–82 season the 80-member chorus was joined by an orchestra of 31 members. A disbanded Musical Union joined the group. In 1893 the St. Louis Choral-Symphony was formally incorporated. It remained largely a choral organization through its performances at the 1904 World's Fair under Alfred Ernst when it expanded to a 200-member chorus and an orchestra of 55. Under Max Zach's tenure (1907 to 1921), it changed its name to the St Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Before moving to its current home in Powell Symphony Hall
Powell Symphony Hall
Powell Symphony Hall is the home of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. It was named after Walter S. Powell, a local St. Louis businessman, whose widow donated $1 million towards the purchase and use of this hall by the symphony...
, it performed for many years at the Kiel Opera House. The orchestra has given concerts regularly at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
and has made overseas tours to Europe and to Japan. The SLSO has recorded for the Columbia, RCA Victor, Red Seal, Telarc, Vox/Turnabout and Angel EMI labels. It has also issued CD recordings on its own label, Arch Media, and has received six Grammy Awards and fifty-six nominations. For Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is a summer opera festival held in St. Louis, Missouri. Typically four operas, all sung in English, are presented each season, which runs from late May to late June. Performances are accompanied by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, which is divided into two...
, the SLSO has been the resident orchestra since 1978, divided into two ensembles, each performing two of the operas in the season.
The symphony has an extensive education and community outreach program, known as the Community Partnership Program. SLSO musicians give several hundred free performances a year of chamber music in schools, churches and other venues, such as community centers. The symphony has a partnership with IN UNISON, an association of 36 local African-American churches. The IN UNISON Chorus, drawn from IN UNISON churches and area residents, performs with the symphony as well as on its own programs. Also associated with the symphony is the Saint Louis Symphony Chorus, which was founded in 1977. Its first director was Thomas Peck, and its current director is Amy Kaiser. The Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra
Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra
The Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra is an American orchestra for musicians between the ages of 12 and 22, and is the young people's version of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra . The SLSYO performs several concerts a year at Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis, Missouri.The orchestra was...
was established in 1970 by Leonard Slatkin.
The national prestige of the SLSO grew most prominently during the music directorship of Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Edward Slatkin is an American conductor and composer.-Early life and education:Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His father Felix Slatkin was the violinist, conductor and founder of the Hollywood String Quartet,...
, from 1979 to 1996. During his tenure, the SLSO made many recordings for the EMI and RCA Victor labels, and toured to Europe and the Far East, as well as concerts at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. However, this growth in prestige was not matched by stabilization of long-term finances. As of 2000, the SLSO endowment stood at US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
28 million. In 2000, the executive director and President of the Symphony at the time, Don Roth, had secured a US$40 million challenge grant from the Taylor family to help the SLSO money situation. However, in that same year, he revealed the situation of severe financial problems with the SLSO finances, which nearly led to the orchestra's bankruptcy in 2001. Roth resigned his position in July 2001, and was succeeded by Randy Adams, a retired St. Louis bank executive. Adams embarked on extensive fund-raising efforts in the following years, seeking to enlarge the endowment of the SLSO in the process. As part of the budget cuts and cost-saving measures, the musicians agreed to salary cuts over that time, and also a reduction of their 52-week contract to 42 weeks.
In January 2005, a labor dispute related to salaries led to a cancellation of concerts for two months. While the musicians considered themselves to be locked out, and the management considered this action to be an illegal strike, the action was ruled in the courts to be an illegal strike. In March 2005, the musicians and Adams agreed to a new contract.
Since September 2005, the American conductor David Robertson
David Robertson (conductor)
David Eric Robertson is an American conductor. He is currently the music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.-Early life:...
is the Music Director of the SLSO, having been named to that position in December 2003. In September 2006, he extended his contract to 2010, with an evergreen clause to allow for automatic yearly renewal with the consent of both parties. As of November 2009, Robertson is contracted to the SLSO music directorship through the 2011–2012 season.
The post of Resident Conductor (formerly Assistant Conductor), who also acts as music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, is currently held by Ward Stare
Ward Stare
Ward Stare is an American conductor. He is currently the Resident Conductor of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra – a position created for him in the fall of 2008 by Music Director David Robertson – and concurrently acts as Music Director of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra.-Early...
, from the beginning of the 2008–2009 season. Past SLSO Assistant Conductors have included Slatkin, Gerhardt Zimmermann, David Loebel, David Amado, and Scott Parkman.
Past vice-presidents of artistic administration have included Jeremy Geffen and Peter Czornyj. The current vice-president of artistic administration is Bret Dorhout. In February 2007, the SLSO announced the resignation of Adams from positions as its President and Executive Director, as of June 2007. In December 2007, the SLSO announced the appointment of Fred Bronstein as the orchestra's new president and executive director. Bronstein took up the posts in March 2008.
Music directors
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Walter Susskind Jan Walter Susskind was a Czech-born British conductor.-Biography:Susskind was born in Prague, Austria–Hungary, now the Czech Republic. His father was a Viennese music critic and his Czech mother was a piano teacher. At the State Conservatorium he studied under composer Josef Suk, the son-in-law... Jerzy Semkow Jerzy Semkow is a Polish conductor. He has served as music director of the Saint Louis Symphony, principal conductor of the Royal Danish Opera and the Royal Danish Orchestra in Copenhagen, Music Advisor and Principal Conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic, Music Director of the Orchestra of... Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin is an American conductor and composer.-Early life and education:Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His father Felix Slatkin was the violinist, conductor and founder of the Hollywood String Quartet,... Itzhak Perlman Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:... (music advisor) David Robertson (conductor) David Eric Robertson is an American conductor. He is currently the music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.-Early life:... |
External links
- Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra official website
- St. Louis Magazine, article by Jeanette Batz Cooperman, September 2005
- The New Yorker, article by Alex Ross on David Robertson, 5 December 2005
- BBC h2g2 page on the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Official SLSO page on former St. Louis Symphony Conductors