The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1958, is a fully professional orchestra

Orchestra

An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...

 based in Boulder, Colorado

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...

. It is the successor to the Civic Symphony Orchestra, and it is directed by Michael Butterman. The Boulder Philharmonic’s season includes classical, Pops, and family concert series, as well as an annual “Nutcracker” performance with the Boulder Ballet.

The Early Years: 1893-1957

While the Boulder Philharmonic was founded in 1958, its roots begin in 1893 as a small group of Boulder musicians calling themselves the Philharmonic Club started performing an annual concert that gradually grew in popularity. In 1941 the Civic Symphony Orchestra was founded as one phase of a recreational program in a plan adopted by the city council. Hugh McMillen, director of bands at the University of Colorado at Boulder

University of Colorado at Boulder

The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...

 conducted the first free orchestra at Boulder High School auditorium, a tradition that would continue in 1943 and 1944. The loss of personnel due to WWII, however, would cause the orchestra to disband.

The “Renaissance” Years: 1957-1972

Violinist Elinor Winchester and volunteer musicians revived the orchestra in March 1957. Thomas Facey, conductor of the Golden Symphony, served as musical director. During this time the orchestra was an ensemble made up of amateurs as well as a few professional musicians from the Boulder-Denver area. In 1958 Facey resigned and Dr. Antonia Brico was named conductor. Pianist, graduate of the University of California Berkley, and the first woman to conduct the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Brico saw developments such as the Young Artist Competition in 1959 and the inauguration of the Children’s Concert in 1960.

Brico resigned in 1964 and Ador Toth, CU Boulder associate professor of music and conductor of the university symphony orchestra, was named her successor. Toth requested a leave of absence in 1965 to tour with the Alma Trio, and invited his CU colleague, David Burge, to take over as conductor for the 1965-66 season. Burge was named permanent conductor of the Boulder Philharmonic after his first year.

In 1966 the Boulder Philharmonic Guild was founded. The purpose of the guild was to be an “auxiliary dedicated to assisting with the maintenance of the orchestra with service as well as with financial means.” That same year the organization started a spring plant sale which was a fundraiser that took place each year. In 1967 the orchestra received a grant from the Colorado Council on the Arts and Humanities, and in 1970 the Jr. Guild was founded. This group sponsored a flea market, a spring Philharmonic ball and Symphony Sunday at which time local downtown merchants shared Christmas sale profits with the orchestra.

Aside from a one year sabbatical to Copenhagen (during which James Stroud took over as conductor), Burge’s tenure would last until 1972, when he joined the faculty at the Eastman School of Music, and Oswald (Ozzi) Lehnert, violin virtuoso and professor, was named conductor and music director of the Boulder Philharmonic.

The Lehnert years: 1972-1996

Under Lehnert, the Boulder Philharmonic saw many developments, such as new fundraising campaigns, free concert series, and a Tier II status from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. Also, during this time the Orchestra moved to Macky Auditorium, at the University of Colorado in Boulder. In 1990 the Boulder Arts Academy was founded as a community school under the direction of the Boulder Philharmonic.

1996–Present

Between the years 1996 through the present, the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra would become fully professional. In 1996 Theodore Kuchar was named music director of the Boulder Philharmonic, who founded the Sinfonia of Colorado, a classical chamber orchestra made up of Philharmonic musicians in 1997. In 1999 the Boulder Philharmonic became a part of an alliance organization called the Peak Association of the Arts, also known as PeakArts, which also included the Boulder Ballet, Sinfonia of Colorado and the Boulder Arts Academy. In 2001 Robert McAllister was named CEO and president of PeakArts, and in 2003 this association dissolved into two entities: Boulder Arts Academy / Boulder Ballet and the Boulder Philharmonic. 2003 would also be the year that Sue Levine was hired as the executive director of PeakArts.

Michael Butterman is currently the Music Director for both the Boulder Philharmonic and the Shreveport Symphony. He is also on the conducting staff of the Jacksonville Symphony and the Principal Conductor for Education and Outreach with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra celebrated its 50th anniversary with its 2007-2008 season.

Musicians

Music Director:
Michael Butterman

Violin I:
Gregory Walker: Concertmaster

Concertmaster

The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...

,
Annamaria Karacson: Assistant Concertmaster,
Willemien Meyer,
Gyongver Petheo,
Debra Holland,
Malva Tarasewicz,
Alice Vermeer,
Yenlik Bodaubay,
Michelle Davis,
Desiree Cedeno-Suarez

Violin II:
Leah Mohling: Principal,
Takanori Sugishita: Assistant Principal,
Sue Levine,
Sarah Delevoryas,
Lori Walker,
Miriam Linschoten,
Regan Kane,
Azi Vieira

Flute:
Pamela Vliek: Principal
Elizabeth Sadilek,
Olga Shylayeva

Piccolo:
Olga Shylayeva

Oboe:
Sarah Mellander: Principal,
Susanne Sawchuk

Horn:
Michael Yopp: Principal,
Devon Park: Associate Principal,
Jeff Rubin,
Stuart Mock

Clarinet:
Stephanie Zelnick: Principal,
Bronwyn Fraser,
Karen Dusek

Bass Clarinet:
Karen Dusek

Bassoon:
Charles Hansen: Principal,
Kim Peoria,
Wendy LaTouche

Viola:
Mary Harrison: Principal,
Summer Rhodes: Assistant Principal,
Nancy McNeill,
Claire Figel,
Colin Garner,
Aniel Caban

Cello:
Charles Lee: Principal,
Marcelo Sanches: Assistant Principal,
Elenore Wells,
Anne Brennand,
Yoriko Morita,
Sara Fierer,
Shirley Mock,
Georgia Blum,
Karen Terbeek

Bass:
Dale Day: Principal,
Nan Lou Brown,
Brock Chambers,
David Crowe,
Sean Kelly,
Brian Knott,
Bob Orecchio

Trumpet:
Mark Hyams: Principal,
Ken Aikin,
Roberta Goodall

Trombone:
Johanna Rubsam: Principal
Danielle Chollet,
Pete Vriesenga

Tuba:
Michael Allen: Principal

Timpani:
Doug Walter: Principal

Percussion:
Hiroko Okada: Principal,
Paul Mullikin: Assistant Principal

Harp:
Kathleen Wychulis: Principal

Piano:
Arthur Olsen: Principal