Hudson Valley Philharmonic
Encyclopedia
The Hudson Valley Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in Poughkeepsie, New York in the United States
. The Hudson Valley Philharmonic also known as HVP began in 1932 and it serves the Hudson Valley
region.
The Philharmonic offers a series of concert performances
in the Bardavon 1869 Opera House
or the Ulster Performing Arts Center.
The orchestra makes regular guest appearances at festival venues, including: SUNY/New Paltz Piano Summer
, the Bowdoin Park pavilion of Dutchess County , and Bethel Woods Center for the Performing Arts.
In 1945, George Hagstrom stepped down as music director handing the baton over to Ole Windingstad
, a European-trained conductor who came from the Oslo Philharmonic in Norway. Ole Windingstad
also served as conductor to the New Orleans Philharmonic from 1940 to 1944. On October 29, 1953 under the direction of Maestro Ole Windingstad
, the orchestra presented a program of two Norwegian composers, Grieg and Sparre-Olsen at New York's Carnegie Hall
. It was also during Ole Windingstad
's tenure that the orchestra presented Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf
narrated by former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt
.
By 1959, Claude Monteux
, world-class flutist and son of legendary conductor Pierre Monteux
, had elevated the orchestra to a fully professional ensemble, renamed the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Society, Inc. Under his baton, the HVP became a prestigious regional orchestra. The Young People's Concerts program we offered today is a direct descendent of the school-day concerts introduced by Claude Monteux
.
Imre Pallo
, formerly Director of the Deutsche Opera of the Rhein/Germany and New York City Opera conductor, succeeded Claude Monteux
as Music Director in 1976. Imre Pallo
introduced the first Hudson Valley Philharmonic opera series in 1978, and in 1979 established a pops series modeled after the successful Boston Pops.
Randall Craig Fleischer
became the third Music Director of the HVP during the orchestra's 1992 season, its thirty-third year. Under the leadership of Randall Fleischer, the orchestra evolved into one of the region's major performing arts and educational assets. As has been widely reported, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Society, Inc. sustained a financial crisis in 1998.
To save the forty-year old cultural cornerstone of the community, local regional philanthropic foundations stated their willingness to commit substantial support provided the Bardavon would step in to reorganize and reinstate the orchestra. A Juilliard teaching artist and affiliate of the New York Philharmonic
redesigned the concert program. The New York State Legislature and the foundations aided the Bardavon to purchase the assets and name Hudson Valley Philharmonic. On June 3, 1999 the Hudson Valley Philharmonic officially became a Bardavon subsidiary. Each year, the program provides thousands of regional school children with the opportunity to view orchestral concerts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Hudson Valley Philharmonic also known as HVP began in 1932 and it serves the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
region.
The Philharmonic offers a series of concert performances
in the Bardavon 1869 Opera House
Bardavon 1869 Opera House
The Bardavon 1869 Opera House , in the downtown district of Poughkeepsie, New York, USA, is the oldest continuously-operating theater in New York State. Built in 1869, it served as a venue for various performing arts, community meetings, and celebrations until 1923; it largely resumed this...
or the Ulster Performing Arts Center.
The orchestra makes regular guest appearances at festival venues, including: SUNY/New Paltz Piano Summer
Piano Summer
Piano Summer is an international summer institute and festival dedicated solely to piano music it was founded in 1995. It features an integrated approach to learning and performance under the artistic direction of master pianist and teacher Vladimir Feltsman. Gifted students from around the world...
, the Bowdoin Park pavilion of Dutchess County , and Bethel Woods Center for the Performing Arts.
History
In 1932, four Poughkeepsie businessmen who were also dedicated string players—George Hagstrom, Sydney Fleishman, Charles T. Miller and Dr. Charles Hoffman formed the nucleus of local musicians that eventually evolved into the Dutchess County Philharmonic Orchestra. With Hagstrom as its first conductor, the orchestra was made up of amateurs and professionals alike, plus a number of music students from surrounding high schools. In 1934, local backing enabled the DCPO to perform its first series of public concerts. By the 1940s, it had grown to 93 musicians. DCPO repertoire was largely classical, including some contemporary music and works by local composers.In 1945, George Hagstrom stepped down as music director handing the baton over to Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad was a Norwegian-American conductor, pianist and composer. He was the conductor of the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra in Brooklyn, New York and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. His most notable symphonic composition was The Tide.-Biography:Ole Windingstad was born in Sandefjord,...
, a European-trained conductor who came from the Oslo Philharmonic in Norway. Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad was a Norwegian-American conductor, pianist and composer. He was the conductor of the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra in Brooklyn, New York and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. His most notable symphonic composition was The Tide.-Biography:Ole Windingstad was born in Sandefjord,...
also served as conductor to the New Orleans Philharmonic from 1940 to 1944. On October 29, 1953 under the direction of Maestro Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad was a Norwegian-American conductor, pianist and composer. He was the conductor of the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra in Brooklyn, New York and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. His most notable symphonic composition was The Tide.-Biography:Ole Windingstad was born in Sandefjord,...
, the orchestra presented a program of two Norwegian composers, Grieg and Sparre-Olsen at New York's 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....
. It was also during Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad was a Norwegian-American conductor, pianist and composer. He was the conductor of the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra in Brooklyn, New York and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. His most notable symphonic composition was The Tide.-Biography:Ole Windingstad was born in Sandefjord,...
's tenure that the orchestra presented Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf , Op. 67, is a composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936 in the USSR. It is a children's story , spoken by a narrator accompanied by the orchestra....
narrated by former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
.
By 1959, Claude Monteux
Claude Monteux
Claude Monteux is an American flutist and conductor.-Career:As a flutist Claude Monteux played under the batons of Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Thomas Beecham, Leopold Stokowski, Pablo Casals, Igor Stravinsky, and his father Pierre Monteux...
, world-class flutist and son of legendary conductor Pierre Monteux
Pierre Monteux
Pierre Monteux was an orchestra conductor. Born in Paris, France, Monteux later became an American citizen.-Life and career:Monteux was born in Paris in 1875. His family was descended from Sephardi Jews who came to France in the wake of the Spanish Inquisition. He studied violin from an early age,...
, had elevated the orchestra to a fully professional ensemble, renamed the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Society, Inc. Under his baton, the HVP became a prestigious regional orchestra. The Young People's Concerts program we offered today is a direct descendent of the school-day concerts introduced by Claude Monteux
Claude Monteux
Claude Monteux is an American flutist and conductor.-Career:As a flutist Claude Monteux played under the batons of Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Thomas Beecham, Leopold Stokowski, Pablo Casals, Igor Stravinsky, and his father Pierre Monteux...
.
Imre Pallo
Imre Palló
Imre Palló was a Hungarian baritone, and later opera house manager.Palló studied in Budapest with Georg Anthes and in Italy with Mario Sammarco....
, formerly Director of the Deutsche Opera of the Rhein/Germany and New York City Opera conductor, succeeded Claude Monteux
Claude Monteux
Claude Monteux is an American flutist and conductor.-Career:As a flutist Claude Monteux played under the batons of Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Thomas Beecham, Leopold Stokowski, Pablo Casals, Igor Stravinsky, and his father Pierre Monteux...
as Music Director in 1976. Imre Pallo
Imre Palló
Imre Palló was a Hungarian baritone, and later opera house manager.Palló studied in Budapest with Georg Anthes and in Italy with Mario Sammarco....
introduced the first Hudson Valley Philharmonic opera series in 1978, and in 1979 established a pops series modeled after the successful Boston Pops.
Randall Craig Fleischer
Randall Craig Fleischer
Randall Craig Fleischer is an American conductor. He is the current Music Director of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Anchorage Symphony, and Youngstown Symphony orchestras .-External links:*...
became the third Music Director of the HVP during the orchestra's 1992 season, its thirty-third year. Under the leadership of Randall Fleischer, the orchestra evolved into one of the region's major performing arts and educational assets. As has been widely reported, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Society, Inc. sustained a financial crisis in 1998.
To save the forty-year old cultural cornerstone of the community, local regional philanthropic foundations stated their willingness to commit substantial support provided the Bardavon would step in to reorganize and reinstate the orchestra. A Juilliard teaching artist and affiliate of 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"...
redesigned the concert program. The New York State Legislature and the foundations aided the Bardavon to purchase the assets and name Hudson Valley Philharmonic. On June 3, 1999 the Hudson Valley Philharmonic officially became a Bardavon subsidiary. Each year, the program provides thousands of regional school children with the opportunity to view orchestral concerts.
Principal Players
The current principal chairs of the orchestra are as follows:
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