Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is a major American orchestra based in Indianapolis
, Indiana
.
Annually, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performs 200 concerts for over 350,000 people. It is the largest performing arts organization in Indiana. The ISO is currently one of only 18 American orchestras that perform year round. It also has a discography of 36 recordings. Since 1982, a popular summer series is the Marsh
Symphony on the Prairie, performed at Conner Prairie
in Fishers
. It has drawn a record 13,000 attendees for the Patriotic Pops night.
The ISO's home theatre is the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Downtown Indianapolis on Monument Circle. Previous locations included Clowes Hall on the campus of Butler University
and Caleb Mills Hall. The Circle Theatre, a former "movie palace", was renovated and enlarged for the Symphony and re-opened October 12, 1984.
An annual holiday performance begun in December 1986 is the Duke Energy
Yuletide Celebration, hosted in recent years by Sandi Patty
and Daniel Rodriguez
, among others.
was hired as the Orchestra's first music director, as the musicians became fully professional, paid a weekly salary for a 20-week season. The orchestra quickly ascended to national prominence, issuing a series of phonograph recordings on RCA
in the 1940s and early 1950s.
In 1956, Izler Solomon
was appointed to the post of music director. The orchestra toured nationally and produced a series of international salute concerts. This series won a US State Department Award.
John Nelson
became the director in 1976, and established the orchestra's present home at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis. Nelson brought the ISO back to the airwaves on NPR
and PBS, as well as concerts in Carnegie Hall
in 1989 and 1991 and at the Kennedy Center
. He also took the orchestra on its first-ever foreign tour, to Germany
in 1987, with concertmaster Hidetaro Suzuki.
Nelson was followed by Raymond Leppard
in 1987. Under Leppard's direction, the orchestra began a 52-week season, and made a series of recordings on the Koss Classics label. Leppard returned the orchestra to Europe for two more tours in 1993 and 1997. Indianapolis On The Air, a weekly radio series begun in 1994, is produced by WFYI
in Indianapolis and is syndicated to over 250 radio stations in 38 states.
The symphony announced on October 19, 2010, that Krzysztof Urbanski
would become the seventh music director in the organization's eight-decade history, as well as the youngest musician to lead the orchestra.
Some of the orchestra's earliest recordings have re-appeared on the Historic Recordings.co.uk label in the UK.
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
Annually, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performs 200 concerts for over 350,000 people. It is the largest performing arts organization in Indiana. The ISO is currently one of only 18 American orchestras that perform year round. It also has a discography of 36 recordings. Since 1982, a popular summer series is the Marsh
Marsh Supermarkets
Marsh Supermarkets is a retail food chain headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with stores throughout Central Indiana and parts of Ohio. Its parent company is Sun Capital Partners, headquarterd in Boca Raton, Florida.-History:...
Symphony on the Prairie, performed at Conner Prairie
Conner Prairie
Conner Prairie is an Interactive History Park, or living history museum, in Fishers, Indiana, USA, that preserves the William Conner home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and recreates part of life in Indiana in the 19th century on the White River.-History and...
in Fishers
Fishers, Indiana
Fishers is a town located in Fall Creek and Delaware townships, Hamilton County, Indiana, with a population of 76,794, according to the 2010 census. A suburb of Indianapolis, Fishers has grown rapidly in recent decades: about 350 people lived there in 1963, 2,000 in 1980, and only 7,200 as recently...
. It has drawn a record 13,000 attendees for the Patriotic Pops night.
The ISO's home theatre is the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Downtown Indianapolis on Monument Circle. Previous locations included Clowes Hall on the campus of Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
and Caleb Mills Hall. The Circle Theatre, a former "movie palace", was renovated and enlarged for the Symphony and re-opened October 12, 1984.
An annual holiday performance begun in December 1986 is the Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...
Yuletide Celebration, hosted in recent years by Sandi Patty
Sandi Patty
Sandra Faye "Sandi" Patty is an American Christian music singer. For many years she was known as Sandi Patti. She has been dubbed "The Voice" by critics, because of her wide range and flexibility.-Early life:...
and Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodríguez is an American operatic tenor from New York City. He became known as "The Singing Policeman" in his former work with the New York City Police Department, due to his role as one of the department's designated National Anthem singers...
, among others.
History
The Orchestra was founded in 1930 by Ferdinand Schaefer, a local violin professor. In 1937, Fabien SevitzkyFabien Sevitzky
Fabien Sevitzky was a Russian-born American conductor. He was the nephew of Serge Koussevitsky....
was hired as the Orchestra's first music director, as the musicians became fully professional, paid a weekly salary for a 20-week season. The orchestra quickly ascended to national prominence, issuing a series of phonograph recordings on RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
in the 1940s and early 1950s.
In 1956, Izler Solomon
Izler Solomon
Izler Solomon was an American orchestra conductor, active mostly in the Midwest....
was appointed to the post of music director. The orchestra toured nationally and produced a series of international salute concerts. This series won a US State Department Award.
John Nelson
John Nelson (conductor)
John Wilton Nelson is an American conductor. Nelson studied at Wheaton College, and later at the Juilliard School of Music with Jean Morel ....
became the director in 1976, and established the orchestra's present home at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis. Nelson brought the ISO back to the airwaves on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
and PBS, as well as concerts in 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....
in 1989 and 1991 and at the Kennedy Center
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
. He also took the orchestra on its first-ever foreign tour, to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1987, with concertmaster Hidetaro Suzuki.
Nelson was followed by Raymond Leppard
Raymond Leppard
Raymond "Def" Leppard, CBE is a British conductor and harpsichordist.He was born in London and grew up in Bath, where he was educated at the City of Bath Boys' School, now known as the Beechen Cliff School...
in 1987. Under Leppard's direction, the orchestra began a 52-week season, and made a series of recordings on the Koss Classics label. Leppard returned the orchestra to Europe for two more tours in 1993 and 1997. Indianapolis On The Air, a weekly radio series begun in 1994, is produced by WFYI
WFYI-FM
WFYI-FM is the National Public Radio member station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is operated by Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting, which also operates the area's PBS member station, WFYI Television....
in Indianapolis and is syndicated to over 250 radio stations in 38 states.
The symphony announced on October 19, 2010, that Krzysztof Urbanski
Krzysztof Urbanski
Krzysztof Urbanski - born in Pabianice, Poland in 1982.Chief Conductor: Trondheim SymfoniorkesterMusic Director: Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra - Education:...
would become the seventh music director in the organization's eight-decade history, as well as the youngest musician to lead the orchestra.
Some of the orchestra's earliest recordings have re-appeared on the Historic Recordings.co.uk label in the UK.
Music directors
- Ferdinand Schaefer (1930–1937) (founder)
- Fabien SevitzkyFabien SevitzkyFabien Sevitzky was a Russian-born American conductor. He was the nephew of Serge Koussevitsky....
(1937–1955) - Izler SolomonIzler SolomonIzler Solomon was an American orchestra conductor, active mostly in the Midwest....
(1956–1975) - John NelsonJohn Nelson (conductor)John Wilton Nelson is an American conductor. Nelson studied at Wheaton College, and later at the Juilliard School of Music with Jean Morel ....
(1976–1987) - Raymond LeppardRaymond LeppardRaymond "Def" Leppard, CBE is a British conductor and harpsichordist.He was born in London and grew up in Bath, where he was educated at the City of Bath Boys' School, now known as the Beechen Cliff School...
(1987–2001) (now Conductor Laureate) - Mario VenzagoMario VenzagoMario Venzago is a Swiss conductor. His piano studies began at age five. He studied at the conservatory and the university in Zurich...
(2002–2009) - Krzysztof UrbanskiKrzysztof UrbanskiKrzysztof Urbanski - born in Pabianice, Poland in 1982.Chief Conductor: Trondheim SymfoniorkesterMusic Director: Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra - Education:...
(2011–present)
Principal Pops Conductors
- Erich KunzelErich KunzelErich Kunzel, Jr. was an American orchestra conductor. Called the "Prince of Pops" by the Chicago Tribune, he performed with a number of leading pops and symphony orchestras, especially the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra , which he led for over 44 years.-Early life and career:Kunzel was born to...
(1982–2002) - Jack EverlyJack EverlyJack Everly is an American conductor and music arranger who serves as Principal Pops Conductor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and National Arts Centre Orchestra as well as Music Director for the Symphonic Pops Consortium.Born...
(2002–present)