Springfield Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra
based in Springfield, Massachusetts
. It performs at Symphony Hall
, a part of the Springfield Municipal Group
.
The Springfield Symphony (SSO) got its start when the conductor of the amateur Pioneer Valley Orchestra of Greenfield, MA
, Alexander Leslie, decided he was ready to lead a professional organization. After gaining the support of the area cultural and business communities, Leslie began to assemble an orchestra based in Springfield, which had no professional orchestra.
The SSO performed its first concert at the Municipal Auditorium
in 1944. Its first performance was given great reviews and even recorded by the Office of War Information for rebroadcast overseas.
The SSO has throughout its history support musical education programs in the Greater Springfield area.
Today, the SSO is the largest symphony in Massachusetts outside of Boston. It consists of 80 musicians from the Pioneer Valley
, Boston
, and New York
and usually holds as many as 150 performances as either the full orchestra or in enemble formats. Its concerts are often broadcast over WFCR
, the area NPR station. The current music director is Kevin Rhodes.
It is the parent organization of two youth orchestras: the Springfield Youth Sinfonia (formally Young Person's Philharmonia) and the Springfield Youth Orchestra (formally Young Person's Symphony). They offer young musicians a chance to play in a full orchestra, an option not offered in many schools.
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 Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. It performs at Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall, Springfield
Symphony Hall is a concert venue in Springfield, Massachusetts. Constructed between 1911-1913 and originally known as "The Auditorium," Symphony Hall is renowned as much for its "perfect acoustics" as it is for its Greek Revival architecture...
, a part of the Springfield Municipal Group
Springfield Municipal Group
The Municipal Group of Springfield, Massachusetts is a collection of three prominent municipal buildings in the city's Metro Center district. Consisting of a concert hall, City Hall, and a clocktower, the Group is a center of government and culture in the city.-Layout:Bounded by Court and Pynchon...
.
The Springfield Symphony (SSO) got its start when the conductor of the amateur Pioneer Valley Orchestra of Greenfield, MA
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
, Alexander Leslie, decided he was ready to lead a professional organization. After gaining the support of the area cultural and business communities, Leslie began to assemble an orchestra based in Springfield, which had no professional orchestra.
The SSO performed its first concert at the Municipal Auditorium
Springfield Municipal Group
The Municipal Group of Springfield, Massachusetts is a collection of three prominent municipal buildings in the city's Metro Center district. Consisting of a concert hall, City Hall, and a clocktower, the Group is a center of government and culture in the city.-Layout:Bounded by Court and Pynchon...
in 1944. Its first performance was given great reviews and even recorded by the Office of War Information for rebroadcast overseas.
The SSO has throughout its history support musical education programs in the Greater Springfield area.
Today, the SSO is the largest symphony in Massachusetts outside of Boston. It consists of 80 musicians from the Pioneer Valley
Pioneer Valley
The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial name for the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts's portion of the Connecticut River Valley. The Pioneer Valley consists of three counties in Massachusetts which collectively feature much of New England's most fertile farmland...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and usually holds as many as 150 performances as either the full orchestra or in enemble formats. Its concerts are often broadcast over WFCR
WFCR
- WNNZ :WFCR provides a full-time NPR news/talk programming feed on WNNZ, 640 kHz, licensed to Westfield, Massachusetts, which was owned by Clear Channel Communications. WNNZ's grade B signal reaches into the Capital District of New York State....
, the area NPR station. The current music director is Kevin Rhodes.
It is the parent organization of two youth orchestras: the Springfield Youth Sinfonia (formally Young Person's Philharmonia) and the Springfield Youth Orchestra (formally Young Person's Symphony). They offer young musicians a chance to play in a full orchestra, an option not offered in many schools.