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Utah Symphony

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Utah Symphony (USO, USUO)
Orchestra
The Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City
Founded1940
LocationSalt Lake City, Utah
Concert hallAbravanel Hall
Principal conductorThierry Fischer
Websitewww.utahsymphony.org
Abravanel Hall, home of the Utah Symphony

The Utah Symphony is an American orchestra based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The orchestra's principal venue is Abravanel Hall. In addition to its Salt Lake City subscription concerts, the orchestra travels around the Intermountain West serving communities throughout Utah. The orchestra accompanies the Utah Opera in four productions per year at Salt Lake's Capitol Theatre. In addition, the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera have a summer residency at the Deer Valley Music Festival, located in Park City, Utah. The orchestra receives funding from the Utah State Legislature for educational concerts. The Symphony has a division in Utah Valley that is based out of the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

History

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The first attempt to create a symphony orchestra in the Utah area occurred in 1892, four years before Utah achieved statehood. The Salt Lake Symphony (not to be confused with the modern Salt Lake Symphony) was created and presented just one concert before disbanding. In 1902, the Salt Lake Symphony Orchestra was formed, and it remained in existence until 1911. In 1913, the Salt Lake Philharmonic was formed, and it continued until 1925.

The organization of a symphony with "Utah" in its name started during the Great Depression as part of the Federal Music Project, an employment-assistance program which formed part of Federal Project Number One (which in turn was an arm of the Works Project Administration).[1] The Project hired Reginald Beales to create a musical group in Utah. He formed the Utah State Sinfonietta with a core of 5 members. That group grew rapidly and toured extensively, presenting concerts throughout Utah.[2]

By 1940, federal funding for arts projects had ceased, so local enthusiasts formed the Utah State Symphony Orchestra on April 4, 1940, with Fred E. Smith as president. They scheduled their first concert for May 8, 1940 and asked Hans Henriot to conduct it. The resulting concert was so successful that the group offered Henriot a contract to direct the orchestra. This ensemble grew to 52 part-time musicians.

In 1947, Maurice Abravanel became the orchestra's music director. He built the ensemble into a full-time orchestra and developed its wider national reputation. He recorded and toured extensively with the orchestra. Under Abravanel, the orchestra first recorded with Vanguard Records and then with Vox Records. including complete symphony cycles of Mahler and of Tchaikovsky, as well as works by Varese, Milhaud, Gottschalk, Honegger, and Satie. The Utah Symphony’s recordings of Mahler’s symphonies with Abravanel were the first complete cycle recorded by an American orchestra (Vanguard). Honors for Abravanel's Mahler recordings with the orchestra include the “Mahler Medal of Honor” from the Bruckner Society of America (1965) and the International Gustav Mahler Society award for “Best Mahler Recording” (Fifth Symphony, 1975). During Abravanel’s tenure, the Orchestra’s music education program grew into one of the most extensive arts education programs in the region. Educational concerts were given on orchestra tours across the Intermountain West and at home in the Salt Lake Valley. Abravanel concluded his tenure as music director in 1979. That same year, it left its longtime home at the Mormon Tabernacle and moved into Symphony Hall (renamed Abravanel Hall in 1993), its first dedicated concert venue.

The Orchestra’s season grew to a year-round schedule by 1980. Successors to Abravanel included Varujan Kojian (1980–1983), Joseph Silverstein (1983–1998), and Keith Lockhart (1998–2009). Under Silverstein and Lockhart, the orchestra continued its commitment to contemporary American music. In July 2002, the governing boards of Utah Symphony and Utah Opera decided to consolidate both organizations, resulting in the formation of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera. At the time of the merger, it was one of only two merged symphony and opera companies in the United States.

In September 2009, Thierry Fischer became the orchestra's music director.[3] Contemporary works commissioned by the orchestra during Fischer's tenure have included EOS (Goddess of the Dawn) by Augusta Read Thomas and the percussion concerto Switch by Andrew Norman.[4] Fischer is currently contracted with the Utah Symphony through the 2021–2022 season.[5] In May 2019, the orchestra announced that Fischer is to conclude his tenure as its music director at the end of his current contract, at the close of the 2021–2022 season.[6] However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, in October 2020, the orchestra announced a change to the scheduled conclusion of Fischer's contract as its music director, through August 2023, to supersede the May 2019 announcement.[7]

In January 2009, the orchestra named Gerald Steichen as its principal pops conductor.[8] In 2017, Conner Gray Covington was appointed to the role of Assistant Conductor and then promoted to Associate Conductor.[9] After Covington stepped down in 2021, Benjamin Manis became the next Associate Conductor for the 2022-23 season, after his successful audition with the orchestra.[10] Manis was followed by Matthew Straw who held the role of Assistant Conductor for the 2023-2024 season. [11]

David Robertson first guest-conducted the orchestra in October 2020.[12] He returned for an additional guest-conducting engagement in December 2021.[13] In December 2022, the orchestra announced the appointment of Robertson as its first-ever creative partner, effective with the 2023-2024 season, with a contract of 3 years.[14]

Music Directors

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References

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  1. ^ McCormick, John S. (1994), "The Great Depression", Utah History Encyclopedia, University of Utah Press, ISBN 9780874804256, archived from the original on March 22, 2024, retrieved April 15, 2024, The Utah Symphony Orchestra started as a WPA Music Project.
  2. ^ Willis, Cherie (1994), "The Utah Symphony", Utah History Encyclopedia, University of Utah Press, ISBN 9780874804256, archived from the original on March 21, 2024, retrieved April 15, 2024
  3. ^ Edward Reichel (September 24, 2009). "Utah Symphony announces Lockhart replacement". Deseret News. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  4. ^ Catherine Reese Newton (November 6, 2015). "Review: Utah Symphony, percussionist Colin Currie flip the 'Switch' on an electrifying world premiere". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  5. ^ Sean P. Means (May 24, 2017). "Fischer extends Utah Symphony contract through 2022". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  6. ^ "Thierry Fischer Announces Plans to Conclude Tenure as Utah Symphony Music Director Following 2021–22 Season" (Press release). Utah Symphony. May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  7. ^ "Utah Symphony and Music Director Thierry Fischer Extend Partnership Through 2022-23 Season" (Press release). Utah Symphony. October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  8. ^ Catherine Reese Newton (January 23, 2009). "Symphony names pops boss". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  9. ^ "Conner Gray Covington announced as Utah Symphony's assistant conductor". Deseret News. February 10, 2017.
  10. ^ "Utah Symphony Appoints Benjamin Manis as Associate Conductor". Utah Opera. March 1, 2021.
  11. ^ "Utah Symphony Appoints Matthew Straw as Assistant Conductor". Utah Opera. April 13, 2023.
  12. ^ Edward Reichel (October 23, 2020). "Robertson makes an impressive debut with Utah Symphony". Utah Arts Review. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  13. ^ Rick Mortensen (December 4, 2021). "Robertson's return bolsters close rapport with Utah Symphony musicians". Utah Arts Review. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  14. ^ "Utah Symphony / Utah Opera Announces David Robertson as Inaugural Creative Partner" (Press release). Utah Symphony / Utah Opera. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
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