Greensboro Symphony Orchestra
The roots of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra (GSO) extend back to the 1920’s when a group of musicians at Woman’s College (now UNCG) banded together under the direction of Henry Fuchs. In 1939, the Dean of Music at the Woman’s College, H. Hugh Altvater, formally organized the group as the Greensboro Orchestra, which was financially sustained by the College. In 1951, when Concertmaster George Dickieson, head of the Woman’s College Violin Department, became the conductor, the orchestra began to gain considerable community support and became a member of the American Symphony Orchestra League. An advisory committee was formed to further the development of the orchestra which later became independent of the University. The Greensboro Symphony Society became an independent organization and eventually assumed total financial responsibility for the Orchestra. In 1959, the Greensboro Symphony Society was created with the goals of promoting and fostering musical culture and education in the community. Under the leadership of Miles Wolff, the first president of the Symphony Society and editor of the Greensboro Daily News & Record, the Society was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1959. In 1963, Thomas Cousins was appointed conductor. The Orchestra’s steady growth, coupled with its image in the community, prompted the Society’s decision to assume responsibility for part of the conductor’s salary. In 1964, Miles Wolff led the development of the Greensboro Symphony Guild to aid the Greensboro Symphony Society in the promotion of an orchestra in the community. The Junior League was enlisted to help organize this community-based guild comprised of dedicated women. In 1967, Sheldon Morgenstern became the first conductor whose salary was fully paid by the Society. In 1975, Dr. Peter Paul Fuchs became Music Director/Conductor. At the conclusion of the 1986/1987 season, Maestro Fuchs was honored with the title of Conductor Laureate. Paul Anthony McRae joined the Orchestra as its Music Director in June of 1987 and led the Orchestra for more than eight seasons. Stuart Malina, a graduate of Harvard University, Yale School of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music, became the Symphony’s sixth Music Director in May of 1996. Upon his departure in 2003, the Greensboro Symphony appointed world-renowned violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky, as it seventh Music Director.
Community Outreach
The Symphony’s educational programs, supported by the N.C. Arts Council and the Greensboro Symphony Guild, serve more than 50,000 students every season. The Music in the Middle and the Elementary Student programs were designed to correlate with the appropriate grade curriculum. Adult Education Program included Music at Midday (a music appreciation series held in January and February at area retirement communities); Concert Preludes (pre-concert lectures by guest speakers, open to all classical concert-goers); and Postludes, an after-concert conversation with the Music Director and guest artists.
Youth Involvement
