Montreal Symphony Orchestra

The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO) (in French: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM)) is a major orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with its home venue at Montreal's Place des Arts.

Related Topics:
French - Orchestra - Montreal - Quebec - Canada - Place des Arts

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There have been a number of organisations with this name, including one formed in 1897, which lasted ten years, and another formed in 1930, which lasted eleven. The current orchestra, however, traces its roots back to 1935, when Wilfrid Pelletier formed an ensemble called Les Concerts Symphoniques. It changed to its current name in 1954.

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Principal conductors of the orchestra have included Otto Klemperer (1950–1953), Zubin Mehta (1961–1967) and Charles Dutoit (1978–2002).

Related Topics:
Conductor - Otto Klemperer - Zubin Mehta - Charles Dutoit

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In the early 1960s, when the Orchestra was preparing to move to new facilities at Place des Arts, patron and prominent Montreal philanthropist, John Wilson McConnell purchased the 1727 Laub-Petschnikoff Stradivarius violin for Calvin Sieb, the Symphony's concertmaster and violinist.

Related Topics:
John Wilson McConnell - Laub-Petschnikoff - Stradivarius - Calvin Sieb

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In March 2003, the orchestra announced that Kent Nagano will be its new principal conductor starting in 2006 with a contract running to 2012. He gave his first concert in Montreal on March 30 2005. Nagano will be the musical adviser to principal guest conductor Jacques Lacombe for the next two years.

Related Topics:
March 2003 - Kent Nagano - 2006 - 2012 - March 30 - 2005 - Jacques Lacombe

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The MSO won a Grammy award in 1996 for their recording of Hector Berlioz' Les Troyens. It has also won a number of Juno Awards.

Related Topics:
Grammy - Hector Berlioz - Les Troyens - Juno Award

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On May 10, 2005, the MSO's musicians went on strike after months of negotiations in which the union accepted concessions to the expired contract. The musicians walked off playing When The Saints Go Marching In.

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