Seattle Symphony

The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Gerard Schwarz has served as its music director since 1985.

Related Topics:
American - Orchestra - Seattle, Washington - Gerard Schwarz

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Over 300,000 people each year attend performances of this Grammy-award-winning orchestra in Benaroya Hall, located in downtown Seattle. Its season runs from September through July.

Related Topics:
Grammy - Benaroya Hall - Downtown Seattle

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Under Schwarz's leadership, the orchestra has become particularly known for performing works of 20th century composers, especially of neglected American composers. Together, Schwarz and the orchestra have recorded a sizable number of pieces, including the major orchestral works of Howard Hanson.

Related Topics:
20th century - Composers - Howard Hanson

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In addition to its own concerts, the Seattle Symphony serves as the pit orchestra for most productions of the Seattle Opera, including that company's annual Wagner presentations each summer.

Related Topics:
Seattle Opera - Wagner

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Music directors prior to Schwarz have included the noted American composer Henry Hadley (1909-11), John Spargur (1911-21), Basil Cameron (1932-38), Nikolai Sokoloff (1938-40), renowned British conductor Thomas Beecham (1941-44), and Manuel Rosenthal (1949-51).

Related Topics:
Henry Hadley - Nikolai Sokoloff - Thomas Beecham - Manuel Rosenthal

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The orchestra's first performance was given on December 29, 1903, with Harry West conducting. Known from its founding as the Seattle Symphony, it was renamed in 1911 as the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1919, the orchestra was reorganized with new bylaws under the name Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Evenso, for most of its 100-year history, and especially today, the ensemble is known by the two-word name "Seattle Symphony."

Related Topics:
December 29 - 1903 - 1911 - 1919

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