Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Sydney Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Sydney Symphony, is a symphony orchestra based in Sydney, Australia.

Related Topics:
Orchestra - Sydney - Australia

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It is Australia's leading orchestra and the busiest in the nation.

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The Sydney Symphony Orchestra evolved from a small group of twenty-four musicians which were brought together to play concerts and to provide incidental music for radio plays when the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) was established in 1932.

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The first significant concert event in which the orchestra took part was in 1934, when the renowned Irish conductor Sir Hamilton Harty visited Australia.

Related Topics:
Irish - Hamilton Harty

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His visit led to calls for the creation of a permanent symphony orchestra for Sydney.

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In 1936, the Sydney orchestra was increased to 45 players, augmented to 70 for public performances.

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It also inaugurated annual concert seasons that year.

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Because of the political instability in Europe in the 1930s, many leading artists spent large amounts of time in Australia.

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Performances were given under the direction of the Hungarian conductor Antal Dorati and the British conductor Sir Thomas Beecham.

Related Topics:
Hungarian - Antal Dorati - British - Thomas Beecham

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Soloists appearing with the orchestra included Arthur Rubinstein, Bronislaw Huberman and Artur Schnabel.

Related Topics:
Arthur Rubinstein - Artur Schnabel

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At the end of World War II, the ABC reached agreement with the Sydney's city council and the New South Wales state government to establish an orchestra in Sydney.

Related Topics:
World War II - New South Wales

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The new 82-player Sydney Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert in January 1946.

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Eugene Goossens joined the orchestra as its first chief conductor in 1947.

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Goossens introduced outdoor concerts and conducted Australian premieres of contemporary music.

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In 1948, he uttered the prophetic words: "Sydney must have an opera house!"

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Goossens was succeeded by the Dutch conductor Willem van Otterloo.

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Under Van Otterloo, the Sydney Orchestra made an eight-week European tour in 1974 culminated in two concerts in Amsterdam and The Hague.

Related Topics:
Amsterdam - The Hague

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Under Otterloo, the orchestra established the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House as its home base.

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In 1982 Sir Charles Mackerras became the first Australian to be appointed chief conductor.

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When he fell ill in 1985, the young Australian conductor Stuart Challender stepped in to conduct some of his performances.

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These concerts led to his appointment as the orchestra's chief conductor in 1987.

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In 1994, the orchestra received increase support from the federal government, enabling it to increase the number of players to 110, increase touring and recording ventures, and improve orchestral salaries.

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That year, it also appointed the Dutch conductor Edo de Waart the orchestra's chief conductor and artistic director, who held the post until 2003.

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Highlights of his tenure in Sydney include the Ring in concert version and tours of Europe (1995), Japan (1996) and the US (1998).

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The orchestra gives 150 concerts annually to an audience of 350,000.

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In February 2004, Gianluigi Gelmetti was appointed chief conductor and artistic director.

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