Canton Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Canton Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra
based in Canton
, Ohio
. Founded in 1937, the orchestra made its first performance on February 16, 1938 under the direction of Richard Oppenheimer. Gerhardt Zimmermann, the current music director, has directed the orchestra since 1980.
MISSION
Perform and present at the highest possible artistic level live orchestral music to enrich, entertain, educate, and challenge diverse audiences in a variety of settings. In doing so, we will serve our community, manage our resources responsibly, and be accountable to our donors, audiences, employees and volunteers.
ARTISTIC MISSION
In carrying out the Association's mission to perform and present live orchestral music at the highest possible artistic level, the orchestra will perform both standard and contemporary repertoire, and will annually begin the classical series with a work by an American composer. It will commission new music, showcase established guest soloists and new young talent. It will provide service to American orchestras by offering its musicians experience in performing a wide range of repertoire, under the direction of conductors of high quality.
HISTORY
As the flagship performing arts organization of Stark County, the Canton Symphony Orchestra is one of the most highly respected small-budget symphony orchestras in the United States. With musical leadership from nationally-recognized conductor Gerhardt Zimmermann – now in his 31st year as Music Director – the CSO is ranked by knowledgeable the region’s leading musicians as second only to the Cleveland Orchestra in this part of the state.
Formed in 1937, the CSO gave its first concert on February 16, 1938 under the direction of Richard Oppenheimer. Louis Lane, Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, became its second Music Director in 1949. His tenure initiated a period of several decades while George Szell was Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra, when the Cleveland Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor would systematically be appointed Music Director of the Canton Symphony. After George Szell’s death in 1971, Robert Marcellus was appointed Music Director, to be followed by Thomas Michalak, Exxon Arts Endowment Conductor with the Pittsburgh Symphony, in 1976. Gerhardt Zimmermann, then Associate Conductor of the Saint Louis Symphony, succeeded Michalak in 1980.
The Canton Youth Symphony was founded in 1961, followed by the formation of The Symphony League of Canton in 1963 and the Canton Symphony Chorus in 1983. Now in its 72nd Season, the Canton Symphony is a fully professional ensemble, and all of its members are members of the American Federation of Musicians. Their wages and working conditions are governed by a contract negotiated with Local 111 of the American Federation of Musicians.
In fulfillment of its mission, the Orchestra has provided educational programs to the Greater Stark County region since 1971. Supported by a larger education staff than any other Stark County arts organization, all programs are aligned with national and state curriculum standards, including the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 and the recently adopted Ohio state content standards in English, language arts, math, science, social studies, visual arts and music.
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
based in Canton
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Founded in 1937, the orchestra made its first performance on February 16, 1938 under the direction of Richard Oppenheimer. Gerhardt Zimmermann, the current music director, has directed the orchestra since 1980.
MISSION
Perform and present at the highest possible artistic level live orchestral music to enrich, entertain, educate, and challenge diverse audiences in a variety of settings. In doing so, we will serve our community, manage our resources responsibly, and be accountable to our donors, audiences, employees and volunteers.
ARTISTIC MISSION
In carrying out the Association's mission to perform and present live orchestral music at the highest possible artistic level, the orchestra will perform both standard and contemporary repertoire, and will annually begin the classical series with a work by an American composer. It will commission new music, showcase established guest soloists and new young talent. It will provide service to American orchestras by offering its musicians experience in performing a wide range of repertoire, under the direction of conductors of high quality.
HISTORY
As the flagship performing arts organization of Stark County, the Canton Symphony Orchestra is one of the most highly respected small-budget symphony orchestras in the United States. With musical leadership from nationally-recognized conductor Gerhardt Zimmermann – now in his 31st year as Music Director – the CSO is ranked by knowledgeable the region’s leading musicians as second only to the Cleveland Orchestra in this part of the state.
Formed in 1937, the CSO gave its first concert on February 16, 1938 under the direction of Richard Oppenheimer. Louis Lane, Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, became its second Music Director in 1949. His tenure initiated a period of several decades while George Szell was Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra, when the Cleveland Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor would systematically be appointed Music Director of the Canton Symphony. After George Szell’s death in 1971, Robert Marcellus was appointed Music Director, to be followed by Thomas Michalak, Exxon Arts Endowment Conductor with the Pittsburgh Symphony, in 1976. Gerhardt Zimmermann, then Associate Conductor of the Saint Louis Symphony, succeeded Michalak in 1980.
The Canton Youth Symphony was founded in 1961, followed by the formation of The Symphony League of Canton in 1963 and the Canton Symphony Chorus in 1983. Now in its 72nd Season, the Canton Symphony is a fully professional ensemble, and all of its members are members of the American Federation of Musicians. Their wages and working conditions are governed by a contract negotiated with Local 111 of the American Federation of Musicians.
In fulfillment of its mission, the Orchestra has provided educational programs to the Greater Stark County region since 1971. Supported by a larger education staff than any other Stark County arts organization, all programs are aligned with national and state curriculum standards, including the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 and the recently adopted Ohio state content standards in English, language arts, math, science, social studies, visual arts and music.