Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra (also called Cleveland Philharmonic) is an American
orchestra
based in Cleveland
, Ohio
. It was founded in 1938 and its current music director (since 2007) is Victor H. Liva.
The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra is a full symphony orchestra which was founded in 1938 by three Cleveland area musicians — bass clarinetist Alfred Zetzer, oboist Robert Zupnik, and cellist Irving Klein — who all went on to professional careers. Initially, the orchestra was formed as a young people's symphony, to give concerts and to serve as a training ground for those who were interested in professional careers as orchestra musicians.
The Orchestra comprises about 60 musicians and performs six concerts each season at Cuyahoga Community College
Metro, Parma
, and Highland Hills campuses. A modest ticket price enables families and seniors to afford programs which are comparable to the quality of significantly more expensive offerings.
The Cleveland Philharmonic's current Music Director, Victor H. Liva, begins his first season with the orchestra as it celebrates the 70th concert season in 2007-2008.
The Philharmonic has traditionally presented outstanding Cleveland area musicians as well as artists of international stature in its roster of soloists. Annually, since 1973, the Philharmonic has sponsored the Frieda Schumacher Young Artist Competition. This statewide competition is open to music students of high school age who audition for a cash award and the opportunity of performing a full length concerto with the Orchestra at one of its regular season concerts. Over the years, Cleveland, American, and world premieres of new music have been presented by the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra.
Beyond the regular season, the Philharmonic has become involved in various community activities. It was the first symphonic group in Cleveland to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This annual concert has been a tradition at Cuyahoga Community College attracting capacity audiences for many years. The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra Chamber Ensemble, which was formed during the 2002/2003 season, consists of players from within the CPO and performs for welcoming and enthusiastic audiences in Cleveland area churches and at other community venues.
SYMPHONIC JOURNEY, Con Amore, a History of the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra was published in 2003. It was written by Robert Finn, former music critic of The Plain Dealer, freelance writer, teacher, lecturer and arts advocate. The book recounts the orchestra's 1938 founding and history in detail and contains many photographs and reproductions of early Philharmonic programs and newspaper reviews. There are extensive appendices that list players, conductors, repertory and winners of the orchestra's Young Artist Competition through the years.
The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra Mission Statement reads as follows:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
orchestra
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 Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, 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...
. It was founded in 1938 and its current music director (since 2007) is Victor H. Liva.
The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra is a full symphony orchestra which was founded in 1938 by three Cleveland area musicians — bass clarinetist Alfred Zetzer, oboist Robert Zupnik, and cellist Irving Klein — who all went on to professional careers. Initially, the orchestra was formed as a young people's symphony, to give concerts and to serve as a training ground for those who were interested in professional careers as orchestra musicians.
The Orchestra comprises about 60 musicians and performs six concerts each season at Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga Community College is a two-year college in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Founded in 1962, Cuyahoga Community College is the oldest, and largest community college in Ohio with a Fall 2009 enrollment of 31,024. * http://www.tri-c.edu/news/Pages/20100823a.aspxIn August of 2010, the college reported...
Metro, Parma
Parma, Ohio
Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is the largest suburb of Cleveland and the seventh largest city in the state of Ohio...
, and Highland Hills campuses. A modest ticket price enables families and seniors to afford programs which are comparable to the quality of significantly more expensive offerings.
The Cleveland Philharmonic's current Music Director, Victor H. Liva, begins his first season with the orchestra as it celebrates the 70th concert season in 2007-2008.
The Philharmonic has traditionally presented outstanding Cleveland area musicians as well as artists of international stature in its roster of soloists. Annually, since 1973, the Philharmonic has sponsored the Frieda Schumacher Young Artist Competition. This statewide competition is open to music students of high school age who audition for a cash award and the opportunity of performing a full length concerto with the Orchestra at one of its regular season concerts. Over the years, Cleveland, American, and world premieres of new music have been presented by the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra.
Beyond the regular season, the Philharmonic has become involved in various community activities. It was the first symphonic group in Cleveland to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This annual concert has been a tradition at Cuyahoga Community College attracting capacity audiences for many years. The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra Chamber Ensemble, which was formed during the 2002/2003 season, consists of players from within the CPO and performs for welcoming and enthusiastic audiences in Cleveland area churches and at other community venues.
SYMPHONIC JOURNEY, Con Amore, a History of the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra was published in 2003. It was written by Robert Finn, former music critic of The Plain Dealer, freelance writer, teacher, lecturer and arts advocate. The book recounts the orchestra's 1938 founding and history in detail and contains many photographs and reproductions of early Philharmonic programs and newspaper reviews. There are extensive appendices that list players, conductors, repertory and winners of the orchestra's Young Artist Competition through the years.
The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra Mission Statement reads as follows:
- To provide amateur and professional musicians the means and opportunity to explore, learn and perform symphonic music.
- To regularly feature renowned professional and outstanding student musicians as soloists in collaboration with the orchestra.
- To perform concerts which make musical enrichment accessible to all in the Greater Cleveland area.
Music Directors
- F. Karl Grossman (1938-1963)
- George Cleve (1964-1965)
- Zoltan RozsnyaiZoltán RozsnyaiZoltán Rozsnyai was an Hungarian conductor and musical director.Born in Budapest, he was a graduate of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, where he studied under Zoltan Kodaly, Bela Bartok, and Ernest von Dohnányi, among others. Already a concert pianist at the age of 10, he was one of the youngest...
(1965-1968) - Jose SerebrierJosé SerebrierJosé Serebrier is a Uruguayan conductor and composer. He married American soprano Carole Farley in 1969.- Youth :Serebrier was born in Montevideo, and first conducted an orchestra at the age of eleven, while at school. The school orchestra toured the country, which meant he was able to notch up...
(1968-1971) - Robert MarcellusRobert MarcellusRobert Marcellus was an American classical clarinetist and teacher. Marcellus is best known for his long tenure as principal clarinetist of the Cleveland Orchestra.-Biography:...
(1971-1977) - John Ross (1977-1979)
- William B. Slocum (1981-2007), Director Emeritus (2007 - )
- Victor H. Liva (2007 - )
See also
- Cleveland OrchestraCleveland OrchestraThe Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
- Cleveland Women's OrchestraCleveland Women's OrchestraThe Cleveland Women's Orchestra is an American orchestra made up entirely of female musicians, based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1935 and performed its first concert in 1936. It is the oldest women's orchestra in the world....
- CityMusic ClevelandCityMusic ClevelandCityMusic Cleveland is an American chamber orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in the summer of 2004 to give free concerts throughout the Northeast Ohio area...
- Cleveland Chamber SymphonyCleveland Chamber SymphonyThe Cleveland Chamber Symphony is an American chamber orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is dedicated to the performance of contemporary classical music, and has presented over 200 performance premieres.-History:...
- Red (an orchestra)