Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra (SSO) was a 79 member orchestra
located in Syracuse, NY. In its time it was the 43rd largest orchestra in the United States and performed a variety of programs including the Post-Standard Classics Series and M&T Bank Pops Series.
The orchestra also operated two youth orchestras in the Syracuse area: the Syracuse Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Syracuse Symphony Youth String Orchestra.
, assisted by Benson Snyder and Carolyn Hopkins. In its first season it performed four subscription concerts at the Lincoln High School and eight young people's concerts plus one pops concert.
By the end of its third season permanent chamber groups had been formed - a string quartet, a woodwind quintet, a brass quintet and a percussion ensemble.
Assisted by a Ford Foundation
Challenge Grant, their budget grew, and recordings were regularly being broadcast on WONO-FM. A new location was found for their regular concerts - the Henninger High School
, and regional concerts in Watertown
, Rome
and Cortland
followed.
In 1975, the orchestra moved into its last home, the Crouse-Hinds Theater in the John H. Mulroy Civic Center Theaters at Oncenter
.
Performances were broadcast twice weekly on WCNY-FM
.
Twice in its history the orchestra had been forced to cut short its season due to budgetary issues. The first time was in the spring of 1992 and the second in the spring of 2011. In both cases the orchestra could not raise enough funds to cover its operating budget for the year.
In early April 2011, the orchestra announced plans to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 7
, a chapter of the U.S. bankruptcy code that indicates that the organization planned to liquidate
itself and go out of operation. Unfunded pension
obligations were blamed.
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...
located in Syracuse, NY. In its time it was the 43rd largest orchestra in the United States and performed a variety of programs including the Post-Standard Classics Series and M&T Bank Pops Series.
The orchestra also operated two youth orchestras in the Syracuse area: the Syracuse Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Syracuse Symphony Youth String Orchestra.
History
It was founded in 1961 as a community orchestra by a grant from the Gifford Foundation. Its first Music Director was Karl KritzKarl Kritz
Karl Kritz was an Austrian conductor. Born in Vienna, he sang in the Vienna Boys Choir as a child. He studied with Franz Schmidt at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. After graduating, he pursued further studies in conducting in Nuremberg and Berlin...
, assisted by Benson Snyder and Carolyn Hopkins. In its first season it performed four subscription concerts at the Lincoln High School and eight young people's concerts plus one pops concert.
By the end of its third season permanent chamber groups had been formed - a string quartet, a woodwind quintet, a brass quintet and a percussion ensemble.
Assisted by a Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
Challenge Grant, their budget grew, and recordings were regularly being broadcast on WONO-FM. A new location was found for their regular concerts - the Henninger High School
Henninger High School
Anthony A. Henninger High School is a high school in the Syracuse City School District. Henninger is the largest of the four High Schools in this district with a student population of approximately 1,800 people.- History :...
, and regional concerts in Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
, Rome
Rome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
and Cortland
Cortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
followed.
In 1975, the orchestra moved into its last home, the Crouse-Hinds Theater in the John H. Mulroy Civic Center Theaters at Oncenter
Oncenter
The Oncenter is a three-building convention and entertainment complex in Downtown Syracuse, New York, USA. It is composed of a convention center, sporting arena, and theaters.-Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter:...
.
List of Musical Directors
- Karl KritzKarl KritzKarl Kritz was an Austrian conductor. Born in Vienna, he sang in the Vienna Boys Choir as a child. He studied with Franz Schmidt at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. After graduating, he pursued further studies in conducting in Nuremberg and Berlin...
(1961–1969) - Frederik PrausnitzFrederik PrausnitzFrederik William Prausnitz was a German-born American conductor and teacher. His grandfather, Wilhelm Prausnitz, was the dean of the medical school at Graz, as well as a Privy Counsellor...
(1971–1975) - Christopher KeeneChristopher KeeneChristopher Keene was an American conductor.Born in Berkeley, California, Keene studied at the University of California, Berkeley. Associated with the Spoleto Festival from 1968 , he was co-founder of the Spoleto Festival USA, where he was Music Director from 1977 to 1980...
(1975–1985) - Kazuyoshi AkiyamaKazuyoshi Akiyamais a Japanese conductor.-Biography:Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo Saito...
(1985–1992) - Fabio Mechetti (1992–1999)
- Daniel HegeDaniel HegeDaniel Hege is an American orchestral conductor. He is the former music director of the former Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and currently the music director of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. He also makes numerous guest appearances with orchestras across the country.- Biography :Hege was born in...
(1999–2011)
Programming
In addition to its main series of programs, the Post-Standard Classics Series, M&T Bank Pops Series, Central New York Community Foundation Family Series, and the Stained Glass Series, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra took part in local educational youth programs, and free summer parks concerts. It also played for Syracuse Opera performances.Performances were broadcast twice weekly on WCNY-FM
WCNY-FM
WCNY-FM is a public radio station in Syracuse, New York that plays classical music and is a National Public Radio member station...
.
Awards
In 1999 the orchestra was presented with the Governor’s Arts Award in recognition of its activities within the region.Finances
The orchestra was a non-profit organization which was supported in part through its volunteer organization, the Syracuse Symphony Association and a 60-member board of directors.Twice in its history the orchestra had been forced to cut short its season due to budgetary issues. The first time was in the spring of 1992 and the second in the spring of 2011. In both cases the orchestra could not raise enough funds to cover its operating budget for the year.
In early April 2011, the orchestra announced plans to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 7
Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code governs the process of liquidation under the bankruptcy laws of the United States...
, a chapter of the U.S. bankruptcy code that indicates that the organization planned to liquidate
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
itself and go out of operation. Unfunded pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
obligations were blamed.
External links
- Syracuse Symphony Orchestra (site no longer active)