Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
| Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra | |
|---|---|
| Orchestra | |
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| Founded | 1958 |
| Concert hall | Macky Auditorium, University of Colorado at Boulder |
| Music director | Michael Butterman |
| Website | www |
The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1958, is a professional symphony orchestra based in Boulder, Colorado. It is led by Music Director Michael Butterman. The Boulder Philharmonic’s season at Macky Auditorium on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus and other venues includes classical music, pops, school and family concerts, as well as an annual production of The Nutcracker with Boulder Ballet.
The roots of the Boulder Philharmonic can be traced to 1893 when a small group of Boulder musicians calling themselves the Philharmonic Club started performing an annual concert that gradually grew in popularity. In 1941 the Civic Symphony Orchestra was founded as one phase of a recreational program in a plan adopted by the city council. Hugh McMillen, director of bands at the University of Colorado at Boulder conducted the first free orchestra at Boulder High School auditorium, a tradition that continued in 1943 and 1944. The loss of personnel due to WWII, however, caused the orchestra to disband.
Violinist Elinor Winchester and volunteer musicians revived the orchestra in March 1957. Thomas Facey, conductor of the Golden Symphony, served as musical director. During this time the orchestra was an ensemble made up of amateurs as well as a few professional musicians from the Boulder-Denver area. In 1958 Facey resigned and Dr. Antonia Brico was named conductor. Pianist, graduate of the University of California Berkeley, and the first woman to conduct the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Brico saw developments such as the Young Artist Competition in 1959 and the inauguration of the Children’s Concert in 1960.
Brico resigned in 1964 and Ador Toth, CU Boulder associate professor of music and conductor of the university symphony orchestra, was named her successor. Toth requested a leave of absence in 1965 to tour with the Alma Trio, and invited his CU colleague, David Burge, to take over as conductor for the 1965-66 season. Burge was named permanent conductor of the Boulder Philharmonic after his first year.
In 1966 the Boulder Philharmonic Guild was founded as an “auxiliary dedicated to assisting with the maintenance of the orchestra with service as well as with financial means.” In 1970 the Jr. Guild was founded, which sponsored a flea market, a spring Philharmonic Ball and Symphony Sunday at which time local downtown merchants shared Christmas sale profits with the orchestra.
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Wikipedia