A Short History
of
THE ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Since its first concerts in 1945, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has grown from a local youth group to become one of America's major orchestras. The 95-member orchestra is complemented by the acclaimed Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the widely recognized Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. Serving as the cornerstone for musical performance and training in an area extending far beyond our city's borders, the ASO reaches nearly half a million people through its various concert series and its diverse initiatives in music education and outreach. The orchestra performs more than 200 concerts each year, with its main subscription series augmented by pops series, family concerts, and a full summer schedule including classical, pops, and free parks concerts. Its educational concerts for young people are consistently sold out, serving more than 50,000 youngsters annually.

Music Director Robert Spano began his duties in September 2001, in partnership with new Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles. Both have recorded with the ASO and ASO Chorus for Telarc: Spano, in Rimsky-Korsakov's great showpiece Sheherazade and the sumptuous Sea Symphony by Vaughan Williams; Runnicles, in Carl Orff's dynamic choral work Carmina burana.

Recordings by the ASO have drawn international praise, winning an Audio Excellence Award, Gramophone and Ovation Magazine Awards, and 21 Grammy Awards. The ASO records for Telarc, with additional releases available on the Argo, New World, Nonesuch, Pro Arte, Sony Classical, and Vox labels.

In 1988 the orchestra and chorus reached new levels of recognition during their European debut tour, performing under the baton of Robert Shaw. Yoel Levi led the orchestra on its second European tour in 1991, presenting sixteen concerts in cities including London, Paris, and Vienna. The ASO and the ASYO were also prominently featured in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996.

Henry Sopkin founded the organization (as the Atlanta Youth Symphony) in 1945, presided over its transformation into a fully professional orchestra, and served as music director until 1966. Robert Shaw, who led the orchestra for 21 years, served as Music Director Emeritus and Conductor Laureate until his death in 1999. Yoel Levi was Music Director of the ASO from 1988 until 2000 and is now Music Director Emeritus. (He also serves as music director of the Flemish Radio Orchestra in Belgium and principal guest conductor of the Israel Philharmonic.)

The orchestra's annual King Celebration concerts honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel at Morehouse College, have grown to include symposiums, chamber-music concerts, and other related events. Guest artists have included Billy Taylor and his Trio, André Raphel Smith, Faye Robinson, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, and S. Epatha Merkerson.

A participant in the National Black Arts Festival since its beginning, the ASO joined with the festival in 1994 to sponsor a competition for new compositions by African-American composers. The orchestra also treasures its relationships with area churches, with concerts given in collaboration with Ebenezer Baptist Church, Cascade Road United Methodist Church, Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, North Avenue Presbyterian Church, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, the Temple, and Cathedral of St. Philip, among others.

The ASO's "Building Bridges to the Community" is a community engagement initiative for the metropolitan area. Programs included are the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, an auditioned and professionally coached performing organization for musicians of high-school age; the Talent Development Program, which develops young minority players on an individual basis through coaching and mentoring by ASO musicians; and young people's concerts in the Discover, Next Generation, and Symphony Street series, providing an educational experience for preschool through middle-school youngsters. High-school and college-age students can meet ASO musicians and tour Symphony Hall in conjunction with the New Mornings series of Friday-morning concerts.

In addition, the ASO has launched a number of ambitious outreach partnerships through the "Partners in Performance" program, taking the orchestra's musicians, individually or in groups, into the lives of school children who otherwise would never meet a professional musician. These programs use recordings and educational materials along with techniques including ensemble performances, coaching, interactive presentations, and master classes to provide music experiences and inspiration. More than half the ASO's players regularly volunteer their time for these activities, in partnership with local school systems, arts centers, libraries, and other organizations. Through partnerships with Georgia State University's Neighborhood Music Schools program, the Rialto Performing Arts Center, and the Sphinx Competition, the ASO provides expanded performance and educational opportunities for many budding musicians.