The Dallas Symphony Orchestra's beginnings can be traced to May 22, 1900, when a 40-member ensemble performed under the direction of German-born conductor, Hans Kreissig.
Under the leadership of such eminent conductors as Walter J. Fried and Jacques Singer, the Dallas Symphony began to grow into a major American orchestra. In 1945, the Dallas Symphony took great strides under the direction of conductor Antal Dorati. Dorati transformed the ensemble into a fully-professional, first-rate orchestra which won national attention through a series of RCA recordings, expanded repertory, more concerts, and several national network radio broadcasts.
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In 1977, Mexican-born Eduardo Mata was appointed music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Under his guidance, the orchestra enjoyed many successes including recording contracts with RCA and Dorian, a European tour, three concerts in Mexico City and three concerts in Singapore. When Mata retired in June of 1993, he had the longest tenure as music director in the orchestra's history and was named conductor emeritus of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
The
Dallas Symphony Association named Andrew Litton to succeed Mata
as music director of the Dallas Symphony in December, 1992. Litton,
a regular guest conductor in the world's leading concert halls and
opera houses, assumed the position of music director of the Dallas
Symphony Orchestra in 1994.
Litton
embarked on an ambitious program to significantly raise the orchestra's
international standing. In 1994, Litton launched the Dallas Symphony's
first television venture, the Amazing Music family concert series.
Litton has made numerous recordings with the DSO, including Mahler's
Symphony No. 5 and "An American Tapestry" with works by Hovhaness,
Ives, Schuman, Piston and Griffes. A Grammy Award-nominated all-Tchaikovsky
disc was released in May 1996, along with other Delos International
recordings including Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8; "Dayful of Song,"
including a world-premiere recording of previously unrecorded works
by George Gershwin; Shostakovich Symphonies 6 and 10; and the most
recent release, Mahler's Tenth Symphony.
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In
November 1995, Litton led the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in a performance
at Carnegie Hall, its fourth New York appearance in the orchestra's
95-year history. The orchestra has since made two return appearances
in 1999 and 2001, with another planned for 2005. In 1997, 2000 and
2003, the Dallas Symphony and Andrew Litton enjoyed triumphant European
tours. The Dallas Symphony debuted at the Colorado Vail Valley Music
Festival during the summer of 1999 and will continue those performances
through 2006. Litton concluded his tenure with the DSO in May 2006.
Following Litton's departure , The DSO
named Jaap van Zweden as new music director in February 2007. Since his debut, van Zweden has received consistent praise for his stunning interpretations of works including Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Verdi's RequiemMashier's Symphony No. 5 and many more. The Dallas Symphony received lavish praise for two recordings under Maestro van Zweden's leadership, including Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh Symphonies released in 2008 and Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony and Capriccio italien in 2009. van Zweden and the DSO returned to the Bravo VailValley Music Festival in the summer of 2010 following an outstanding return in 2009, and 2011 will appear at the Spring for Music Festival at Carnegie Hall. The 2010-2011 seaason marksvan Zweden's third with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
Principal Pops Conductor Marvin Hamlisch began his first season with the Orchestra in August 2010. Hamlisch continues a long relationship with the Dallas Symphony Orchestraand will deepen that with his two year commitment to the DSO Pops Series as Principal Pops Conductor. As a composer, Hamlisch has won virtually every major award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, Four Emmys, a Tony aand Three Golden Globe awards; his groundbreaking show, A Chorus Line, received the Pulitzer Prize.
Conductor and Pianist, ReiHotoda began her tenure as assistant conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra with the 2009-2010 season. Hotoda has guest conducted orchestras throughout North America andEurope including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.
Learn
more about the Dallas Symphony Orchestra by visiting www.DallasSymphony.com.
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