The Cleveland Orchestra

Cleveland Orchestra
One of Americas great orchestras, The Cleveland Orchestra is not just any orchestra; it is an establishment that constitutes the best musicians and music directors not only from within the country but from all over the world, and the most committed management that is constantly directing its efforts in educating and promoting classical music amongst the generation next.

In concerts at home in Severance Hall, at Blossom Music Center, and on tour, The Cleveland Orchestra continues to further its own standards of creative excellence and imaginative indoctrination that serve as models for audiences and performers alike.

Founded in 1918 under the direction of Russian-American conductor Nikolai Sokoloff, The Cleveland Orchestra is not just a name. It is an institution that is characterized by extensive domestic tours, educational concerts, commercial recordings, and radio broadcasts. Early concerts were held at Grays Armory during the Orchestras first season, however, later, they were transferred to Clevelands Masonic Auditorium.

The year 1931 witnessed the shifting of the Orchestras headquarter to its new permanent home, Severance Hall, in Clevelands University Circle area. This new home was a gift by John L. Severance (president of Musical Arts Association from 1921 to 1936) as a memorial to his wife.Since its inception, the management has changed hands a number of times.

Artur Rodzinski served as Music Director for a decade, from 1933 to 1943. He was responsible for the presentation of 15 fully-staged operas at Severance Hall as well as significant recordings and radio broadcasts. Erich Leinsdorf succeeded Artur Rodzinski as Music Director and served from 1943 to 1946, although much of his directorship was in ab?sentia while he served in the United States Armed Forces during World War II.

The Cleveland Orchestra entered a new period of dramatic and persistent growth under George Szell; Music Director of the Orchestra in 1946.The main highlight of his tenure was the expansion of the orchestral season to a year-round season in 1968 with the opening of Blossom Music Center on an 800-acre site south of Cleveland.

Both the number of Orchestra members and the length of the season were increased, international tours were inaugurated, and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus was established (and Robert Shaw was engaged to direct the group).

Pierre Boulez began his alliance with The Cleveland Orchestra in 1965; after Szells death in 1970, Boulez served as Musical Advisor until 1972. Lorin Maazel began a decade as Music Director with the 1972-73 season. He continued the Orchestras international touring and recording schedule, while broadening the ensembles repertoire with more contemporary compositions.

Christoph von Dohn?nyis tenure was perhaps the longest one for any of the previous music directors. His 18 year tenure(1984 to 2002) included a distinguished series of concerts at home in Cleveland each year, as well as frequent domestic and international concert tours, with regular engagements at Austrias prestigious Salzburg Festival.

Dohn?nyi also pioneered Severance Halls $36-million restoration and renovation project, which included the construction of a new concert stage, the revamping and re-installation of the buildings original Norton Memorial Organ, and superior technical potential which also became the highlight of his career. He became Music Director Laureate of The Cleveland Orchestra in September 2002.

Dohn?nyi was also responsible for creating an extensive discography of digital recordings with The Cleveland Orchestra. In addition, a special series of discs with the Orchestra has been recorded under the direction of Pierre Boulez, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Oliver Knussen.

Currently, The Cleveland Orchestra is in a new era of growth under Franz Welser-M?sts guidance. Franz Welser-M?st is in his fifth season as Music Director of The Cleveland Orchestra. His long-term commitment to the Orchestra extends through the 2011-12 season.

While maintaining a steadfast commitment to its long-held traditions of artistic excellence, The Cleveland Orchestra, under Franz Welser-M?st, is continuing its efforts for widespread educational outreach, and community service.

Franz Welser-M?st has conducted the Orchestra in concerts featuring a wide-ranging repertoire. Under Welser-M?sts direction, The Cleveland Orchestra has toured extensively and has been critically applauded.

In Europe, the Orchestra now has biennial residencies at the Musikverein in Vienna, the first of their kind by an American orchestra, and regularly appears at European festivals.

In the United States, the Orchestra and Welser-M?st have toured all over the country, including frequent performances at Carnegie Hall, including the Opening Night Gala Concert of Carnegie Halls 2006-07 season.

In January 2007, the Orchestra began its 10-year residency project in Miami at the new Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, consisting of three weeks of concerts and educational collaborations each winter.