Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (A2SO) is an American orchestra based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is one of two major symphony orchestras in Southeast Michigan alongside the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Founded in 1928, the A2SO plays most of its concerts at the Michigan Theater and at the University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium.

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra logo
Scene from A2SO's "Petting Zoo"

History

The A2SO began as a community orchestra in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1928. From 1935 to 1985, the Ann Arbor Civic Orchestra, renamed the Ann Arbor Civic Symphony Orchestra in 1952, provided concerts free of charge to the Ann Arbor Community in area school auditoriums, the Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan, the Michigan Theater, and the West Park Shell in Ann Arbor's West Park. The Orchestra maintained a commitment to Ann Arbor artists, to encouraging youth involvement in music, and bringing live, classical symphonic music to the city of Ann Arbor. They often teamed with other artistic and musical organizations like the Women's Chorale and the Ann Arbor Civic Ballet. By 1981, the orchestra had grown to 100 members. During this time, the orchestra had ten conductors, Warren Ketcham (1929-1931), Frederick Ernst (1931-1933), William Champion (1933-1941), Joseph E. Maddy (1941-1951), Orien Dalley (1951-1955), Emil Raab (1955-1957), George C. Wilson (1957-1961), William Fitch (1961-1963), Emil Holz (1963-1972), and Edward Szabo (1972-1985).

Throughout its history, the A2SO has relied upon the donations of area philanthropists and since 1952, the efforts of the Women's Association. However, starting in the late 1960s, these monies alone could not support the rising operational costs of the orchestra. To raise funds, the orchestra began hosting events to raise both money and awareness. However, the financial problems persisted. In 1985, in a controversial decision that coincided with the somewhat abrupt replacement of Conductor Edward Szabo with Carl St. Clair, the A2SO began charging admission for concerts. This move quickly resulted in a much larger budget from marketing campaigns and ticket sales. The increased budget allowed the orchestra to attain a higher standard of professionalism, attracting better musicians and soloists, performing more concerts, and bolstering its reputation in Ann Arbor and nationally. Conductors Samuel Wong (1992-1999) and Arie Lipsky (2000-2019) continued this tradition.[1]

The Women's Association of the Ann Arbor Symphony was formed in 1952 with the goal of assisting with concerts, providing refreshments for players at rehearsals, and raising money both for the orchestra and for music scholarships for area youth. In 1976, Mayor Albert Wheeler declared May 16–22, 1976 “Geranium Week” in honor of the Annual Geranium Sale run by the Women’s Association to benefit the symphony.

Music directors

Philip Potts was the first conductor of the ensemble and served for one year from 1928-1929. A year later, the ensemble solicited help from Warren Ketcham, a student at the University of Michigan's School of Music, to become their first conductor. After doubling in size, the musicians adopted the name "Ann Arbor Community Orchestra." Frederick Ernst, another music student at the University of Michigan, became the group’s second director in 1931. He led the musicians in their first major performance, which included Franz von Suppé's Poet and Peasant Overture. Ernst conducted 18 performances in Ann Arbor, Petersberg, Saline, and Hartland. William Champion became the third conductor of the ensemble in 1933 and led a group of 30 musicians. In 1941, Champion was called into military service with the United States Navy. He was succeeded by the A2SO's fourth music director, Joseph E. Maddy, who had founded the National Music Camp at Interlochen and served as both supervisor of music in public schools in Ann Arbor and the Music Department head for the University of Michigan. Maddy led the group for ten years and grew the orchestra to 75 musicians. Orien Dalley succeeded Maddy in 1951 and conducted the orchestra for four years until 1955 when Emil Raab became the sixth music director. Raab conducted for two years until he was succeeded by George C. Wilson, Vice President of the National Music Camp at Interlochen, now known as Interlochen Center for the Arts.

During Wilson's time as conductor, the orchestra gave its first official youth concert to 1,500 children. Jack Elzay,[2] the superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools, wrote a letter to conductor George Wilson following the concert recognizing the importance of music in children’s lives. These educational concerts continue to be an integral part of the mission of the present day Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra.

William Fitch became the orchestra’s eighth conductor in 1961 and leads the ensemble in its first radio broadcast on WUOM, now known as Michigan Radio. In 1963, Emil A. Holz, doctoral advisor and chairman of the music education department at the University of Michigan,[3] became the ninth music director of the orchestra. He led until 1972 when he was succeeded by Edward Szabo. Carl St. Clair became the orchestra’s eleventh conductor in 1985. With this change in leadership, the orchestra began to charge admission for the first time in its 57-year history. St. Clair led the orchestra for seven years and was succeeded in 1992 by Samuel Wong. During Wong's time as conductor, the orchestra began its annual tradition of celebrating Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birthday with an all-Mozart program held every January, a tradition that continues to this day.

Arie Lipsky was hired as the A2SO's thirteenth conductor in 2000. Lipsky led the orchestra in its first performance of an opera with Georges Bizet's Carmen in 2002. Before each performance, Mr. Lipsky gave a popular lecture about the A2SO's music selections. Lipsky resigned from his position as Music Director in June 2019.

Education and community engagement

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra provides opportunities for music education in the Southeastern Michigan area. The A2SO presents two annual youth concerts (including a partnership with the Link Up program through Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI),[4] KinderConcerts (at local libraries), ensemble performances in local schools and the community and instrument petting zoos wherein children have hands-on encounters with musical instruments. They also perform an annual concert held for middle school students, running fundraisers to offset bussing costs for attending schools with need.

For a number of years, scholarships were granted to local music students for summer music programs.

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References
  1. Orchestra, Ann Arbor Symphony. "Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Records". quod.lib.umich.edu. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
  2. "Jack Elzay, Ann Arbor Superintendent of Schools, December 1959 | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
  3. Music at Michigan. UM Libraries. 1973.
  4. "2018–2019 Link Up Partners". Carnegie Hall. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
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