Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra facts for kids

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra is a group of musicians who play classical music together. It was started in 1947 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. The orchestra performs its concerts at the Theater for Performing Arts, which is inside the Raising Cane's River Center.

In 1940, some women who loved music formed a small string quartet. They played music in their homes and dreamed of having a full symphony orchestra for their community. After several years of hard work, their dream came true. The new Baton Rouge Civic Symphony Orchestra played its very first concert on February 5, 1947. This special event happened at the Baton Rouge High School Auditorium.

What the Orchestra Aims to Do

The orchestra's main goal is to be a top-notch symphony orchestra. It wants to be financially strong and well-known across the region and the country. Its mission is to teach people about music and bring cultural experiences to everyone in Baton Rouge and nearby towns.

The orchestra also has a big plan for the future of classical music. It wants to make sure that classical music continues to thrive in the area by:

• Playing many different kinds of concerts, from orchestral pieces to smaller chamber music.
• Offering music education programs and services for people of all ages.
• Supporting other music groups and volunteer organizations that share its goals.
• Managing its money wisely to keep programs affordable and reach more people.

A Look Back: The Orchestra's History

When the orchestra first started, it had about 60 musicians. They came from Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana Institute (now Southeastern Louisiana University), and Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now ULL). Frederick Kopp led the very first concert. The orchestra played three concerts that first season. A famous violinist named Miriam Solovieff was the first solo artist to perform with them. The season ended with a performance of Redemption by Charles Gounod.

The 1940s: Getting Started

In the 1948-49 season, the orchestra had a new conductor, David Forrester. They performed four concerts. The orchestra also started a new series of smaller chamber music concerts. World-famous soloists like Mischa Elman (violin) and Amparo Iturbi (piano) performed in this series.

A big moment in the 1949-50 season was when the Baton Rouge Boys Choir performed. They were led by Carver Blanchard. Another important step was starting concerts for children. The orchestra would play in schools to introduce young people to music.

Later, Orlando Barera became the new conductor. He left his job as assistant conductor of the Houston Symphony to come to Baton Rouge.

The 1950s: Growing Bigger

The 1950-51 season grew to include six main concerts. They also continued the youth concerts and chamber music series. Amparo and Jose Iturbe were featured artists. Dr. Cecil Lorio was re-elected as president of the orchestra's board.

Conductor Richard Korn took over from Alfredo Antonini. Antonini couldn't come because of his work as music director for CBS in New York.

A few years after it began, the orchestra hired its first long-term conductor. Maestro Emil Cooper, who had retired from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York City, joined in 1951. Cooper led the Baton Rouge Civic Symphony until the 1959-60 season. During that same season, the orchestra moved its performances to the new Lee High School Auditorium. Maestro Cooper was supposed to conduct the 1960-61 season, but he became ill and couldn't lead the first concert.

The 1960s: New Leadership and Homes

Dr. Peter Paul Fuchs, a professor from Louisiana State University, stepped in to conduct the first concert on October 19, 1960. He was filling in for Maestro Cooper, who was still ill. Cooper sadly passed away in New York on November 16, the same night Dr. Fuchs conducted the second concert. Fuchs was then hired to finish the season.

Dr. Fuchs became the permanent conductor for the 1961-62 season. He stayed in this role until he retired from LSU in 1976.

In 1964, a new theater opened at the LSU Union. The orchestra moved its performances there. This new hall offered comfortable seats, air conditioning, and better sound quality for the audience.

The 1970s: A New Name and Home

During this decade, the orchestra changed its name to the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra had grown in size and quality. They started bringing in international solo artists again. The organization also hired a professional manager and staff.

The decade ended with the 1979-80 season. The orchestra found its own home in the new Centroplex Theater for the Performing Arts in downtown Baton Rouge.

James Yestadt, an LSU music professor, was hired to conduct the 1976-77 season. Yestadt stayed until his retirement in 1982. The main concert season grew to seven concerts. The orchestra also started playing concerts in nearby towns. During these years, the Louisiana Youth Orchestra was formed. The Baton Rouge Choral Society, a singing group, often performed with the BRSO. This group later officially became the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus.

The 1980s: Big Achievements

James Paul, who was the assistant conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, became the new conductor in 1981. A very special moment happened on October 22, 1988. The orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City! This is a very famous concert hall.

Guest artist Abbey Simon joined the orchestra to play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. The program also included pieces by Chadwick and Sibelius. The orchestra received excellent reviews from New York newspapers. The hall was full, and most of the audience was not from Baton Rouge. This showed that the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra had truly made a name for itself.

In the early 1980s, the BRSO also held "pops" concerts. These were lighter, more fun concerts held indoors at the Centroplex Coliseum. They featured artists like Jimmie Davis, Pete Fountain, Chet Atkins, and Gordon McRae.

The first "Friday Night Live at the Pops" concert was on December 23, 1989. Many people came despite the cold weather to hear Christmas songs. Victor Klimash conducted, and the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus performed. These Holiday Pops concerts have become very popular.

The 1990s: More Growth and Changes

The orchestra continued to grow in the 1990s. The Pops series expanded to four concerts during the regular season. There were also five outdoor Summerfest concerts in early summer at the Hemingbough Conference Center. For the 2001-02 season, the Pops and Summerfest concerts were combined into one long Summerfest Pops series. This series was stopped in 2003.

In August 1993, the Baton Rouge Symphony Association changed its name to the Louisiana Symphony Association. This was done to prepare for possible future expansion. The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra kept its name. The association bought its own office building as its permanent home. In June 1998, James Paul announced he would retire as music director.

For the orchestra's 50th anniversary season, six talented conductors competed for the job. In May 1999, Timothy Muffitt was chosen as the new music director.

Since 2000: New Locations and Helping Others

In August 2002, the BRSO sold its office building. After moving twice, it settled into its current location in February 2005. This new home is inside the Shaw Center for the Arts building in downtown Baton Rouge.

The BRSO even helped out after Hurricane Katrina. From August 2005 to June 2006, they let the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra administration use their offices. The LPO was able to return to New Orleans after that.

In its 2006-07 season, the orchestra performed over 60 concerts. They played in ten different places across Louisiana. These included a performance of Handel's Messiah at a church and a family picnic concert. They also expanded their Chamber Series to new venues in Baton Rouge and other towns.

Music Directors

The Louisiana Youth Orchestras: Music for Young People

The Louisiana Youth Orchestras (LYO) are groups for young musicians in the Baton Rouge area. They are part of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra's education program. The LYO aims to improve music education in schools. It also helps young musicians achieve high standards in orchestral performance.

The Louisiana Youth Orchestra first performed on February 26, 1984. Today, nearly 180 young musicians, aged 6 to 20, are chosen to join through auditions. They perform three major concerts each year. These musicians come from many different schools in 25 districts across four parishes.

David Torns became the Music Director of the LYO program in May 2003. He conducts the main Louisiana Youth Orchestra. The Louisiana Junior Youth Orchestra is for middle school musicians and is led by Jennifer Cassin. The Louisiana Junior String Ensemble is for elementary school musicians and is conducted by Lisa McGibney. Both of these younger groups were started in 1990.

The newest part of the program is the Louisiana Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble. Dr. Michael Kingan founded it in 2000. This group plays challenging music for advanced high school percussionists. It is currently led by Lisa Pegher.

The LYO groups have performed in many places. These include LSU, various high schools, New Orleans, and St. Francisville. A highlight for the 2004-05 LYO season was a trip to Walt Disney World Resort. They performed at the Galaxy Palace Theater for an international audience! The LJSE also performed at Governor Blanco's inauguration in 2004. The Louisiana Youth Orchestra often performs at the downtown Christmas Tree Lighting. They also played at the opening of "The Symphony of Trees" from 1999 to 2001.

In May 2000, a Louisiana Youth Orchestras concert was shown on Metro21, a local TV channel. In October 2000, they performed at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new planetarium and space theater. The LYO also played with the Baton Rouge Symphony for a Holiday Pops concert in 1998. In June 1998, the LYO represented Louisiana at the National Festival of the States. They performed at famous landmarks like the U.S. Naval Memorial.

The LYO orchestras have also been featured on local TV shows like WLPB's Gumbo Island and Louisiana Legends.

Rehearsals for the LYO groups are held at the LSU School of Music. They practice on Monday evenings from September through May. The concert season also features young winners from annual music competitions.

• Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra