Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra facts for kids

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra is a special group of musicians in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They play beautiful music together for their community. It's amazing because this orchestra started way back in 1944, even before many parts of Oak Ridge were fully built!

How the Orchestra Began

The orchestra was started by a man named Waldo Cohn. He was a biochemist who worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II. But he also loved music and was a talented cellist. When he moved to Oak Ridge in 1943, he started inviting friends to play chamber music (music for small groups) at his house.

Soon, more and more musicians joined. The group grew so much that they started practicing at the local high school. Their very first public concert was in June 1944. Back then, they were called the "Oak Ridge Symphonette." Later that year, more instruments like brass and woodwinds were added. By November 1944, they were a full symphony orchestra!

It wasn't easy for the early musicians to get to rehearsals. During World War II, there was gas rationing, so travel was tough. Many streets in Oak Ridge weren't even paved yet! Also, people worked long hours at the Manhattan Project, sometimes at night. Despite these challenges, the orchestra kept playing. People in Oak Ridge even joked that their city had a symphony orchestra before it had sidewalks!

Growing and Welcoming Stars

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra has been playing music continuously since it began in 1944. After World War II, many of the first musicians left Oak Ridge. So, the orchestra started hiring professional musicians to play alongside the volunteers.

Some very famous musicians have performed with the orchestra over the years. In 1948, the amazing violinist Isaac Stern played as a soloist. He was a friend of Waldo Cohn. Other famous soloists included Percy Grainger, Yaltah Menuhin, and Albert Spalding. More recently, even U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander has performed with them! The talented bassist Edgar Meyer, who went to Oak Ridge High School, has also been a soloist.

Music and Science: A Unique Blend

Waldo Cohn led the orchestra until 1955. He liked to play traditional classical music. But he also introduced music by American composers like Edward McDowell and Henry Cowell.

In 1952, the orchestra did something truly special. They performed a new piece called Overture to a Dedication of a Nuclear Reactor. This music was written by Arthur Roberts. It's thought to be the first serious music inspired by the atomic age! The Overture was even dedicated to Waldo Cohn.

What are Isotone Concerts?

In 2008, the orchestra started a cool new series of concerts called "Isotone." These concerts are designed to connect music with science! They feature new music written to honor famous scientists. What's really neat is that they sometimes use real scientific equipment from the American Museum of Science and Energy in the performances!

For example, at an Isotone Concert in 2010, they played a piece called Space. During the performance, a van de Graaff generator was used to create effects that looked like lightning! In other concerts, they've used things like Geiger counters. The first few seasons of Isotone concerts honored scientists like Marie Curie, Richard Feynman, and Stephen Hawking. Later concerts were planned to honor Glenn Seaborg and Lise Meitner.

Who Leads the Orchestra Now?

Dan Allcott became the conductor of the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra in the 2010-2011 season. He took over from Cornelia Kodkani-Laemmli, who had led the orchestra for several years before him.