Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
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| Also known as | PSO |
| Origin | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Symphony Orchestra |
| Years active | 1895–1910, 1926-present |
| Members | Music Director Manfred Honeck Principal Guest Conductor Leonard Slatkin Principal Pops Conductor Marvin Hamlisch Resident Conductor Lawrence Loh Assistant Conductor Thomas Hong |
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a famous American orchestra. It is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, which is in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.
Contents
The Orchestra's Journey
Early Days and Challenges (1895-1926)
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra first started in 1895. Some of its first musicians came from the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Early conductors included Frederic Archer, Victor Herbert, and Emil Paur. Even famous guest conductors like Edward Elgar and Richard Strauss led the orchestra. However, in 1910, the orchestra had to stop playing. This was because they ran out of money.
A New Beginning (1926-1952)
The orchestra started again in 1926. At first, the musicians were not paid. They even gave their own money to help the orchestra continue. The PSO really began to grow in 1937. This was when Otto Klemperer was asked to help reorganize it. Since then, the orchestra has become a well-known international group.
Fritz Reiner led the orchestra for ten years, from 1938 to 1948. This was a difficult time because of World War II. Many musicians had to leave to fight in the war. Other musicians came to play in their place. From 1948 to 1952, several famous conductors led the orchestra. These included Leonard Bernstein and Leopold Stokowski.
Growth and Global Tours (1952-Present)
When William Steinberg became the conductor (1952-1976), he took the orchestra on tours to Europe. They also made many recordings during this time. After him, André Previn took over. He helped the orchestra create a television series called Previn and the Pittsburgh.
Lorin Maazel, who was from Pittsburgh, conducted the orchestra until 1996. He also took them on several international tours. Mariss Jansons followed Maazel from 1997 to 2004. After he left, the orchestra had guest conductors for four years. They did not have a main music director during this time.
In 2008, the Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck became the music director. Leonard Slatkin is currently the main guest conductor. In 2004, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra made history. With conductor Gilbert Levine, they became the first American orchestra to play for the Pope.
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