Wichita Symphony Orchestra facts for kids

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is the oldest professional symphony orchestra in Kansas. It performs at the Century II Concert Hall in downtown Wichita. The WSO was started in 1944.

Every year, the Orchestra plays many concerts. These include a series of 8 main concerts, fun Pops concerts, and free shows for the whole city.

Meet the Leaders of the Orchestra

These are the people who help lead the Wichita Symphony Orchestra:

• Daniel Hege: He is the Music Director and Conductor. He leads the orchestra during performances.
• Ryan Beeken: He is the Chorus Director. He works with the singers.
• Dr. Mark Laycock: He directs the Youth Orchestras Program and conducts the Youth Symphony.
• Eric Crawford: He conducts the Repertory Orchestra.
• Catherine Tummons: She leads the Youth Chamber Players.
• Dr. Timothy Shade: He conducts the Youth Wind Ensemble.

Learning with the Symphony

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra offers many programs to help young people learn about music.

Concerts for Young People

The WSO performs special "Young People's Concerts" (YPCs) every fall and winter. These concerts are for students in third through eighth grade. About 24,000 students and their teachers attend each year.

These 40-minute shows feature the full Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Sometimes, actors or dancers join in to help tell a story through the music.

Youth Orchestras Program

The Wichita Symphony Youth Orchestras (WSYO) program started in 1947. Its Youth Symphony was one of the first youth orchestras in the country.

Today, the WSYO program has four different groups. More than 250 students from many towns in Kansas and Oklahoma are part of it. The groups are:

• Youth Symphony
• Repertory Orchestra
• Youth Chamber Players
• Wind Ensemble

In 2018, the WSYO asked a former student, Logan Nelson, to write a piece of music for them. They performed his orchestra piece in March 2019.

Kinderconcerts for Little Ones

Very young children get their first introduction to the Wichita Symphony through "KinderConcerts." Members of the Bloomfield String Quartet perform these free concerts in Wichita elementary schools.

These programs are for Kindergarten through second grade students. They teach kids about string instruments and classical music. The musicians use fun stories to explain basic music ideas like melody and rhythm.

Important Moments in WSO History

Here are some key dates for the Wichita Symphony Orchestra:

• 1944: The Wichita Symphony Orchestra was founded.
• 1946: The Wichita Symphony Youth Orchestras (WSYO) were formed.
• 1946: The Women's Association of the Wichita Symphony (WAWS) was formed.
• 1969: The Wichita Symphony moved to its current home, the Century II Performing Arts Center.
• 1978: The Wichita Symphony Orchestra Chorus was formed.
• 1979: The WAWS held its first "Symphony Showhouse" to raise money for the WSO.
• 1981: The Wichita Symphony presented its first free Family Holiday Concert.

Past Conductors

Many talented conductors have led the Wichita Symphony Orchestra over the years:

• Orien Dally (started in 1944)
• James Robertson (started in 1950)
• Francois Huybrechts (started in 1972)
• Michael Palmer (started in 1977)
• Zuohuang Chen (started in 1990)
• Andrew Sewell (started in 2000)
• Daniel Hege (started in 2010 and is still the conductor)

See also

• List of symphony orchestras in the United States