Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

"Under music director Andreas Delfs, the musicians of the MSO have risen to new levels of technical and interpretive excellence…In the 20 years I've been listening, the MSO has never played better,” noted Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Music Critic Tom Strini. A recent New York Times review stated, “Mr. Delfs is managing well with his orchestra, which at Friday's performance seemed to rise above itself. He has command of the job and with it enough image and grace to be a successful maestro in the making.” And world-renown cellist and MSO guest soloist Yo-Yo Ma said, "The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is sounding phenomenal under Andreas Delfs. I have rarely heard such unbelievable unity of thought and concentration from any orchestra."

Celebrating its 46th year during the 2004–2005 season, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is recognized across the United States as one of the top twenty major orchestras in the country. The MSO has achieved national acclaim through touring and broadcasting, but its tradition, strength and energy are deeply rooted in Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin.

Today, the MSO presents more than 150 Classics, Classical Connections, Pops, and Family concerts annually "making beautiful music" for more than 200,000 people during a season that starts in early September and goes through the end of June. The MSO also serves as the state orchestra through an extensive Wisconsin Tour program. In any given week, the orchestra can be found performing an astonishing variety of programs for diverse audiences – from a Classics program under Music Director Andreas Delfs to a Youth Concert led by Assistant Conductor Gregory Vajda, to a Pops concert under Principal Pops Conductor Doc Severinsen. Its musicians are active as teachers, mentors and role models in 22 area schools through the Orchestra’s nationally acclaimed Arts in Community Education (ACE) program.

CLASSICS SERIES From September through June, Classics concerts are performed Friday through Sunday in Uihlein Hall at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Music Director Andreas Delfs – known for his innovative presentations and dynamic stage presence – conducts a number of the programs. Outstanding guest conductors complement the podium roster, including Lu Jia and Artist-in-Residence Nicholas McGegan. The series includes performances of works by Mendelssohn, Stravinsky, Brahms, Dvorak and Beethoven. MSO Commissions include Glass’ Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra and Wuorinen’s Symphony Seven. Frequent appearances by the acclaimed Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, under Director Lee Erickson, include Handel’s Messiah and the gargantuan Britten War Requiem. This season also features performances by Gil Shaham, Andreas Haefliger and Hilary Hahn.

POPS SERIES Acclaimed Pops concerts also are performed between September and June, taking place Friday through Sunday nights in the Marcus Center’s Uihlein Hall. The Pops series features Principal Pops Conductor Doc Severinsen, and prominent guest stars such as Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Regina Carter, The Chieftains and many others.

CLASSICAL CONNECTIONS SERIES In 2004, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra premiered Classical Connections, a series offering a new format to meet the diverse interests of symphony patrons and Milwaukee’s cultural attendees. This new subscription series takes place on Thursday evenings and has a relaxed format, with a host providing informational commentary from the stage; technical effects like videos and supra-titles; pre-concert social activities; attractive ticket prices ranging from $15 to no more than $35; and a shorter, 75-minute performance without intermission.

MSO SUNDAYS FOR FAMILIES (TO BE RENAMED KINDERKONZERT SERIES IN 2005) Sunday for Families concerts introduce children ages 3–10 to classical music and the joy of attending a live concert performance in a warm, lighthearted atmosphere. These performances combine themes to which these young listeners can easily relate with music, multi-media guest artists, scenery, animation, and fun. A month before each concert, “Learn and Play” materials are mailed to subscribers. These packets offer playful and educational activities for families to do together in preparation for the concert. Everyone is also encouraged to join in Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra League-sponsored activities before the concert. Children can visit the Musical Instrument Petting Zoo, learn to conduct the beat using brightly colored scarves, and create their own dances.

ARTS IN COMMUNITY EDUCATION (ACE) PROGRAM The MSO offers an extensive number of educational opportunities including the Arts in Community Education (ACE) program. ACE is designed to develop and build critical and creative thinking skills in children through an integration of the arts within their daily curriculum. Supporting Wisconsin’s Academic Content and Performance Standards, ACE uses the arts to emphasize lessons learned in other academic subjects, including math, science, social studies, and language arts. ACE embraces the diverse artistic heritages in our community by collaborating with partner groups comprised of local artists from cultural organizations including the Skylight Opera Theatre, American Indian Center and Milwaukee Ballet.

YOUTH AND HIGH SCHOOL CONCERTS The MSO’s education programs served over 40,000 children from Milwaukee, southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Schools attending youth concerts received free in-school presentations by MSO League docents and MSO musicians to prepare and help them understand the performances. Students attending high school concerts were invited to participate in Talk-Backs with the conductor, guest artists and MSO musicians. The MSO and MPS continued a partnership which provided Milwaukee Public School students the opportunity to attend MSO youth or high school concerts for a substantially reduced ticket price of $3.00.

COMMUNITY CONCERTS Each year as a part of the Hometown Holiday Tour, the MSO brings free concerts to community venues. Designed to bring the gift of music to those who might not be able to attend a concert in the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, the Tour is enjoyed by hundreds of Milwaukee area residents. The Orchestra has recently played at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, the United Community Center, La Causa, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the VA Hospital, and the Fitzsimonds Boys and Girls Club.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS The MSO offers several opportunities for Milwaukee area students to develop their performance abilities. The Private Lesson Scholarship Program provides area music students with financial need the unique opportunity to study one-on-one with professional orchestra players from the MSO for free. Furthermore, young violin students are invited to audition for the annual Bach Double Violin Concerto Competition, the winners of which perform at a spring ACE concert. Gifted Wisconsin high school instrumental musicians who win the MSO’s annual Young Artist Competition receive the honor of performing as soloists or as stand partners in an evening concert with the MSO.

RADIO & TELEVISION BROADCASTS Recordings of MSO concerts reach 2.6 million people across the U.S. through the WFMT Classical Broadcast Network, and are taped for international radio syndication and statewide television broadcast. In 2004, radio programs were syndicated by WFMT to 241 cities across the United States including Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Dallas. MSO performances have been carried to the UK and Europe over the BBC. Also each Season, MSO concerts are carried statewide on commercial and public television.

TOURING In an era when many major orchestras have curtailed their state touring programs, the MSO remains committed to its role as Wisconsin’s state orchestra. Now in its 37th year, the MSO's State Tour travels to communities throughout Wisconsin, offering many adult and youth audiences unique opportunities to hear live classical music. Among other destinations, the Orchestra has recently traveled to Fish Creek, Fond du Lac, Marinette, Ripon, Rhinelander, Three Lakes, West Bend, Whitewater, and Naperville, IL.

In past years, the Orchestra has made 13 appearances at Carnegie Hall and toured Cuba, Japan, Europe, and the Dominican Republic.

RECORDINGS In 2004, the MSO released the first modern recording in English of Humperdinck's Hansel & Gretel. This timeless classic, recorded on the Avie label, was released internationally to rave reviews. In 2002, the MSO released a CD featuring Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The Cuba Concerts CD features a live recording made during the MSO’s historic 1999 Cuba Millennium Tour. 1999 also saw the release of an a cappella CD featuring the acclaimed Milwaukee Symphony Chorus.

The MSO has also released 14 recordings on the Koss Classics and Telarc labels. These include such projects as the complete symphonies of Antonin Dvorak; an all-Kodaly disc; an acclaimed recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9; Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique; Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky; and Smetana’s Ma Vlast.

NEW MUSIC The MSO has presented more than l00 world and American premieres of works by composers such as Philip Glass, Daniel Schnyder, Roberto Sierra, Gunther Schuller, William Schuman, Lukas Foss, Roy Harris, Gian Carlo Menotti, Richard Rodgers, Ottorino Respighi, Jan Sibelius, Erich Korngold and others. Over twenty two compositions have been by MSO musicians.

FLORENTINE OPERA COMPANY The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra serves as the orchestra for Florentine Opera Company productions. During the Florentine’s season, operas are staged at the Marcus Center, each presented several times. Nationally known guest artists complement the local professional company.