The San Jose Symphony Orchestra was a symphony orchestra performing in San Jose, California. It performed in the Civic Auditorium through 1971, and the Center for the Performing Arts afterwards until its suspension in 2001 and dissolution in 2002.
A group calling itself the San Jose Symphony first performed in 1879, but its existence was scattered and irregular until a formal symphony association was formed in 1937. A more regularly organized group, at first calling itself the San Jose Civic Orchestra, began playing that year and, except for a suspension during World War II, continued until 2001. At first it was a volunteer group playing only one or two concerts a year. Following the war, the musicians were paid, but 3 concerts a year was normal until the mid-1960s, after which the number began to rise.Charlotte Doughton Claude, A History of the San José Symphony Orchestra, 1879-1972. California State University, San Jose, M.A. thesis, 1973. The 1975-76 season, a bicentennial special featuring appearances by Alan Hovhaness, Carlos Chavez, Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson, John Cage, and Lou Harrison conducting their own works commissioned by the orchestra. It was a landmark on the orchestra's path to full-time professional status.San José Symphony archives, History San José, Kelley Park, San Jose, California. In 1995, cellisthttps://www.symphonysiliconvalley.org/musicians.php?pagecontID=66&MusID=289 Nick Dargahi and Operations Manager Michael Pastreich partnered to create for the San Jose Symphony the first website of any US orchestra.
In October 2001, the San Jose Symphony closed its doors in a bid to restructure. But when, more than a year later, the organization was unable to recover San Jose Symphony declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and was dissolved.
Symphony Silicon Valley, an orchestra under new management but including many of the same musicians, was created in 2002 by Ballet San Jose and succeeded the San Jose Symphony as the professional symphony orchestra of San Jose. Symphony Silicon Valley was renamed Symphony San Jose in 2021.
Music directors 1937-1942 William Van den Burg 1946-1947 Edward Azhderian 1947-1951 Gastone Usigli 1951-1970 Sandor Salgo 1970-1972 James K. Guthrie 1972-1992 George Cleve 1992-2001 Leonid Grin
Administrators 1993-1998 Shirley Lewis (President) 1999 Mary Lonich (General Manager) 2000-2001 Paul Chummers (Executive Director)
References
Charlotte Doughton Claude, A History of the San José Symphony Orchestra, 1879-1972. California State University, San Jose, M.A. thesis, 1973.
San Jose Symphony archives, History San Jose, Kelley Park, San Jose, California.