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Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra
Orchestra
Founded1945 (1945)
Principal conductorHector Guzman
Websiteccsymphony.org

Short version/example

The Corpus Symphony Orchestra

History

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Founders of the Corpus Christi Symphony Society

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The CCSO was founded as the Corpus Christi Symphony Society in 1945.[1] Those signing the were:

  • Rabbi Sidney Abraham Wolf (1906–1983)
  • Terry McGovern Ferrell, Sr. (1900–1977); Ferrell was Concertmaster and personnel director of the CCSO for 17 years
  • Edna W. Ocker (née Grace Edna Womack; 1913–2001)
  • Ward Guenther Brandstetter (1908–1955)
  • Ruth S. Buttrey (née Ruth Jeanette Scoutt; 1906–2002)
  • Edwin Lawrence Harvin, Sr. (1898–1981)
  • Henry Wilford Rahn (1912–2013)
  • Minerva King (née Minerva Pierpont Heaney; 1888–1966), daughter of Alfred George Heaney, MD (1852–1911), a Corpus Christi physician, and married to Richard King III, grandson of Richard King, founder of the King Ranch.

General history

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The Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra debuted, with C. Burdette Wolfe as Music Director, at the Corpus Christi High School auditorium (now Miller High School). The inaugural season featured four concerts including the CCSO's first performance of Handel's Messiah with the Community Chorus (now Corpus Christi Chorale).


Symphony Size: 102 Members
Admission Price: $1.50
1951: CCSO Moves to Richardson Auditorium at Del Mar College
1955: Symphony Guild forms to support the CCSO. For the next 49 years, a woman would serve as the President of the Guild until 2004 when Judge Henry Santana was elected.
1956: Litta Kline becomes the CCSO's General Manager and serves as the head of staff for the next 36 years.
Early 1960s: Average Ticket Price was $5.50
1969: CCSO celebrates Its Silver Anniversary with a opening concert featuring Liszt's Malediction (fr) and a concerto by Mendelssohn. The 1969–1970 Season featured 8 concerts including a concert that lasted two nights featuring Malcolm Frager playing 5 Beethoven piano concertos!
1978: CCSO moves to Bayfront Auditorium (now Selena Auditorium).
By the opening of its 60th concert season, the CCSO had performed in front of more than of a 34 million music lovers.
2005: CCSO celebrates its Diamond Anniversary in the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Performing Arts center with an opening concert featuring pianist Andre Watts. The 2005–2006 season featured 6 concerts including a special performance by virtuosic violinist Itzhak Perlman.
2015: CCSO celebrates its Platinum Anniversary! This year also marked the retirement of Conductor, John Giordano, and the beginning of the search for the CCSO's next Maestro.
2017: CCSO Announces Hector Guzman as its new Music Director and Conductor! For seven extraordinary decades the CCSO has thrilled audiences with Classical Masterpieces, Pops Concerts, Opera and Choral voices, and more! As we move towards the future, we thank you for your patronage and will continue to provide the highest quality musical experience in the Texas Coastal Bend.

Selected personnel

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Concertmasters

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Terry Ferrell, concertmaster from 1945 to 1960 (founding concertmaster)
Howard Louis Beebe (1931–2010), appointed concertmaster 1960-1961 season
1963–1964: Henri Bittar
1965–1972: Vahe Djingheuzian (1924–1977)
Donna Kole (1976)

Assistant concertmasters

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Leo Goltzman (under Jacques Singer)

Conductors

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1945–1952: C. Burdette "Bud" Wolfe (1904–1974)
1952–1954: Frederick Vajda (1891–1974)
1954–1962: Jacques Singer
1962–1975: Maurice Peress
1975–2000: Cornelius Eberhardt (de)
2001–2002: Richard Rosenberg
2003–2016: John Giordano
2017–Present: Hector Guzman

Corpus Christi Symphony Society executives and directors

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Presidents

  • 19??: Henry Wilford Rahn (1912–2013)
  • 1947: DeWitt Morgan
  • 1954: Winnifred Flato (née Florence Winnifred Westervelt; 1879–1958), wife of Edwin Franklin Flato (1884–1972)

Vice Presidents

  • 1965: Edmond Ford

Executive Vice President

  • 1954: Sol Greene

Executive Vice President of the Executive Committee

  • Stepped down 1952: Herbert Godfrey Morrison (1908–1982)
  • Elected 1952: Oscar J. Koepke

General Manager and Head of Staff

  • 1956–1992: Litta Kline

Board members

  • 1951: Herbert Godfrey Morrison (1908–1982), General Chairman
  • 19??–19??: Conrad Meuly Blucher (1885–1977)
  • Before 1957: Mrs. James Durens
  • Winnifred Flato (née Florence Winnifred Westervelt; 1879–1958), wife of Edwin Franklin Flato (1884–1972); Flato served twice as President of the Society and, in February 1957, Flato was elected Chairman of the Executive Board

Corpus Christi Symphony Guild

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Founded 1955

Presidents

1954: Mrs. Paul Walter
1955–2004: Woman
2004–Present: Henry Santana

References

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  1. ^ "Symphony Society Chartered in 1946," Corpus Christi Caller-Times, October 20, 1963, p. 16
Category:American orchestras
Category:Texas classical music
Category:Musical groups established in 1945
Category:1945 establishments in Texas
Category:Orchestras based in Texas
Category:Wikipedia requested audio of orchestras