Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives ‘pops’ concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cincinnati Symphony is the resident orchestra for the Cincinnati May Festival, the Cincinnati Opera, and the Cincinnati Ballet.

In 1893, Helen Herron Taft founded the Cincinnati Orchestra Association, and the name of the orchestra was formalised to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Its first conductor was Frank Van der Stucken, a Texas-born musician of Flemish ancestry, who served until 1907. In the early years, the orchestra welcomed such composers as Richard Strauss and Edward McDowell.

For three years, the orchestra was disbanded due to labor disputes and financial problems. Upon its reorganisation in 1909, Leopold Stokowski, served as the music director of the newly organised orchestra for 3 years. Subsequent music directors included Ernst Kunwald through 1918, Eugène Ysaÿe (1918–1922), Fritz Reiner (1922–1933), and Eugene Goossens (1933–1947). Its musical landmarks during this period included the U.S. premiere of Mahler's Symphony No. 3 (1912), its first recordings (1917), first national tours, and the world premieres of Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man and Lincoln Portrait.

Thor Johnson became music director in 1947, and led the orchestra in some of the first stereo recordings for Remington Records. The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra was formed in 1977, with Erich Kunzel as its conductor.

In 1980, Michael Gielen became music director in 1980 and held the post until 1986. Jesús López-Cobos became music director in 1986. His achievements included leading on a 1995 European tour, their first since 1969, and their first national television appearance on PBS. His 15-year music directorship remains the longest tenure of the orchestra.

From 2001 to 2011, the orchestra's music director was Paavo Järvi. The orchestra made a number of recordings for the Telarc label during Järvi's tenure. In January 2007, the orchestra reported financial difficulties, projecting a monetary deficit of about US$2 million for the current fiscal year. In 2009, those difficulties led to the termination of the orchestra's recording contract. In late 2009, Cincinnati arts patron and philanthropist Louise Nippert announced a gift of $85M for the orchestra.

In 2010, the Orchestra launched its own record label, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Media. The inaugural album on the new label, "American Portraits," was released internationally in January 2011. Wikipedia