From the first rehearsal February 16, 1955 in the Butler High School band room, the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra has always been guided by its mission to bring extraordinary musical and educational opportunities to the people of Huntsville-Madison and greater Tennessee Valley area.
Cellist Alvin Dreger was the first manager of the HSO. He realized that Huntsville (then a town of 16,000 residents) was transforming into an international center for the booming aerospace industry. He also saw firsthand that many of the area’s German newcomers were keen enthusiasts and practitioners of classical music.
Canadian-born Arthur M. Fraser was the HSO’s founding Music Director. (1955-59) Fraser encouraged the development of the early HSO infrastructure, including the first Board of Directors. He believed so strongly in the HSO mission that he accepted only travel reimbursements (and an occasional honorarium when there were excess funds).
The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild was officially organized in June 1960. Mrs. Jesse (Mildred) Anderson served as the first Guild President. For generations, the HSO Guild has worked energetically to promote the orchestra’s health, growth, and community engagement. Through enthusiastic advocacy and award-winning fundraising initiatives such as the annual Crescen-Dough Auction (est. 1974) this has been possible.
Crescen-Dough was originally to be a one-time event to support the commission of a new oratorio, Galileo Galilei by Lee Hoiby, to celebrate the opening of the Mark C. Smith Concert Call at the VBC. To this day, the concert hall has remained the orchestra’s performing home.
Today the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra is one the region’s most premier music ensembles, having grown in tandem with our amazing city! Each orchestra season offers a Classical Series, a Pops Series, and our more intimate Casual Classics Concerts. In addition, each year we have Young People’s Concerts and a FREE Family Concert. Outside of the concert hall, our Symphony in the City ensembles offer a free opportunity for the community to enjoy the music of the HSO.
Our orchestra roster includes many of the nation’s best and brightest symphonic musicians. The HSO also routinely engages featured soloists of international standing. We are proud of ongoing collaboration with local performing partners such as the Huntsville Community Chorus Association, Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theatre, the Huntsville Ballet Company, Theatre Huntsville, and Huntsville M.ET.
Through the HSO Symphony School, we are thrilled to offer educational programs for everyone, from our Third Grade Violin Program in the public schools to our Adult Strings classes, learning never has to end. There are Music Explorers Club meetings for kids and their families, our yearly violin camp with Burritt on the Mountain and many more educational opportunities throughout the year. We encourage you to look around and see what all you and your family can become a part of!
“Music self-played is happiness self-made,” Mr. Dreger wrote in January 1955. This was his invitation to local musicians to organize an orchestra for the city.