The Cleveland Orchestra

The Cleveland Orchestra was founded in 1918 under the direction of Russian-American conductor Nikolai Sokoloff, who initiated an extensive domestic touring schedule, educational concerts, commercial recordings, and radio broadcasts. Concerts were given at Grays Armory during the Orchestra’s first season, after which they moved to Cleveland’s Masonic Auditorium. In 1931, the Orchestra moved to its new permanent home, Severance Hall, in Cleveland’s University Circle area. This magnificent facility was primarily the gift of John L. Severance (Musical Arts Association president from 1921 to 1936) as a memorial to his wife.

Artur Rodzinski served as Music Director from 1933 to 1943. Highlights of his decade in Cleveland included the presentation of 15 fully-staged operas at Severance Hall as well as significant recording and radio broadcasts. Erich Leinsdorf served as Music Director from 1943 to 1946, although much of his directorship was in ab¬sentia while he served in the United States Armed Forces during World War II.

Under George Szell, named Music Director in 1946, The Cleveland Orchestra entered a new period of dramatic and sustained growth. Both the number of Orchestra members and the length of the season were increased, international tours were inaugurated, and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus was established (and Robert Shaw was engaged to direct the group). The expansion to a year-round season was made possible in 1968 with the opening of Blossom Music Center on an 800-acre site south of Cleveland.

Pierre Boulez began his association with The Cleveland Orchestra in 1965; after Szell’s death in 1970, Boulez served as Musical Advisor until 1972. Lorin Maazel began a decade as Music Director with the 1972-73 season. He continued the Orchestra’s international touring and recording schedule, while broadening the ensemble’s repertoire with more 20th-century compositions.

Christoph von Dohnányi’s tenure as Music Director (1984 to 2002) included a distinguished series of concerts at home in Cleveland each year, as well as frequent domestic and international concert tours, with regular engagements at Austria’s prestigious Salzburg Festival. Mr. Dohnányi also championed Severance Hall’s $36-million restoration and renovation project, which included the construction of a new concert stage, the refurbishment and re-installation of the building’s original Norton Memorial Organ, and enhanced technical capabilities. He became Music Director Laureate of The Cleveland Orchestra in September 2002.

Adding to the Cleveland discographies of earlier music directors, Mr. Dohnányi created an extensive discography of digital recordings with The Cleveland Orchestra. In addition, a special series of discs with the Orchestra has been recorded under the direction of Pierre Boulez, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Oliver Knussen.

The Cleveland Orchestra is in a new era under Franz Welser-Möst’s guidance, while maintaining a steadfast commitment to its long-held traditions of artistic excellence, educational outreach, and community service.

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