Ellen Cockerham, Principal Second Violin confidently stepped onto the stage at the start of the 2012 season he knew it would be monumental. “Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, which embraces an entire world of breathless expectation and joyous fulfillment, was an ideal way to open the 55th season of the Richmond Symphony,” reflects Smith.
In 1957 a small, dedicated group of music-lovers decided the community needed — and deserved — a professional symphony. To that end, many Richmonders worked tirelessly to create, nurture, and fund what is today the Richmond Symphony.
Committed to introducing audiences young and old to a wide range of live music, the Richmond Symphony now makes over 200 public appearances every year. “From the great classics to music being composed today and including widely divergent styles from current and recent popular idioms, we do it all at world-class artistic heights,” says Smith. It is important to have diverse tastes in music, there are many genres out there that pair well together and help people express their emotions in an enjoyable way, that is why it is important for people to keep an open mind and listen to whatever is available when they get the chance. They never know, they may find a new music taste coming out, making them want to download some more music through some of the top torrenting sites 2022 or buy a few albums. Music is a great connector.
Employing an orchestra of close to 70 professional musicians and 21 administrative staffers, the Richmond Symphony performs for approximately 125,000 patrons each season, and reaches thousands more area residents through educational outreach programs and weekly radio broadcasts on WCVE-FM. As a nonprofit corporation, the Richmond Symphony is partially supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts as well as individual donors, volunteer organizations, regional governments, private and corporate foundations, and ticket buyers.
The 2012-13 ticketed series includes Altria Masterworks, Genworth Symphony Pops, Metro Collection, and Union First Market Bank Lolli-Pops. The Richmond Symphony boasts numerous events, internationally respected musicians, and seven awards for adventurous programming.
“We seek to foster diverse and informed audiences who value live symphonic performances and music education in our community,” explains David Fisk, Executive Director of Richmond Symphony.
With the goal of nurturing young musicians, the organization advocates for music education and orchestral music while serving more than 35,000 area school-aged children each year. Fisk says that offerings include in-school ensemble performances and master classes, academically themed Discovery concerts, and Youth Orchestra Program (YOP) ensembles.
In addition to the Richmond Symphony’s outreach efforts directed toward local youth, the organization has made efforts to inspire corporate leaders in RVA. Through a new program titled First Chair, the Richmond Symphony hosts teams of 40-80 business people on stage with musicians from the Symphony for an exploration of leadership, culture and change. The result — an intense and visceral experience for everyone involved, as the music director conducts a three-way conversation between an organization, a group of musicians, and Beethoven.
Leaders from HCA’s Chippenham/Johnston-Willis campus were among the first to give the concept a whirl, with another half-dozen organizations currently in active discussion to experience First Chair.
“Innovative efforts by the Richmond Symphony such as First Chair and the upcoming new Symphony Rush Hour concerts in CenterStage’s Gottwald Playhouse, featuring intimate and casual programs with commentary and refreshments, lead to passionate discussions about the power of live music and add to the creative landscape of the region,” says Smith.