Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO)
Source:[63]
Music Director
First Violin
Second Violin
Viola
Cello
Bass
Harp
Flute
Piccolo
Oboe
English Horn
Clarinet
E-Flat Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Contrabassoon
Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion
Keyboard
Librarians
Tour history[edit]
1947 Tour of Mexico
Fritz Reiner conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1947 tour of Mexico. During the six-week tour, the Pittsburgh Symphony performed 37 concerts in 27 cities in the southern United States and Mexico. The symphony played six concerts in Mexico City at the Palacio de las Bellas Artes and one concert in Monterrey. While on tour, Reiner played the role of ambassador of the arts for the United States.[64]
1964 Tour of Europe and the Near East
William Steinberg conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1964 tour of Europe and what was then referred to as the Near East. This tour marked the symphony's first international tour outside of North America.[65] The State Department funded the 11-week tour from August 10 to November 1,[66] which included performances in Rome, Athens, Beirut, Baalbeck, Tehran, Lucerne, Edinburgh, Luxembourg, Frankfurt, Berlin, Warwas, Kraków, Katowice, Lodz, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Munich, Turin, Florence, Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Oporto and Reykjavik. Soloists included pianists Jerome Lowenthal and Byron Janis, violinists Manoug Parikian and Charles Treger, Pittsburgh Symphony principal flautist Bernard Z. Goldberg and baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.[67] The Pittsburgh Symphony was one of the last American orchestras to perform in Iran to date.
1973 Tour of Japan, Alaska, and Oregon
William Steinberg and Associate Conductor Donald Johanos conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1973 tour of Japan, Alaska and Oregon from April 7 to 26. While in Japan, the orchestra participated in the 1973 Osaka Music Festival and also performed in Tokyo, Nagoya and Yahata.[68] Performances in Osaka were aired on television and national radio.[69]
1978 European Tour
Andre Previn conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1978 tour of Europe[70] from May 21 to June 10. The three-week tour saw the orchestra perform in Austria (Vienna, Linz, Innsbruck), Germany (Munich, Stuttgart, Bonn, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hanover), Sweden (Goteborg, Stockholm), Bergen, Norway and London, England. The orchestra was sent off with a festive ceremony of dance performances and well wishes at the Heinz Hall Plaza.[71]
1980 Mexico City
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra toured in Mexico from August 25 to 31 under the direction of Andre Previn.[72] Eduardo Mata and Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos guest conducted the orchestra. The symphony performed in Mexico City at three venues: Sala de Conciertos Nezahualcóyotl (August 26 and 28), Teatro de la Ciudad (August 27 and 29) and Auditorio Nacional (August 30). Soloists included Horacio Gutierrez, Nathaniel Rosen and Guadalupe Parrondo.
1982 European Tour
Andre Previn conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1982 tour of Europe from May 23 to June 13.[72] The orchestra visited Bonn, Linz, Vienna, Zurich, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Paris, Brussels, Berlin and London.
1984 Hong Kong Festival
Andre Previn and Sir Michael Tippett conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the 1984 Hong Kong Arts Festival. Soloists included pianist Ken Noda, violinist Yuzuko Horigome and violist Randolph Kelly.[73]
1984 Casals Festival in Puerto Rico
Herbert Blomstedt of the Dresden State and Swedish Radio orchestras conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in four concerts at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, June 1984. The symphony performed four concerts with piano soloists Antonio Meneses and Garrick Ohlsen.[74] This tour marked the symphony's first appearance at the Casals Festival.
1985 European Tour
Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1985 European Tour from August 14 to September 8. The tour included performances at music festivals in Salzburg[70] and Edinburgh. The symphony also performed in Dublin, Cork, London, Bristol, Zurich, Lucerne, Montreux, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Brussels, Antwerp and Paris.
1987 Far East Tour
Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1987 Far East Tour of China and Japan.[75] from April 14 to May 4. The symphony was one of only a few U.S. orchestras to have visited China at the time.[76] The orchestra toured in Beijing, Hong Kong and several cities in Japan including Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and Matsudo. Pianist Patricia Prattis Jennings performed Gershwin's Concerto in F with the Pittsburgh Symphony to high acclaim at festivals in Hong Kong, Osaka and Tokyo.[77]
1987 Edinburgh Festival
Lorin Maazel and Michael Tilson Thomas conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the Edinburgh Festival in August 1987. The orchestra was the first U.S. orchestra to ever be designated the resident orchestra of the festival.[78] Pianist Patricia Prattis Jennings performed Gershwin's Concerto in F with the symphony to high acclaim at the festival.[79]
1989 Tour of Soviet Union, Poland and Western Europe
Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1989 tour of the Soviet Union, Poland and Western Europe.[80] This tour marked the European premieres of Marc Neikrug's Flute Concerto and George Rochberg's Symphony No. 6. The orchestra performed in Leningrad, Moscow, Warsaw, Geneva, Paris, Milan, Rome, Amsterdam, Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover and London.
1991 Tour of Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan
Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its tour of Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan from May 14 to June 5, 1991. This tour marked the symphony's debut in Taiwan. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed in Tokyo, Omiya, Osaka, Musashino, Hong Kong and Taipei.
1992 European Tour to Major Music Capitals
Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of major European music capitals, May 18 to June 9, 1992. The orchestra performed in Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna, Stuttgart, Bonn, Brussels, Birmingham and London.
1992 European Tour to Major Summer Music Festivals
Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its European tour of summer music festivals from August 5–29, 1992. The symphony performed at the Festival Internacional de Santander in Seville, Spain, and at music festivals in Mérida, Pollensa, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Montreux, Stresa, Verona, Lecce, Catania and Torino.
1993 Tour to California & Mexico
Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its tour of California and Mexico, April 25 to May 9, 1993. The orchestra performed the opening concerts of the Chivas Regal Latin American Tour in Mexico City.
1993 Tour to South America
Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its first-ever tour of South America, May 24 to June 9, 1993. The orchestra performed in Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina.[81]
1995 Casals Festival
Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony in the 1995 Casals Festival in Puerto Rico.
1995 Tour of Japan and Korea
Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of Japan and Korea, May 16 to June 4, 1995. This tour marked the symphony's first visit to Korea. The symphony performed a benefit concert in Japan's Kobe Green Arena for victims of the January 1995 earthquake.[82] The 11-concert tour brought the orchestra to Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Seoul, Kita-Kryushu and Kobe.
1996 International Centennial Tour
Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its International Centennial tour, January 29 to February 22. The orchestra performed 15 concerts in 12 cities as part of the orchestra's 100th anniversary celebrations. The symphony was invited to participate in the city of Jerusalem's 3,000th anniversary with the Israeli premiere of "Magreffa," a work by Israeli composer Ari Ben-Shabetai and commissioned by the symphony.[83] There were additional concerts in Vienna, Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam and London. The Pittsburgh Symphony also made debut performances in the Canary Islands.
1998 Tour of Japan
Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of Japan from May 12 to 28, 1998.[84] This tour marked Jansons' inaugural tour with the symphony. The orchestra performed seven concerts in Sapporo, Nagoya, Himeji, Osaka and Tokyo.
1998 U.S. and Canada Tour with Andrea Bocelli
The PSO performed in the U.S. and Canada with soloist Andrea Bocelli. Steven Mercurio conducted the orchestra during concerts in New York and New Jersey.[85]
1999 European Festivals Tour
Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of European Festivals from August 12 to September 5, 1999. This tour marked the symphony's first European tour with Jansons. The symphony performed a total of 15 concerts in Dublin, Edinburgh, Salzburg, Copenhagen, London, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Lucerne, Baden-Baden, Stuttgart, Cologne, Berlin and Düsseldorf.[84]
2000 European Residency Tour
Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its European Residency tour, May 15 to June 4, 2000.[86] The symphony performed three concerts at the Musikverein in Vienna and performed 11 more concerts in Madrid, Valencia, Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Birmingham.
2001 South American Tour
Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its second tour to South America in July 2001. The orchestra played five concerts in São Paulo, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires. The tour was hampered by financial and logistical problems, causing the orchestra to drop three concerts and a previously planned stop in Rio de Janeiro.[87]
2002 Far East Tour
Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its tour of the Far East from February 18 to March 9, 2002. This tour marked the symphony's first foray into Malaysia and Australia.[88] The orchestra performed in Osaka, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and Melbourne. The tour was sponsored by FreeMarkets.
2003 Mellon Pittsburgh Symphony European Tours
Conductor Mariss Jansons led the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on two tours of Europe in 2003 sponsored by the Mellon Financial Corporation. During the spring leg of the tour (April 3–13), the symphony performed in Valencia, Madrid, Vienna, Amsterdam and London.[89] During the summer leg of the tour (August 21–30), the symphony performed in Lucerne, Salzburg, Ludwigsburg and London, with the final performance at the Royal Albert Hall. The orchestra performed 14 concerts in total.
January 17, 2004 The Pontiff's Silver Jubilee Celebration
Gilbert Levine conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during the Pontiff's Silver Jubilee celebration, also referred to as the Papal Concert of Reconciliation, commemorating Pope John Paul II's 25th election anniversary on January 17, 2004. The symphony was the first U.S. orchestra to perform for a Pope at the Vatican.[88] Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, the Pittsburgh Symphony performed Mahler's Symphony No. 2 and the world premiere of John Harbison's motet, "Abraham." The concert was broadcast by PBS both online and on television and was also broadcast internationally.
2006 European Tour
The symphony went on tour in Europe from August 22 to September 6, 2006.[90] Leonard Slatkin conducted the orchestra during the first half of the tour with performances in Dublin, Cardiff, at the BBC Proms in London, and in Patras, Greece. Hans Graf conducted the second half of the tour with performances in Hanover, Dortmund, Cologne and Düsseldorf. The tour was sponsored by the Mellon Financial Corporation, LANXESS and U.S. Steel Kosice S.R.O.
2008 250 Ambassador Tour of Europe
In celebration of the city of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra toured Europe in January and February 2008. The Allegheny Conference accompanied the symphony to conduct corporate promotion of Pittsburgh.[91] The orchestra performed in Spain, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Croatia.[92] The tour was sponsored by BNY Mellon, PPG Industries, LANNXESS and Meyer, Unkovic & Scott.
2009 Asia Tour
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's 2009 Asia Tour marked conductor Manfred Honeck's first international tour as music director and the orchestra's debut in Shanghai and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The orchestra traveled to China and Taiwan from May 11 to 21, 2009, performing four concerts altogether, two at Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, one at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, and one at the Kaohsiung Main Stadium. The tour was funded by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and Westinghouse.[93]
2009 European Festivals Tour
Director Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on his first European tour from September 12–20, 2009. The orchestra performed in Essen, at Beethovenfest in Bonn,[94] and at the Lucerne Summer Music Festival.[95]
2010 European Tour
Director Manfred Honeck conducted the symphony during its European tour from May 12–30, 2010. The orchestra visited Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Austria[96] with concerts in Basel, Stuttgart, Paris, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Prague, Dresden, Vienna, Budapest and Ljubljana. The tour was sponsored by BNY Mellon and Westinghouse.
2010 Lanaudière Festival
Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the 2010 Lanaudière Festival in Montreal. The program included works by Beethoven, Mahler, Richard Strauss and Wagner.[97][98]
2011 European Festivals Tour
Director Manfred Honeck conducted the symphony during its European Festivals tour from August 22 to September 12, 2011. The orchestra performed at festivals in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and England, and gave concerts in Paris and Vilnius, Lithuania. The festivals included the Rheingau Musik Festival in Wiesbaden, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Hamburg, Beethovenfest in Bonn and Musikfest in Berlin, as well as the BBC Proms in London, the Grafenegg Festival and the Lucerne Festival. The tour was sponsored by BNY Mellon.
2012 Lanaudière Festival
Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the 2012 Lanaudière Festival in Montreal. The orchestra performed works by Dvorak, Glinka and Tchaikovsky and featured cellist Johannes Moser.[99]
2012 European Residency Tour
Director Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its European Residency Tour from October 26 to November 10, 2012. During the tour, the orchestra took up a four-concert residency at the Musikverein in Vienna. The Pittsburgh Symphony is one of the few American orchestras to be honored with a residency at the Musikverein. The tour also included performances in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Luxembourg. The program included works by Dvorak, Mahler, Mozart, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky.[100]
2013 European Festivals Tour
Music Director Manfred Honeck returned with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to Europe for a tour of European Festivals. Concerts took place in Grafenegg, Berlin, Bucharest, Paris, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Lucerne and Bonn, and included soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter, Martin Grubinger and Yuja Wang.
Broadcasts[edit]
Previn and the Pittsburgh
Launched in 1977, "Previn and the Pittsburgh" was a series of specials produced by WQED-TV. The Alcoa Foundation sponsored the programs, which ran for three years and became the highest rated classical music series on PBS. The program showcased the diversity of Music Director Andre Previn's musical interests, talents and friends. The first program explored Mozart, with Previn and the Pittsburgh Symphony's Patricia Prattis Jennings playing four-handed piano sonatas. Others featured guest artists John Williams, conducting his music from "Star Wars" and "E.T.," Ella Fitzgerald, Yo-Yo Ma, Pittsburgh Symphony principal cello Nathaniel Rosen (the first American cellist to win the gold medal at the Tchaikovsky International Competition), composer Stephen Sondheim and violinist Itzhak Perlman. Composer Miklos Rosza appeared as a guest to hear the Pittsburgh Symphony play his Oscar-winning score for the movie "Ben-Hur." Previn displayed his considerable talent as a jazz pianist in a duet with his friend Oscar Peterson, the man Duke Ellington dubbed "the maharajah of the keyboard." When cameras came into Heinz Hall to film the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra rehearsing in their shirtsleeves, audiences saw a relaxed maestro in bellbottoms who obviously liked and respected the musicians. The first show aired on February 27, 1977, and within two days the Pittsburgh Symphony sold more than 2,500 additional seats.[101]
Pittsburgh Symphony Radio
Launched in 1982, the Pittsburgh Symphony Radio program is hosted by Jim Cunningham of WQED-FM. It is a complete two-hour concert with Music Director Manfred Honeck and guest artists heard on over 100 PRI and NPR stations across the country. The Pittsburgh Symphony was first broadcast in 1936 when NBC Blue Network began a series of 26 half-hour radio broadcasts over the NBC Blue Network of more than 90 stations. The broadcasts were sponsored by Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company.[102][103]