Orchestra that was founded in Woodstock, Vermont in 1934 after the local conductor, Alan Carter, had just just got back to the US after studying music abroad and brought a lot of amateur Vermont musicians from numerous different careers that lived all over the state together to assemble a state-wide orchestra.
They rehearsed separately in the north and south for a couple of years and in 1936 all joined up to make their debut public concert in 1936. The orchestra did not base themselves in any particular city but instead travelled from town to town and performed all over the state in any venue that an audience could gather.
The orchestra were sent to perform at New York’s World Fair in 1939 after they had been provided with $1000 by the Vermont legislature, which led to support being provided by the State ever since. Much of the raising funds, arranging host musicians and ticket selling are covered by volunteer committees. Aside from the average 40 concerts per year it puts on chamber concerts, a holiday pops tour, a brass quintet and Counterpoint chorus tour and “Burlington Does Broadway” on New Year’s Eve.
The music director Efrain Guigui was the orchestra’s leader from 1974 and remained there until 1989. During his time there the orchestra’s 50th birthday between 1984 and 1986 was observed with the “251 Project” holding musical celebrations in each of Vermont’s 251 towns to mark its 50th anniversary.
In 1991 Kate Tamarkin took over the position of music director and co-founded the VSO’s statewide volunteer chorus with the choral director Robert DeCormier, who led the chorus for 20 years.
Jaime Laredo took over are music director in 2000 and attracted many guest musicians that were internationally acclaimed. He remained as the director for 20 years before handing over to his replacement Andrew Crust in 2023.
Recordings the orchestra has published include Triple Doubles and A Tribute To the Mestros and Their Music with the Boston Pops and Artur Feidler.
In musical education the VSO provide more than 175 school performances annually and run the educational program SymphonyKids which reaches many thousands of children in the state. It also has Orchestral Youth Concerts and Musicians-in-the-Schools programs.
Sources:
- https://www.vso.org/about-us/history/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermont_Symphony_Orchestra
- https://theaterengine.com/companies/192
- https://www.vermontpublic.org/show/vso-on-vpr-classical
- https://www.bbavt.org/members/vermont-symphony-orchestra/
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/vermont-symphony-orchestra-mn0002876499
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/8299372-Vermont-Symphony-Orchestra