Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra is the resident summer orchestra of Chautauqua Institution. It plays concerts on most Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights throughout the Institution's nine-week season. The CSO draws its members from professional orchestras all over the country, and even some from outside the U.S. Nearly all of its violinists (and one violist!) are concertmasters of their home orchestras, demonstrating the caliber of musicians that come to play in this professional summer orchestra. Some of the musicians have been playing with the CSO for more than 45 years.

The CSO is currently auditioning candidates for a new music director after Maestro Urial Segal announced his retirement in 2007. The repertoire played throughout the season includes many well-known and difficult pieces, as well as a few contemporary or commissioned works. Some selections from the 2005 season include Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 3", Mahler's "Symphony No. 7", and Manuel de Falla's "The Three-Cornered Hat". In addition to standard concerts, the CSO also accompanies programs with the Chautauqua Ballet Company and the Chautauqua Opera Young Artists.