Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
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The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO), based in St. Paul (the state capital of Minnesota), is the nation's only full-time professional chamber orchestra. In collaboration with six Artistic Partners – Roberto Abbado, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Joshua Bell, Douglas Boyd, Nicholas McGegan and Stephen Prutsman - the 35 virtuoso musicians present more than 150 concerts and educational programs each year, and reach over 85,500 listeners each week on 63 public radio stations nationwide. The group has a weekly radio program distributed by American Public Media (the national arm of Minnesota Public Radio. The program airs in Minnesota on Mondays at 8 p.m. and is hosted by Michael Barone, who also hosts Pipedreams.
The orchestra's recording of Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring was one of the earliest digital audio recordings to see commercial release.
Beginning with the 2004 – 2005 season, the SPCO adopted a new artistic model by eliminating the position of Music Director and creating several Artistic Partners (which currently includes violinist Joshua Bell). Under this model the musicians are given a much higher degree of artistic control.
During the 2005 – 2006 season, two new partnerships were formed with the SPCO: a three-year residency with the University of Chicago and a multi-faceted collaboration with the University of Minnesota School of Music. Launched in 1995, the SPCO’s award-winning CONNECT education program reaches 6,000 students annually in 16 Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools
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[edit] Group leadership
- Leopold Sipe (1959 – 1971)
- Dennis Russell Davies (1972 – 1980)
- Pinchas Zukerman (1980 – 1987)
- Stanislaw Skrowaczewski (Interim Music Advisor, 1987 – 1988)
- Christopher Hogwood (Music Director, 1988 – 1992), Hugh Wolff (Principal Conductor, 1988 – 1992)
- Hugh Wolff (1992 – 2000)
- Andreas Delfs (2001 – 2004)
Bobby McFerrin has served as Creative Chair since 1994.
[edit] Artistic Partners
- Nicholas McGegan (2004 – Present)
- Joshua Bell (2004 – 2007)
- Douglas Boyd (2004 – Present)
- Stephen Prutsman (2004 – Present)
- Roberto Abbado (2005 – Present)
- Pierre-Laurent Aimard (2006 – Present)
[edit] Awards and Recognitions
Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance:
- Dennis Russell Davies (conductor) & the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra]] for Copland: Appalachian Spring (1980)
