Austin Civic Orchestra
The Austin Civic Orchestra was founded in October 1977 by Edward Sledge. There had been no community orchestra in Austin since the Austin Symphony had been established in the early 20th century. Sledge, a self-taught, left-handed cello player, wanted to start a string group (violins, violas, celli and string bass). The group was located at Mathews Community School in central west Austin. After several weeks Sledge put out a call for more players in the local paper. Two weeks later, the core group of 16 players arrived and the project became a reality. The group was conducted by Jim Johnson in late 1977. In early 1978, a doctoral student in conducting at the University of Texas, Bob became the next music director. Winds players were added to the group and it became the Austin Community Orchestra. The group became a non-profit organization. The orchestra performed its first opera at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Austin in 1978. Concerts were performed at the UT Ballroom. The orchestra came to perform an annual Waltz Ball at the Texas Union. The orchestra had several conductors through the 1980s. It performed standard orchestral literature from its beginnings in 1977. An original ballet was performed in the early l980s. The group became known as the Austin Civic Orchestra sometime in the early l980s – as it continued to grow. Edward Sledge ceased to be a member of the orchestra in the mid-1980s and went on to play in other local orchestra and chamber music groups. He still plays cello with the Austin Philharmonic Orchestra, violin with the People's Orchestra of Austin (established 2016). He also leads a string quartet, the Late Beethoven String Quartet, which performs at various local venues.