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University of Wyoming

University of Wyoming Symphony OrchestraUW SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra is an 85-member ensemble playing the finest in orchestral repertoire. With soloists ranging from internationally known guest artists to faculty performers to student competition winners, and with tours throughout the Rocky Mountain region, the UWSO performs many exciting concerts each year. In 2007, the orchestra embarked on a week-long tour of Bolivia, with concerts ranging from Centro Sinfonico in La Paz to village churches and plazas.  (Read Story and View Photos).

Click HERE to download UWSO season brochure.
 

UW Symphony OrchestraWorks played by the orchestra under Maestro Griffith’s direction include Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, de Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat, Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration, Respighi’s Pines and Fountains of Rome, Rimski-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Elgar’s Enigma Variations, Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, and symphonies by Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Dvorak, Mozart, Haydn, Hanson, and Borodin. They have joined UW choral groups in large vocal works such as Carmina Burana and the Brahms Requiem, and played in the pit for theater works including The Nutcracker Ballet, The Magic Flute, Don Pasquale, Così Fan Tutte, and Pirates of Penzance.

World-class soloists perform with the orchestra on a regular basis. These include Carter Brey, Principal Cellist of the New York Philharmonic; pianist Christopher O’Riley, host of National Public Radio’s From the Top; violinist Benny Kim; the late harpsichordist Igor Kipnis; and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. 

New works by fascinating, living composers are often found on UWSO programs, and the orchestra was a winner of a 2005 ASCAP/American Symphony Orchestra League Award for Adventurous Programming. Our 2000-2001 Premières for the Millennium season included four new works composed expressly for the UWSO. Other year-long orchestral projects included a 1999-2000 retrospective on 20th Century music and 1998’s Hildegard’s Year, which saluted all women composers in honor of the 900th birthday of Hildegard von Bingen, a medieval German nun and composer.

Orchestra membership is by audition only. Players are drawn primarily from the university student body, including both music majors and talented musicians majoring in other fields of study. Many of the members receive some scholarship aid in return for playing in Music Departmental ensembles. There are also a few Laramie residents who participate in the orchestra.

Dr. Michael Griffith took over the podium of the UW Symphony in 1989. Since then the orchestra has grown significantly in size, playing level, and repertoire. He was named a UW “Top Ten” teacher by the graduating class of 2006, and currently serves as President-Elect of the Conductors Guild. UWSO concerts in Laramie draw a large and appreciative audience and are an important part of the cultural life of the university community.

The biennial Dorothy Jacoby Student Soloist Concert gives UW’s best students an opportunity to perform as soloist with the orchestra. The student judged to have given the finest performance that evening wins a substantial cash award.

Symphony Association for the University of WyomingThe Symphony Association for the University of Wyoming offers significant support to the orchestra. This Laramie-based organization funds scholarships, tours, equipment needs, commissions and other special projects. They also encourage community involvement in orchestra events, help with educational projects, and offer occasional social outlets for lovers of symphonic music.  www.uwyo.edu/sa

Orchestra tours are funded by a combination of sources. These include the University, the UW Foundation, the Symphony Association, private donors and host communities, the Wyoming Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The UWSO is a part of the UW Department of Music, Dr. David Brinkman, Chair, in the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Oliver Walter, Dean.