Centennial Season of the Colorado Symphony

Since 1919, The Colorado Symphony has been at the forefront of orchestral excellence and artistic innovation. Now is their centennial Season to look back with pride and look ahead toward an equally bright future.

At a time of unprecedented crisis, the symphony refused to withdraw into itself or disband, instead opting to offer virtual performances as comfort, entertainment, and distraction to people everywhere.

The Chorus

The Colorado Symphony Chorus has long been at the forefront of reaching new audiences. To commemorate their 25th anniversary, in 2009 the Chorus took part in an extensive two-week European tour, performing Verdi REQUIEM in Budapest, Vienna, Litomysl and Prague.

Recently, the Chorus has shared the stage with such esteemed artists as The Flaming Lips, Mandolin Orange, Pretty Lights, and Wu-Tang Clan; providing audiences at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Boettcher Concert Hall with unforgettable sounds from those artists.

These partnerships help disprove the misconception that classical music is only for certain age, demographic or socioeconomic groups. By cultivating new musicians and audiences, Colorado Chorus is helping shape Colorado’s musical culture in ways never imagined possible before.

The Orchestra

The Colorado Symphony has taken steps to dispel the myth that classical music is only for people of certain ages or socioeconomic profiles. Through partnerships with organizations and artists like the Denver Broncos, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, and the Denver Zoo; concerts at outdoor venues including Red Rocks Amphitheatre; and educational programs that reach thousands of students throughout Colorado; its mission has never been clearer or its outreach more expansive.

In 1972, voters approved the plan for Boettcher Concert Hall–named after philanthropist Claude K. Boettcher and designed by architect Donald Seawell–which became their new home. This venue became the first symphony hall in America that had all seats surrounding its stage.

The Colorado Symphony Chorus, founded in 1984 and led by Chorus Director Duain Wolfe since then, has quickly established itself as one of the country’s premiere symphonic choruses, regularly performing in Boettcher Concert Hall under Marin Alsop, Branwell Tovey and others orchestral directors.

The Guild

Guild members have played a critical role in the success of the Symphony throughout its history. They helped launch its inaugural Red Rocks concert series in 1947; expanded the Education department in 1967 through creating its innovative “Tiny Tots” program; and underwrote its inaugural recording in 1973.

The Guild has played a vital role in raising funds for Denver Symphony’s fundraising initiatives since 1934. Comprised of six chapters across Denver: Applewood-North, Career-Metro, Denver East, Bow Mar-Littleton Highlands Ranch/Lone Tree and Hilltop-Southeast; each chapter holds fundraisers while paying annual dues.

After renewing Guild leadership in 2000, the Symphony found itself more stable but continued to face financial strains. To help, Scientific and Cultural Facilities District granted taxpayer support and Jerome and Mary Kern donated $1 million. Additionally, new management recruited new donors while tightening budgets resulting in a more profitable 2009-2010 season.

The CSO 3.0 Initiative

As Colorado’s only full-time professional orchestra, the Symphony has played a vital role in our city‘s cultural fabric and served as an example of a successful business model that requires collaboration among stakeholders as well as support from its community in order to flourish.

Helen Marie Black, Jeanne Cranmer, and Lucille Wilkin founded the Denver Symphony Orchestra (DSO) during the Great Depression to unify all musicians within Colorado and guarantee union wages for them all. Nearly one hundred years later, this remarkable orchestra still exists providing quality music education to its community as well as beyond.

The CSO 3.0 Initiative is their response to an unprecedented financial crisis that began in 2009. Management asked musicians to accept pay cuts and collaborate on a sustainability study; musicians agreed; however, this alone wasn’t enough to save the symphony: they needed an alternative solution that focused on smaller chamber orchestra performances around town and donor events while expanding educational programs for schoolchildren and adults.