Seattle Symphony

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About Seattle Symphony

One of the top orchestras in the US today, the Seattle Symphony has particularly distinguished itself in promoting and commissioning new works—most famously John Luther Adams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning epic tone poem Become Ocean. Though originally founded in 1903, the orchestra was disbanded in 1921, reforming in 1926 with Karl Krueger as its conductor. Among its most notable conductors in the following decades were Basil Cameron (1932-38) and Thomas Beecham (1941-44), both English. Its earliest recordings, however, were made under the American Milton Katims during his 22-year tenure as its music director (1954-76). The orchestra made its first foreign tour in 1980 under the following music director, Rainer Miedél (1976-83). During Gerard Schwarz’s 26-year reign (1985–2011), the orchestra championed 20th-century American composers, including Howard Hanson, David Diamond, and Alan Hovhaness. Schwarz’s successor, the French conductor Ludovic Morlot (2011–2019), continued that legacy, commissioning new works from local composers. Under Morlot’s tenure, the orchestra launched its own label, Seattle Symphony Media, in 2014. Since 1998, the Seattle Symphony has been based at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. It was there that in 2013 Morlot conducted the premiere of John Luther Adams’ Become Ocean, for which the orchestra won a Grammy Award. Further recordings on its label were made by Morlot’s successor, Thomas Dausgaard (2019-22). Morlot continues to conduct the Seattle Symphony as its conductor emeritus.

ORIGIN
Seattle, WA, United States
FORMED
1903
GENRE
Classical

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