History of the SSO

 

A Timeline of Saskatoon’s Orchestra

1931–1947 Arthur Collingwood – Music Director

1931 Venue – Convocation Hall at U of S

1939 Venue – Adam Ballroom, (Delta) Bessborough Hotel

1947–1950 J.R. Macrae – Music Director

1949 Venue – Capital Theatre

1950–1956 Victor Kviesis – Music Director

1955 Venue – Gymnasium at the U of S

1956–1957 Jim Bolle – Music Director

1957–1960 Murray Adaskin – Music Director

1959 Junior Symphony and Intercollegiate Orchestra

1960–1963 Alexander Reisman – Music Director

1963-1969 David Kaplan – Music Director

1968 Venue – Centennial Auditorium (now TCU Place)

1969–1970 Franz Zeidler – Music Director

1970–1971 David Kaplan – Music Director

SSO is a community orchestra

Funding from the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Canada Council
for the Arts begins

Funding begins for SSO Artists-in-Residence (start of the “core”)

Women of the Symphony running concerts

1971–1976 Dwaine Nelson – Music Director

Played same concert twice to capacity crowds

Youth development program

1976–1982 Ruben Gurevich – Music Director

1982–1984 David Gray – Music Director

1982 Monte Keene Pishny Floyd composition for City of Saskatoon centennial

1984–1993 Daniel Swift – Music Director

1989 First SSO Book and Music Sale

1993–1997 Dennis Simons – Music Director

1997–2002 Earl Stafford – Music Director

Symphony Under the Sky outdoor concerts

New Music Festival

2002–2008 Douglas Sanford – Music Director

2008–2010 Earl Stafford – Music Director

2010 Sustain the Music Campaign with support of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation

SSO Book and Music Sale cumulative total crosses $1 million mark on first day of sale

2010–2015 Victor Sawa – Music Director

2011 New home at 408 20th Street West

SSO Book and Music Sale single event total exceeds $119,585 (a record)

2014 – Mark Turner joins the SSO as their new Executive Director

2015 – The SSO raises $448,000 through its Share In The Future fundraiser with support of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation, retires long-term debt to be debt free

2015 – Eric Paetkau – Music Director

2017 – Share in the Future campaign raises over $220,000 with the support of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation

2018 – SSO Book and Music Sale celebrates its 30th anniversary

2018 – SSO and its Book Sale move to their new home at 602B 51st Street East

2019 – SSO Book and Music Sale surpasses a 31 year cumulative total of $2 million raised

2019 – Share in the Future campaign raises $633,000, with the generous support of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation, retires accumulated deficit leaving the organization “in the black”

2020 – Launch of the Digital Concert Stream, showcasing the orchestra in live stream and concert films

2021 – SSO launches streaming platform ConcertStream.tv