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