|
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE
SBSO Association
San Bernardino Symphony Timeline of Major Events and Occurrences
Fall 1929 – Fall 2008
Fall 1929 Symphony established as The Philharmonic Orchestra of San Bernardino James K. Guthrie, Manager Jay Plowe, conductor Willis C. Winslow, asst. conductor
Mar 14, 1930 Symphony 1st Concert at Sturges Auditorium Principal Pieces: Mendelssohn - Italian Symphony Liszt - Piano Concerto No. 1 Soloist Clarence Eugene Johnson, piano
Sept. 1, 1931 First Funds Drive Campaign Office Opened--Goal - $6,000
Sept. 29, 1931 Philharmonic Orchestra of San Bernardino fate dubious; goal not reached. Season may be cancelled.
Dec. 2, 1931 1st Concert 1931/1932 season of what is now The Philharmonic Orchestra of San Bernardino Valley at Municipal Auditorium Jay Plowe - Conductor; Willis C. Winslow - Asst. Conductor
Apr. 1932 Dr. Alfred Hertz, 1st guest conductor, San Francisco Symphony Metropolitan Opera (past)
Jan. 31, 1933 Philharmonic Orchestra of San Bernardino San Bernardino High School Auditorium Jay Plowe, conductor James K. Guthrie, asst. conductor (conducting) Sponsored by San Bernardino Civic Music Association
1935 James Guthrie becomes conductor Feb. 6, 1935 Univ. of Redlands, Memorial Auditorium The Philharmonic Orchestra of San Bernardino Valley James K. Guthrie, conductor Sponsored by: The Spinet Club All-Tschaikovsky Program
1936-1939 Federal Music Project Federal Project to support orchestras during depression era
1961 Orchestra operated as a school district Adult Education activity and Ed Hurlbut of Adult Ed supervised the orchestra for many years. Musicians were mainly volunteers.
1963 Group of music lovers, together with some of the orchestra members formed the San Bernardino Symphony Association in order to assist in the development of this cultural organization;
1965 Begin performance at Pacific High School
1974 Performances begin at the California Theatre with financial support from Myrtle Bard
1980-1997 California Theater managed and owned by Civic Light Opera
1980 Guthrie Library first part-time paid staff was Jackie Davis
1980 Orchestra comprised of professional musicians
1982 Symphony cancelled remaining concerts because of a $50,000 debt
1980 Orchestra name changes to Inland Empire Symphony
1981 Frank Plash started Program Notes
1984 Susan Feller becomes Executive Director
1984 San Bernardino Symphony moves into Court Street Office
1984 Jazz concert at National Orange Show
1984 John Gates becomes Personnel Manager, a position he still holds
1984 Symphony Guild founded by Brenda Bean; Evelyn Hill becomes first Guild President
1985 Sinfonia Mexicana founded by SBS
1985 In home Musicals started by the Symphony Guild
1985 Concerts at Arrowhead Park
1985 Family concerts begin
1985 Begin free children concerts
1985 Symphony plays Fourth of July at Seccombe Lake Park bandstand
1987 First Golden Baton Dinner
1987 Begin performing with Inland Valley Dance (Nutcracker)
1987 Guild begins Debs and Associates program
1990 Sun Sponsorship begins
1990 Master classes organized by Julia Kurtyka
1990 1st Strategic planning retreat
1991 Chamber music groups play at Arrowhead Country Club
1991 Stewart Robertson becomes conductor
1984 Begins performing for Redlands Bowl
1991 Guild begins Music in the Schools program
1993 Ballet Africains plays at Sturges Auditorium (Arranged by Susan Feller)
1994 Susan Feller resigns as Executive Director Symphony left with over $80,000 debt
1994 James Guthrie donates his music library to SBS
1995 Chris Daniels becomes Executive Director
June 1996 Judy Brewer becomes Operations manager
July 1996 Chris Daniels resigns as Executive Director; Symphony begins operating without an executive director; Board runs organization
1996 James K. Guthrie (passes)
1998 CLO folds and City (EDA) takes over California Theater
1998 Board signs as individual’s grantees for 60,000
1998 Collaboration with CSUSB
1998 Program exchange with Riverside Philharmonic
1998 Frank Plash does pre-concert lectures
1998 Vicki Carr concert at CSUSB nets $35,000
1999 Maya Angelou concert at CSUSB nets $38,000
1998 Theatrical Arts hired to manage California Theater
1999 In-home pre-concerts begin
2000 Carlo Ponti, guest conducts
2001 Stewart Robertson, music director leaves orchestra
2001 Carlo Ponti, music director joins orchestra
2001 Sinfonia Mexicana becomes separate non-profit entity
2003 City “gives” new theater shell to Symphony
2004 San Bernardino Symphony moves to D Street
2004 Old theater shell sold to Ontario
2004 In home Musicals restarts
2006 Concert Afterglows begin
2001-2002 Season Inland Empire Symphony Association hosts Russian National Orchestra
2001-2002 Season Funds drive raises $77,000 and New Year’s Eve Gala $25,000 preventing closing of operations.
Friends of Guthrie Library reorganized to raise money for cataloging of collection
2002-2003 Season Name of orchestra changed to San Bernardino Symphony Association; Board dues set at $500 per year; before they were $250 Guild changes name to San Bernardino Symphony Guild; Dottie Garcia and Jan Bell secure $6,500 grant from Community Foundation to fund cataloging of music in Guthrie Library; New Year’s Eve Gala raises almost $29,000; Symphony receives line-item grant of $70,000 from City after receiving grant for many years not as line item; Funds drive raises $69,000; Linda Savage chairs successful Home Tour that raises approximately $7,000; Press Enterprise replaces SB Sun as media sponsor with in-kind sponsorship of $70,000 for one season Allen Gresham, Duke Hill and Mary Schnepp take out loan for $200,000 Mark Edwards negotiates billboard advertisement space around the City Board strategic planning retreat
2003-2004 Season November Children’s concert sells out and makes profit of $5,000; Press Enterprise is newspaper sponsor again ($108,000); Guthrie Music Library finds permanent home in Public Library; Funds drive raises approximately $106,000 as of June 30, 2004; New Year’s Eve Gala raises $30,000; Total donations for the year are approximately $175,000; Indebtedness as of June 30, 2004 is $175,000
June 2004 Jones bequest; managed by Gorian
2005 Music Director forgives fee for children’s concert, continues today
2004-2005 Season Board entertained idea of soliciting multi-year pledges for Annual Funds Drive; Symphony receives first grant from NEA, Dorothy Garcia Since moving to Public Library and hiring a new Librarian, Guthrie Library operates with a profit; New Union agreement; Loans forgiven by Duke Hill over past two seasons total over $45,000 Repaid symphony loan to Chuck Obershaw Arrowhead Credit Union makes 3-year $45,000 commitment of $15,000 per year; Barter Partnership with AT&T $198,696 Loan from City forgiven until 2025; Funds drive raises almost $80,000; New Year’s Eve Gala raises approximately $30,000; Evelyn Magnusson donated a piano to the Symphony, which Dottie Garcia purchased; Indebtedness as of June 2005 is approximately $152,000
October2006 Symphony awarded 3-year Irvine Foundation grant of $350,000
2007 Mark Edwards secured donation of $50,000 from Mr. & Mrs. Pearson
2007 John Gates, musician, personnel manager donates $35,000 for concert.
July 2007 Plash bequest; endowment fund established at Merrill Lynch
August 2007 Rebekah Marshall hired as executive director
September 2007 Rebekah Marshall ceases to be executive director
October 2007 Carlotta Mellon hired as executive director
October 2007 Charles Bradley hired as half-time assistant to the ED (new position)
November 2007 Purchase and install Choice Ticketing and Donor software program
December 2007 Magnuson bequest
January 2008 Begin on-line ticket sales
2008 Maestro Ponti’s contract extended to 2015
May 2008 Collaboration with Valley College
Conductors:
Jay Plowe 1929 – 1933
James K. Guthrie 1935 -1961
Joseph Pearlman 1962-Sept. 1965
Michael Perriere Jul 1968-May 1976
Rudolph Picardi Sept. 1965-Jun 1968
Meredith Wilson Mar/Apr 1976 (Guest conductor)
Alberto Bolet Oct 1976-1980
Gregory Millar Jun 1981-Aug 1982
Thomas Nee Feb 1981
Dr. Ben Eby Mar 1983, Jul 1983-Feb 1984
Don Th. Jaeger Jan 1983, Fall 1984-1989
Donald Ambroson May 1983
Stewart Robinson 1989-2001
Carlo Ponti, Jr. 2001-Present
Board Presidents
(1929-1962 Presidents list in Storage)
Dr. John M. Pfau 1963 -1965
Leslie I Harris 1965 -1967
Dr. John M. Pfau 1967 -1970
Allen Gresham 1970 -1971
Maj. Gen. Clyde Mitchell 1971- 1972
Dr. Arthur Jensen 1972- 1974
Mrs. Ted Eichelberger 1974- 1976
Dr. Robert Sprague 1976- 1976
Mrs. William Howard 1976- 1977
Dr. Joseph Thomas 1977- 1978
Hollis Hartley 1978- 1979
Glenn Rymer 1979 -1980
Cloy Francis 1980 -1981
Evelyn Kravetz 1981- 1983
Jan Mordy 1983 -1984
Gerald Bean 1984 -1989
Allen Gresham 1989 -1993
Dr Irvin Root 1994 -1995
Edward G. Hill 1995 - 2001
Mark Edwards 2001 - 2003
Ann Harris 2003 - 2005
Mary Schnepp 2005 -
June 27, 2008
San Bernardino Symphony
(This is a preliminary draft with the historical information it had available. Any corrections or additions will be appreciated.) |
