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The San Jose Symphony Orchestra was a symphony orchestra performing in San Jose, California. It performed in the Civic Auditorium through 1971, and the Center for the Performing Arts afterwards until its suspension in 2001 and dissolution in 2002.

A group calling itself the San Jose Symphony first performed in 1879, but its existence was scattered and irregular until a formal symphony association was formed in 1937. A more regularly organized group, at first calling itself the San Jose Civic Orchestra, began playing that year and, except for a suspension during World War II, continued until 2001. At first it was a volunteer group playing only one or two concerts a year. Following the war, the musicians were paid, but 3 concerts a year was normal until the mid-1960s, after which the number began to rise. The 1975-76 season, a bicentennial special featuring appearances by Alan Hovhaness, Carlos Chavez, Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson, and Lou Harrison conducting their own works, was a landmark on the orchestra's path to full-time professional status. In 1995, cellist Nick Dargahi and Operations Manager Michael Pastreich partnered to create for the San Jose Symphony the first website of any US orchestra.

In October 2001, the San Jose Symphony closed its doors in a bid to restructure. But when, more than a year later, the organization was unable to recover San Jose Symphony declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and was dissolved.

Symphony Silicon Valley, an orchestra under new management but including many of the same musicians, was created in 2002 by Ballet San Jose and succeeded the San Jose Symphony as the professional symphony orchestra of San Jose.

Music directors

Administrators

• 1993-1998 Shirley Lewis (President)
• 1999 Mary Lonich (General Manager)
• 2000-2001 Paul Chummers (Executive Director)

References

1. Charlotte Doughton Claude, A History of the San José Symphony Orchestra, 1879-1972. California State University, San Jose, M.A. thesis, 1973.
2. San José Symphony archives, History San José, Kelley Park, San Jose, California.
3. https://www.symphonysiliconvalley.org/musicians.php?pagecontID=66&MusID=289"Symphony Silicon Valley Website". Retrieved February 10, 2020.
4. "San Jose Symphony Website". Archived from the original on January 10, 1998. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
5. Bergstein, Brian (October 23, 2001). "San Jose Symphony silenced for now". Associated Press. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
6. Guersch, Mike (November 14, 2002). "San Jose Symphony set to fold, file for bankuptcy". San Jose Mercury News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2002. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
7. Kosman, Joshua (June 4, 2002). "San Jose Symphony to file for bankruptcy". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
8. Wolf, Thomas (June 4, 2005). "And the Band Stopped Playing" (PDF). Wolf, Keens & Company. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
9. "San Jose Symphony Administration". sanjosesymphony.org. San Jose Symphony. Jan 10, 1998. Archived from the original on 1998-01-10. Retrieved Jan 14, 2019.
10. "San Jose Symphony Administration". sanjosesymphony.org. San Jose Symphony. Jan 25, 1999. Archived from the original on 1999-02-22. Retrieved Jan 14, 2019.
11. "San Jose Symphony Administration". sanjosesymphony.org. San Jose Symphony. Feb 2, 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-02-09. Retrieved Jan 14, 2019.

Charlotte Doughton Claude, A History of the San José Symphony Orchestra, 1879-1972. California State University, San Jose, M.A. thesis, 1973.

San Jose Symphony archives, History San Jose, Kelley Park, San Jose, California.

• 1937 establishments in California
• 2001 disestablishments in California
• Disbanded American orchestras
• Musical groups established in 1937
• Musical groups disestablished in 2001
• Orchestras based in California