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A resolution recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Nashville Symphony.
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WHEREAS, the Nashville Symphony has been an integral part of the city since 1946 when World War II veteran and Nashville native Walter Sharp established a new symphony orchestra for Middle Tennessee; and
WHEREAS, William Strickland of New York served as the first music director and conductor of the symphony and led the orchestra's first performance on December 10, 1946 at War Memorial Auditorium; and
WHEREAS, the orchestra continued to perform at the historic War Memorial Auditorium in downtown Nashville until the opening of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in 1980 when symphony concerts were moved into Andrew Jackson Hall within TPAC; and
WHEREAS, from 1983 to 2005, the Nashville Symphony flourished under the dynamic leadership of Music Director and Principal Conductor Kenneth Schermerhorn who led the ensemble to new levels of artistic achievement while nurturing the tradition of excellence. Under his direction, the orchestra performed a critically acclaimed debut concert at Carnegie Hall and undertook a sold-out East Coast tour in 2000; and
WHEREAS, in 2003, the Nashville Symphony broke ground on the $123.5 million Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the orchestra's new home, which opened on September 9, 2006. Located in downtown Nashville, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center has attracted global attention for its acoustical excellence and distinctive neo-Classical architecture; and
WHEREAS, during the Nashville flood of 2010, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center took on an estimated 5.25 million gallons of water and sustained more than $40 million in damage. With the support of many community partners, the orchestra was able to continue performing for the community while the concert hall underwent extensive repairs before reopening on December 31, 2010; and
WHEREAS, the Nashville Symphony remains one of the most prolific recording orchestras in the U.S. with more than 40 ...
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