Springfield Symphony history

Blumenthal served as conductor until 1955 when he left Springfield to further his education back East.

Continuing the SSO devotion to education, Staffanson initiated a series of discussions prior to each concert in 1956.

In 1961 a permanent Springfield Symphony Endowment was established for the purpose of investing funds to provide for future needs.

Following Moffat’s resignation for health reason in 1966, Charles Hall was named interim conductor of the Symphony.

Following Hall’s resignation in the summer of 1978, Charles Bontrager of Hamilton, Ohio, accepted the position of the conductor.

In 1982 Bontrager was instrumental in working with others in the community in establishing the highly acclaimed Firefall celebration.

In 1983, Robert Gutter resigned from the orchestra and was followed by the gifted young African American conductor, Raymond Harvey.

In the early 1990’s, as the nation’s economy and that of Massachusetts went into recession, the SSO struggled for its own financial and musical future.

Upon the completion of the new Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts in September 1992, the Symphony moved into the new facilities and has performed its subscription concerts there ever since.

At the conclusion of the 1993-94 season, Bontrager announced his resignation and the next season saw six guest conductors appearing as finalists for the position of conductor.

On June 30, 1995, Apo Hsu was named as the new music director/conductor of the Symphony.

As one of the bright lights among young upcoming American conductors, Maestro Smith moved on to a larger regional orchestra, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, in 2000.

Upon Hsu’s announcement of her pending departure, a national search for her successor was launched in the summer of 2002.