Oakland Symphony
| Company type | Nonprofit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Classical music, performing arts |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Defunct | 1986 (original organization) |
| Fate | Bankruptcy; reformed as Oakland East Bay Symphony in 1988, restored original name in 2015 |
| Headquarters | Oakland, California , United States |
Area served | Oakland and East Bay area, California |
Key people | Orley See (founding music director), Michael Morgan (music director 1990–2021), Kedrick Armstrong (music director from 2024) |
| Products | Symphonic concerts and performances |
| Website | oaklandsymphony |
The Oakland Symphony is a U.S.-based orchestra situated in Oakland, California, with its home at the Paramount Theatre (Oakland, California). Established in 1933, the organization declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 1986. In 1988, the musicians reassembled under the name Oakland East Bay Symphony (OEBS), before restoring the original name in 2015.
1933-1986
The orchestra's inception occurred in 1933 with Orley See serving as its inaugural music director until 1957. Leadership then passed to Piero Bellugi from 1957 to 1959, followed by Gerhard Samuel beginning in 1959. Throughout the 1960s, the ensemble performed primarily at the Oakland Civic Auditorium (currently known as Kaiser Convention Center). Under Samuel’s direction, the number of concerts per season grew from eight to twenty-four, earning national recognition for both innovative programming and community involvement. In 1964, Samuel founded the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra, appointing composer Robert Hughes as its director. This youth group gained acclaim through extensive performances, commissioning new compositions, producing five commercial recordings, international tours, and receiving a Silver Medal at Berlin’s Herbert von Karajan Festival. Samuel also established the Oakland Symphony Chorus.
In 1966, the orchestra was awarded a $1.35 million matching grant by the Ford Foundation, selected as one of sixty-one orchestras across the country to develop endowment funds.
Harold Farberman assumed the role of music director in 1971 and expanded the subscription offerings to thirty-three concerts while introducing a 'Pops' Series alongside educational initiatives. The orchestra enhanced its outreach efforts by presenting free public concerts and creating a 'Minority Orchestral Fellowship Program' aimed at supporting young string players from underrepresented communities. The repertoire during this period leaned more heavily on traditional classical works.
In 1972, ownership of the 2,998-seat Paramount Theatre was acquired and refurbished by the Oakland Symphony Association, with significant financial backing from prominent donors such as Steven Bechtel Jr. and Edgar Kaiser Sr.. This restoration project received a National Trust for Historic Preservation award in 1981 and was later designated a National Historic Landmark. Despite robust ticket sales and audience attendance, maintaining operations at the Paramount proved costly. To fund renovations, the association secured a $1 million loan and transferred theater ownership to the City of Oakland in exchange for rent-free use spanning forty years. To meet financial obligations, funds originally allocated by the Ford Foundation for endowment were redirected toward operational expenses until exhausted.
Farberman stepped down in 1979; that same season saw Calvin Simmons become music director—the first African-American to hold this position. Simmons led until his untimely death in 1982. Leonard Slatkin served as artistic consultant during the 1982-83 season amid rising financial difficulties characterized by increasing debt despite steady audience turnout.
Richard Buckley took over as music director in 1983, overseeing further season expansion amid ongoing fiscal challenges and stagnant subscription numbers. During the opening of the 1985-86 season, musicians staged a strike that was ultimately resolved through agreements on improved compensation and benefits. Concurrently, restructuring within the board of directors alienated certain supporters and contributed to governance instability.
In spring 1986, ambitious plans were announced to present the largest season yet by incorporating additional venues such as Rheem Theatre (Moraga, California) and Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley, California), while returning the primary series to Oakland Auditorium (renamed Calvin Simmons Theatre). However, within a month management drastically reduced the planned season due to financial distress and requested a 30% wage reduction from musicians despite a recently negotiated contract. After failed negotiations, on August 21 management filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Following an unsuccessful negotiation session in September, the board opted to proceed with liquidation under Chapter 7.
An in-depth study by Melanie Beene and colleagues attributes this bankruptcy to unrealistic ambitions held by both musicians and management aiming for "major" orchestra status despite Oakland’s position as a secondary market competing with San Francisco; stagnant audience development; and escalating financial difficulties:
- 'Those negotiations represented years of unrealistic ambitions... aspirations... which obscured the harsh realities facing Oakland – its role as a secondary market competing against San Francisco; its persistent failure to significantly grow audience size and ticket revenue; and its deteriorating financial condition.'
1988–2015
After the Oakland Symphony declared bankruptcy and ceased operations, both the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Oakland Symphony Chorus continued to function under the original organization’s name. In 1988, a group of former symphony musicians along with the Oakland Symphony League founded a new orchestra, named the Oakland East Bay Symphony (OEBS). Michael Morgan was appointed as its music director beginning with the 1990-1991 season.
2015–present
In 2015, the ensemble reverted to its initial designation, resuming the name Oakland Symphony. Michael Morgan retained his role as music director until his passing in August 2021. Throughout his last twenty years leading the orchestra, he conducted exclusively without inviting guest conductors.
Kedrick Armstrong made his debut as a guest conductor in 2022 and subsequently returned in both 2023 and 2024. In April 2024, Armstrong was officially named music director, assuming the position immediately.
Music directors
- Orley See (1933–1958)
- Piero Bellugi (1958–1959)
- Gerhard Samuel (1959–1971)
- Harold Farberman (1971–1979)
- Calvin Simmons (1979–1982)
- Richard Buckley (1983–1986)
- Michael Morgan:
- 1990–2015 (music director, Oakland East Bay Symphony)
- 2015–2021 (music director, Oakland Symphony)
- Kedrick Armstrong (2024–present)
Awards
- ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming received in 1977, 1978, and 1982
External links
- 1933 establishments in California
- 1986 disestablishments in California
- Musical groups established in 1933
- Musical groups disestablished in 1986
- Musical groups from Oakland, California
- Organizations based in Oakland, California
- History of Oakland, California
- Culture of Oakland, California
- American symphony orchestras
- Disbanded American orchestras
- Orchestras from the San Francisco Bay Area