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History of the Orchestra
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1964
Founded in 1964 as Concerto Soloists 16 by Marc Mostovoy, the ensemble quickly garnered a reputation for quality on the regional, national and international scene. Successful tours of Austria, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Belgium and Israel and standout performances at Carnegie Hall highlight the group's early development. The Orchestra's repertoire consisted mainly of Baroque and Classical works, featuring members of the ensemble as soloists. Mostovoy sought out unusual works not in the standard repertory and commissioned over sixty new works, many by American composers.
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1982
As the number of concerts significantly increased, Mostovoy brought in internationally famed and respected maestro, Max Rudolf, professor of conducting at The Curtis Institute of Music and former conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony and Metropolitan Opera, to share the podium with him. Rudolf served as conductor laureate from the early 1980s until just prior to his death in 1995.
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1994
Ignat Solzhenitsyn joined the Orchestra in 1994 while studying at Philadelphia's esteemed Curtis Institute of Music. First as Assistant Conductor and then as Associate Conductor, Solzhenitsyn expanded the Orchestra's size and repertoire to include more works from the Classical and early Romantic periods, as well as fascinating 20th-century works. He received acclaim as "an interpreter of probing intellect as well as an avid risk-taker" (Washington Post). Maestro Solzhenitsyn was appointed Principal Conductor in 1998 and currently serves as Music Director of the ensemble.
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2000
With the coming of the new millennium, the ensemble was renamed The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and selected as one of the eight founding resident companies of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. In its new home - the intimate, 600-seat Perelman Theater - The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia brings great music - performed with the utmost integrity and on the highest possible level of artistic excellence - to the people of Philadelphia.
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2004
Ignat Solzhenitsyn was named Music Director of the ensemble in January, 2004. Under the direction of Maestro Solzhenitsyn, the ensemble has expanded its repertoire to include more works from the Classical and early Romantic periods, as well as fascinating 20th-century works.
The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia has more than seventy commissions and premiere performances to its credit.
In the 2004 - 2005 season, Maestro Solzhenitsyn performed with soloists cellist Steven Isserlis, violinist Leila Josefowicz, soprano Christine Brandes and bass-baritone Michael Dean - the latter two in performances of Mozart's rarely-heard concert arias - and led the ensemble from the keyboard in Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 60, as part of an All-Beethoven program in April, 2005.
The Orchestra toured the All-Beethoven program in April, 2005 to Long Island, NY, Ann Arbor, MI and Ithaca, NY.
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Photography by Paul Sirochman, Nick Kelsh, Ann Weiss and Robert J. Elias
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