Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.

History
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, located in Pittsburgh's downtown Cultural District. The current music director is Austrian Manfred Honeck, who joined the orchestra in 2008, and the current president and CEO is Melia Tourangeau.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has had a history of touring both domestically and internationally since 1900. The orchestra currently counts more than 36 international tours, including 20 to Europe, eight trips to the Far East, and two to South America. The Pittsburgh Symphony was the first American orchestra to perform at the Vatican for a pope, which it did in January 2004 for the late Pope John Paul II as part of the Pontiff's Silver Jubilee celebration.

The orchestra was founded by the Pittsburgh Arts Society with conductor Frederic Archer in 1895, who brought with him a number of musicians from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and led the PSO in its first concert the following year.

1898–1910: Victor Herbert and Emil Paur
In 1898, Victor Herbert was chosen to lead the orchestra. Victor Herbert was beginning to be known as a man of the theater and had composed four comic operas, but at the time Pittsburgh engaged him, he was better known as an ensemble and solo cellist, serious composer, and conductor (he was assistant to Anton Seidl of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and leader of the internationally celebrated band of the 22nd Regiment N.Y.S.N.G., popularly known as "Gilmore's Band" after its founder Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore). He was born in Ireland and educated in Germany. Andrew Carnegie financed the trip. The Orchestra traveled at a more frequent rate under Herbert's tenure, performing in Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Canada. Its personnel included some important musicians: Luigi von Kunits, later the first conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as concertmaster; Frederick William Stahlberg in the first violins and John Stepan Zamecnik in the second violins; Gaston Borch as assistant principal cello; Paul Henneberg as first flute; and Leon Medaer as first clarinet.

Herbert composed two substantial orchestral works that the Pittsburgh Orchestra premiered: his Suite romantique op. 31 (which he also dedicated to the orchestra) and the tone poem Hero and Leander op. 33. Under Herbert's direction, the Pittsburgh Orchestra played as part of the Pan-American Exposition at the 1901 World's Fair in Buffalo, New York, for which Herbert had also composed an original work for the exhibition titled "Panamericana: Morceau Characteristique" for the Orchestra to perform.

He ended his appointment with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1904 because of increasingly strident disagreements with the orchestra's manager, George H. Wilson, who disliked Herbert's populist manner and personally despised him. When Herbert left the orchestra in 1904, the Symphony Society chose as his successor Austrian conductor Emil Paur.

Paur took an intellectual approach to his work and avoided theatrics. Trained as a violinist, he had served as conductor of both the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, as well as guest conductor throughout Europe, and held the Pittsburgh Orchestra to the same exacting standards. Paur's programs emphasized the classical repertoire and included a heavy dose of Johannes Brahms, whose music was considered too challenging for most audiences at that time. Additionally, Paur clashed with many of the orchestra's musicians when he prohibited them from accepting outside performing engagements and continued to hire mainly European musicians. Manager George H. Wilson resigned in disgust over Paur on December 24, 1906, shortly after the beginning of Paur's third season, saying that his tenure, pride, and pleasure with the orchestra "have all constrained me during the past two years to bear with the personal idiosyncracies, the superficiality of his musical faith, the narrowness of his musical horizon, his indifference to the success of the out-of-town concerts, the hazard (to the orchestra business) of an uncontrolled temper, the frequent distrust of my motives, and the peculiar and ever-shifting focus of the stupidity of the present conductor...these things are characteristic of the man, not passing symptoms." Paur remained at the head of the orchestra until it disbanded in 1910.

The orchestra attracted a number of prominent guest conductors during these early years, including Edward Elgar and Richard Strauss.

1910–1926: Hard times
In the interim, concert promoter May Beegle founded the Pittsburgh Orchestra Association to bring other musical performers to the city.

1926–1938: The New Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Antonio Modarelli, an American conductor and composer, became conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphonic Orchestra in 1930. A German newspaper described his conducting as "forceful, authentic, modern music", and he was invited to conduct in Moscow. He had taught at Duquesne University and been a band leader in the Navy prior to his work in Europe and with the Symphony.

This program of frequent guest conductors was made in an effort to restore the symphony to its "golden years," but in effect demoted Modarelli, who was finally asked by the Board to resign in 1936.

Otto Klemperer is responsible for bringing in much new talent while working with the Musicians' Union to hire both local and imported performers. Since then, the orchestra has experienced ongoing growth and development, including building a substantial endowment fund.

1938–1948: The Reiner years
The Pittsburgh Symphony enjoyed 10 prolific years with Fritz Reiner as music director. Native to Hungary, Reiner studied with Hungarian composer Béla Bartók and interpreted many of his pieces in Symphony performances.

Females joined the orchestra for the first time during World War II. Eighteen joined in 1942, and 24 more joined in 1944. The PSO had more female performers than any other major American symphony during the war.

De Sabata came to Pittsburgh in 1948, in part because of the urgings of his colleague Vladimir Bakaleinikoff, whom he had conducted in Cincinnati in 1927. Ticket sales exploded with de Sabata at the helm. He was so popular with local audiences that around 1,200 people attended a concert he conducted at the Syria Mosque during one of Pittsburgh's worst snowstorms. He returned to conduct the orchestra in 1949, 1950, and 1951. The orchestra established a Guest Conductor Chair in his name in 2010.

1952–1976: The Steinberg years
During the early part of the 1950s, the Symphony played a number of "industry concerts". These concerts were conducted by Steinberg and sponsored by area industries, specifically the United Steelworkers of America. The sponsorship offset costs for industry workers, and the Symphony performed in more convenient locations throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The Symphony continued to bring music to smaller communities in partnership with Manufacturers Heat and Light Company and Columbia Gas during the Steinberg era.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed for audiences in Warsaw, Madrid, Berlin, Zagreb, Reykjavik, and 15 other locations throughout Europe and the Middle East during the State Department tour.

Many of the orchestra's earlier recordings were made in the Syrian Mosque with labels such as Capitol Records and Columbia Records. The Pittsburgh Symphony performed at the Syria Mosque from 1926 until 1971. The building was torn down in 1992.

William Steinberg and the Pittsburgh Symphony made a number of highly acclaimed recordings for the Command label starting in 1962. These recordings were made at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh. The technical superiority of the Command recordings was aided by the company's use of 35mm film as the recording medium.

Steinberg conducted his final Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concerts as music director in 1976, after which he returned to conduct occasionally as Music Director Emeritus.

1976–1984: The Previn years
Previn had a collegial working style with symphony musicians and even formed a chamber music trio with Herbert Greenberg, associate concertmaster, and principal cellist Anne Martindale Williams around 1979. In 1981, Previn renewed his contract with the symphony orchestra.

During this time, Victoria Bond served as an affiliate conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 1978 to 1980. Bond was the first woman to earn a doctoral degree in orchestral conducting from the Juilliard School and is a prolific composer. While at the Pittsburgh Symphony, she also served as the music director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony and the New Amsterdam Symphony in New York City.

Previn often brought jazz to the concert hall. In February 1977, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Previn made their national debut on PBS with eight specials, Previn and the Pittsburgh. The Alcoa Foundation sponsored the Emmy-nominated program, which ran for three years. Guests on the program included John Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, and Oscar Peterson.

Previn left the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1984, but is credited with "renewing the stature of the orchestra, expanding its position in the community, and giving the city a positive image internationally…"

1984–1996: The Maazel years
Maazel announced in 1995 that he would be leaving his post as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1996. He explained that his departure would give him more time to work on composition. In addition to developing his compositional work, Maazel went on to direct and conduct the New York Philharmonic, along with several orchestras abroad. After his death in July 2014, the Pittsburgh Symphony performed memorial pieces for Maazel as well as created a multimedia exhibit featuring Symphony archival materials related to the late director.

Marvin Hamlisch served as principal pops conductor beginning in 1995 until his death in 2012.

1995–2004: The second century
A capital campaign was launched in 1993 to increase the Pittsburgh Symphony's endowment by $70 million.

On April 10, 1995, the orchestra announced the appointment of Mariss Jansons to succeed Maazel in 1996 as its eighth music director. Latvian–born Jansons was well received by critics and audiences in Pittsburgh, who applauded the "warmth and humanity" that he brought to the ensemble. In addition to directing the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Jansons also served as an influential music director for the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway until 2002. With Jansons, the Pittsburgh Symphony toured all over the world, introducing it to new audiences, and recorded extensively. During this time, the Symphony was "innovative in drawing new elements of the Pittsburgh region’s population to concerts in Heinz Hall and elsewhere." Jansons conducted his last year as music director of the Symphony during the 2003–2004 season, after which he began acting as director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich.

The Pittsburgh Symphony was joined by the London Philharmonic Choir, Kraków Philharmonic Choir, Ankara Polyphonic Choir, and members of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh in a program that included the world premiere of "Abraham," a sacred motet by John Harbison, and Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection. The event, which was attended by the Pontiff, Rav Elio Toaff, Imam Abdulawahab Hussein Gomaa, and 7,000 invited guests, was telecast on RAI, on PBS, and throughout the world, and released on DVD by WQED Multimedia, Pittsburgh. Subsequent to this concert, at Levine's impetus, the Pittsburgh Symphony founded a series of concerts entitled "Music for the Spirit." He led the first two of these performances of the Haydn "Creation and Mahler Symphony No. 3 in Pittsburgh in 2006.

2005–2007: The team for the times
In 2005, the PSO entered a new era with the 2005–2006 season, introducing its innovative model for artistic leadership. During this time, a new collective bargaining agreement was in effect, which gave the musicians increased authority over matters of running the orchestra, such as the hiring of musicians and choice of repertoire. Starting in 2005, Sir Andrew Davis served as the PSO artistic advisor, with Yan Pascal Tortelier as principal guest conductor and Marek Janowski holding the "endowed guest conductor chair."

Sir Andrew Davis, while providing overall programming input regarding the entire season and leading the orchestra in a variety of styles, paid special attention to the music of British and American composers. Davis had been an organ scholar before becoming a conductor. Under his direction, the Symphony performed many symphonic, operatic, and choral works ranging from baroque to contemporary. Davis, a Knight Bachelor of Great Britain and music director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, had previously led the Pittsburgh Symphony several times as a guest conductor between 1977 and 1990.

Davis was originally scheduled to step down after the 2007–2008 season, but in October 2007, Davis and the Pittsburgh Symphony mutually agreed to terminate his contract early and for him not to conduct his scheduled concerts in the 2007–2008 season because of increased demands on Davis' schedule. The contracts of Tortelier and Janowski also expired in 2008. Janowski now holds the Otto Klemperer Guest Conductor Chair with the PSO.

2008 to the present: Manfred Honeck
In a change of conductor leadership format, returning to the traditional music director hierarchy, the PSO announced on January 24, 2007, that with the 2008–2009 season, the Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck would become the PSO's ninth music director. Honeck first conducted the symphony in May 2006 and returned for another guest appearance in November 2006. His initial contract was for three years. In September 2009, the PSO announced the extension of Honeck's contract to the 2015–2016 season. In February 2012, the PSO announced the further extension of Honeck's contract through the 2019–2020 season. In June 2007, the orchestra announced the appointment of American conductor Leonard Slatkin as the orchestra's principal guest conductor for the 2008–2009 season.

In November 2006, the PSO announced a pledge of $29.5 million from the Richard P. Simmons family as the start of a capital challenge for the orchestra to address long-standing financial concerns. In December 2006, the PSO announced the launch of an $80 million capital fund-raising drive after the initial $29.5 million boost from the Simmons family. In March 2009, the PSO announced the discontinuation of its chamber orchestra series after the 2008–2009 season, along with staff reductions of 9 positions.

In September 2009, the Pittsburgh Symphony and Honeck agreed to extend his contract through the 2015–2016 season. In 2013, his contract was extended to the 2019–2020 season.

In May 2010, Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony completed a remarkable tour of Europe. The 12-concert BNY Mellon 2010 European Tour included concerts at Vienna's famed Musikverein, as well as performances in Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovenia. In September 2010, the Pittsburgh Symphony and Honeck announced the creation of the Victor de Sabata Guest Conductor Chair for conductor Gianandrea Noseda for four years, beginning with the 2010–11 season.

In August and September 2013, Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra returned to Europe, this time for a European Festivals tour that included Grafenegg, Lucerne, Beethovenfest in Bonn, and several others.

Musicians
Source:

Music Director First Violin Second Violin Viola Cello Bass Harp Flute Piccolo Oboe English Horn Clarinet E-Flat Clarinet Bass Clarinet Bassoon Contrabassoon Horn Trumpet Trombone Bass Trombone Tuba Timpani Percussion Keyboard Librarians
 * Manfred Honeck
 * David McCarroll, Concertmaster; Rachel Mellon Walton Chair
 * Kelsey Blumenthal
 * Justine Campagna
 * Ellen Chen-Livingston: Selma Wiener Berkman Memorial Chair
 * Irene Cheng: Dr. & Mrs. William E. Rinehart Chair
 * Sarah Clendenning: Lois R. Brozenick Memorial Chair
 * Alison Peters Fujito
 * Marta Krechkovsky: Snapp Family First Violin Chair
 * Dylan Naroff
 * Jennifer Orchard
 * Susanne Park: Dr. Alan & Marsha Bramowitz Chair
 * Christopher Wu: Nancy & Jeffery Leininger Chair
 * Kristina Yoder
 * Jeremy Black: G. Christian Lantzsch & Duquesne Light Company Chair (Principal)
 * Louis Lev: The Morrison Family Chair (Associate principal)
 * Dennis O'Boyle (Assistant principal)
 * Laura Motchalov: William & Sarah Galbraith Chair
 * Andrew Fuller
 * Lorien Benet Hart: Arlyn Gilboa Chair
 * Yeokyung Kim
 * Boxianzi Vivian Ling
 * Claudia Mahave: Alice Victoria Gelormino Chair
 * Cecee Pantikian
 * Regi Papa
 * Carolyn Semes
 * Yingchen Zhang
 * Tatjana Mead Chamis: Jon & Carol Walton Associate Principal Viola Chair (Acting principal)
 * Joen Vasquez (Acting Associate principal)
 * Marylène Gingras-Roy (Acting assistant principal)
 * Penny Anderson Brill: Michael & Carol Bleier Chair
 * Laura Fuller
 * Sean Juhl
 * Erina Laraby-Goldwasser
 * Aaron Mossburg
 * Stephanie Tretick
 * Andrew Wickesberg: Mr. & Mrs. Martin G. McGunn Chair
 * Anne Martindale Williams: Pittsburgh Symphony Association Chair (Principal)
 * David Premo: Donald I. & Janet Moritz and Equitable Resources, Inc. Chair (Associate Principal)
 * Adam Liu: George & Eileen Dorman Chair (Assistant Principal)
 * Mikhail Istomin: Susan Candace Hunt Chair
 * Bronwyn Banerdt
 * Will Chow
 * Michael De Bruyn
 * Alexandra Lee: William Block Memorial Chair
 * Michael Lipman: Jane & Rae Burton Chair
 * Charlie Powers: HaleyFesq Cello Chair
 * Karissa Shivone
 * Nicholas Myers (Principal)
 * Brandon McLean (Associate principal)
 * Joseph Campagna
 * Jeffrey Grubbs: Michael & Carol Bleier Chair
 * Peter Guild
 * Micah Howard: Stephen & Kimberly Keen Chair
 * John Moore
 * Aaron White
 * Gretchen Van Hoesen: Virginia Campbell Chair (Principal)
 * Lorna McGhee: Jackman Pfouts Flute Chair (Principal)
 * Austin Brown (Associate principal)
 * Jennifer Steele: Hilda M. Willis Foundation Chair
 * Rhian Kenny: Frank & Loti Gaffney Chair (Principal)
 * Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida: Dr. William Larimer Mellon Jr. Chair (Principal)
 * Max Blair (Associate principal)
 * Kyle Mustain (Principal)
 * Michael Rusinek: Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Silberman Chair (Principal)
 * Victoria Luperi (Associate principal)
 * Ron Samuels: Sidney Stark Jr. Memorial Chair
 * Victoria Luperi (Principal)
 * Jack Howell: Mr. and Mrs. Willard J. Tillotson Jr. Chair (Principal)
 * Nancy Goeres: Mr. & Mrs. William Genge And Mr. & Mrs. James E. Lee Chair (Principal)
 * David Sogg (Co-principal)
 * Philip A. Pandolfi
 * James Rodgers (principal)
 * William Caballero: Anonymous Donor Chair (Principal)
 * Stephen Kostyniak (Associate principal)
 * Zachary Smith: Thomas H. & Frances M. Witmer Chair (Assistant principal)
 * Mark Houghton
 * Robert Lauver
 * Micah Wilkinson: Martha Brooks Robinson Principal Trumpet Chair (Principal)
 * Charles Lirette (Co-principal)
 * Neal Berntsen
 * Chad Winkler: Susan S. Greer Memorial Chair
 * Peter Sullivan: Tom & Jamee Todd Chair (Principal)
 * James Nova: Ann McGuinn Trombone Chair
 * Cooper Cromwell-Whitley: Paul J. Ross Fellow
 * Jeffrey Dee: William & Jacqueline Herbein Principal Bass Trombone Chair (Principal)
 * Craig Knox: Dr. Mary Ann Craig Chair (Principal)
 * James Benoit: Barbara Weldon Chair (Principal)
 * Christopher Allen (Associate principal)
 * Andrew Reamer: Albert H. Eckert Chair (Principal)
 * Jeremy Branson (Associate principal)
 * Christopher Allen
 * Rodrigo Ojeda: Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin F. Jones III Guest Keyboard Chair
 * Lisa Gedris: Jean & Sigo Falk Chair (Principal)
 * Sheryl Hadeka: Assistant Librarian

Tour history
1947 Tour of Mexico

Fritz Reiner conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1947 tour of Mexico. During the six-week tour, the Pittsburgh Symphony performed 37 concerts in 27 cities in the southern United States and Mexico. The symphony played six concerts in Mexico City at the Palacio de las Bellas Artes and one concert in Monterrey. While on tour, Reiner played the role of ambassador of the arts for the United States.

1964 Tour of Europe and the Near East

William Steinberg conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1964 tour of Europe and what was then referred to as the Near East. This tour marked the symphony's first international tour outside of North America. The State Department funded the 11-week tour from August 10 to November 1, which included performances in Rome, Athens, Beirut, Baalbeck, Tehran, Lucerne, Edinburgh, Luxembourg, Frankfurt, Berlin, Warsaw, Kraków, Katowice, Lodz, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Munich, Turin, Florence, Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Oporto, and Reykjavik. Soloists included pianists Jerome Lowenthal and Byron Janis, violinists Manoug Parikian and Charles Treger, Pittsburgh Symphony principal flautist Bernard Z. Goldberg, and baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. The Pittsburgh Symphony was one of the last American orchestras to perform in Iran to date.

1973 Tour of Japan, Alaska, and Oregon

William Steinberg and Associate Conductor Donald Johanos conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1973 tour of Japan, Alaska, and Oregon from April 7 to 26. While in Japan, the orchestra participated in the 1973 Osaka Music Festival and also performed in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Yahata. Performances in Osaka were aired on television and national radio.

1978 European Tour

Andre Previn conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1978 tour of Europe from May 21 to June 10. The three-week tour saw the orchestra perform in Austria (Vienna, Linz, Innsbruck), Germany (Munich, Stuttgart, Bonn, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hanover), Sweden (Goteborg, Stockholm), Bergen, Norway, and London, England. The orchestra was sent off with a festive ceremony of dance performances and well wishes at the Heinz Hall Plaza.

1980 Mexico City

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra toured in Mexico from August 25 to 31 under the direction of Andre Previn. Eduardo Mata and Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos conducted the orchestra. The symphony was performed in Mexico City at three venues: the Sala de Conciertos Nezahualcóyotl (August 26 and 28), the Teatro de la Ciudad (August 27 and 29), and the Auditorio Nacional (August 30). Soloists included Horacio Gutierrez, Nathaniel Rosen, and Guadalupe Parrondo.

1982 European Tour

Andre Previn conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1982 tour of Europe from May 23 to June 13. The orchestra visited Bonn, Linz, Vienna, Zurich, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and London.

1984 Hong Kong Festival

Andre Previn and Sir Michael Tippett conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the 1984 Hong Kong Arts Festival. Soloists included pianist Ken Noda, violinist Yuzuko Horigome, and violist Randolph Kelly. 1984 Casals Festival in Puerto Rico

Herbert Blomstedt of the Dresden State and Swedish Radio orchestras conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in four concerts at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico in June 1984. The symphony performed four concerts with piano soloists Antonio Meneses and Garrick Ohlsen. This tour marked the symphony's first appearance at the Casals Festival.

1985 European Tour

Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1985 European Tour from August 14 to September 8. The tour included performances at music festivals in Salzburg and Edinburgh. The symphony was also performed in Dublin, Cork, London, Bristol, Zurich, Lucerne, Montreux, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Brussels, Antwerp, and Paris.

1987 Far East Tour

Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its 1987 Far East Tour of China and Japan. from April 14 to May 4. The symphony was one of only a few U.S. orchestras to have visited China at the time. The orchestra toured in Beijing, Hong Kong and several cities in Japan including Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and Matsudo. Pianist Patricia Prattis Jennings performed Gershwin's Concerto in F with the Pittsburgh Symphony to high acclaim at festivals in Hong Kong, Osaka and Tokyo.

1987 Edinburgh Festival

Lorin Maazel and Michael Tilson Thomas conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the Edinburgh Festival in August 1987. The orchestra was the first U.S. orchestra to ever be designated the resident orchestra of the festival. Pianist Patricia Prattis Jennings performed Gershwin's Concerto in F with the symphony to high acclaim at the festival.

1989 Tour of Soviet Union, Poland and Western Europe

Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its 1989 tour of the Soviet Union, Poland and Western Europe. This tour marked the European premieres of Marc Neikrug's Flute Concerto and George Rochberg's Symphony No. 6. The orchestra performed in Leningrad, Moscow, Warsaw, Geneva, Paris, Milan, Rome, Amsterdam, Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover and London.

1991 Tour of Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan

Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its tour of Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan from May 14 to June 5, 1991. This tour marked the symphony's debut in Taiwan. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed in Tokyo, Omiya, Osaka, Musashino, Hong Kong and Taipei.

1992 European Tour to Major Music Capitals

Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of major European music capitals, May 18 to June 9, 1992. The orchestra performed in Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna, Stuttgart, Bonn, Brussels, Birmingham and London.

1992 European Tour to Major Summer Music Festivals

Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its European tour of summer music festivals from August 5–29, 1992. The symphony performed at the Festival Internacional de Santander in Seville, Spain, and at music festivals in Mérida, Pollensa, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Montreux, Stresa, Verona, Lecce, Catania and Torino.

1993 Tour to California & Mexico

Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its tour of California and Mexico, April 25 to May 9, 1993. The orchestra performed the opening concerts of the Chivas Regal Latin American Tour in Mexico City.

1993 Tour to South America

Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its first-ever tour of South America, May 24 to June 9, 1993. The orchestra performed in Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina.

1995 Casals Festival

Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony in the 1995 Casals Festival in Puerto Rico.

1995 Tour of Japan and Korea

Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of Japan and Korea, May 16 to June 4, 1995. This tour marked the symphony's first visit to Korea. The symphony performed a benefit concert in Japan's Kobe Green Arena for victims of the January 1995 earthquake. The 11-concert tour brought the orchestra to Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Seoul, Kita-Kryushu and Kobe.

1996 International Centennial Tour

Director Lorin Maazel conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its International Centennial tour, January 29 to February 22. The orchestra performed 15 concerts in 12 cities as part of the orchestra's 100th anniversary celebrations. The symphony was invited to participate in the city of Jerusalem's 3,000th anniversary with the Israeli premiere of "Magreffa," a work by Israeli composer Ari Ben-Shabetai and commissioned by the symphony. There were additional concerts in Vienna, Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam and London. The Pittsburgh Symphony also made debut performances in the Canary Islands.

1998 Tour of Japan

Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of Japan from May 12 to 28, 1998. This tour marked Jansons' inaugural tour with the symphony. The orchestra performed seven concerts in Sapporo, Nagoya, Himeji, Osaka and Tokyo.

1998 U.S. and Canada Tour with Andrea Bocelli

The PSO performed in the U.S. and Canada with soloist Andrea Bocelli. Steven Mercurio conducted the orchestra during concerts in New York and New Jersey.

1999 European Festivals Tour

Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its tour of European Festivals from August 12 to September 5, 1999. This tour marked the symphony's first European tour with Jansons. The symphony performed a total of 15 concerts in Dublin, Edinburgh, Salzburg, Copenhagen, London, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Lucerne, Baden-Baden, Stuttgart, Cologne, Berlin and Düsseldorf.

2000 European Residency Tour

Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on its European Residency tour, May 15 to June 4, 2000. The symphony performed three concerts at the Musikverein in Vienna and performed 11 more concerts in Madrid, Valencia, Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Birmingham.

2001 South American Tour

Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on its second tour to South America in July 2001. The orchestra played five concerts in São Paulo, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires. The tour was hampered by financial and logistical problems, causing the orchestra to drop three concerts and a previously planned stop in Rio de Janeiro.

2002 Far East Tour

Director Mariss Jansons conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its tour of the Far East from February 18 to March 9, 2002. This tour marked the symphony's first foray into Malaysia and Australia. The orchestra performed in Osaka, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and Melbourne. The tour was sponsored by FreeMarkets.

2003 Mellon Pittsburgh Symphony European Tours

Conductor Mariss Jansons led the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on two tours of Europe in 2003 sponsored by the Mellon Financial Corporation. During the spring leg of the tour (April 3–13), the symphony performed in Valencia, Madrid, Vienna, Amsterdam and London. During the summer leg of the tour (August 21–30), the symphony performed in Lucerne, Salzburg, Ludwigsburg and London, with the final performance at the Royal Albert Hall. The orchestra performed 14 concerts in total.

January 17, 2004 The Pontiff's Silver Jubilee Celebration

Gilbert Levine conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during the Pontiff's Silver Jubilee celebration, also referred to as the Papal Concert of Reconciliation, commemorating Pope John Paul II's 25th election anniversary on January 17, 2004. The symphony was the first U.S. orchestra to perform for a Pope at the Vatican. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, the Pittsburgh Symphony performed Mahler's Symphony No. 2 and the world premiere of John Harbison's motet, "Abraham." The concert was broadcast by PBS both online and on television and was also broadcast internationally.

2006 European Tour

The symphony went on tour in Europe from August 22 to September 6, 2006. Leonard Slatkin conducted the orchestra during the first half of the tour with performances in Dublin, Cardiff, at the BBC Proms in London, and in Patras, Greece. Hans Graf conducted the second half of the tour with performances in Hanover, Dortmund, Cologne and Düsseldorf. The tour was sponsored by the Mellon Financial Corporation, LANXESS and U.S. Steel Kosice S.R.O.

2008 250 Ambassador Tour of Europe

In celebration of the city of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra toured Europe in January and February 2008. The Allegheny Conference accompanied the symphony to conduct corporate promotion of Pittsburgh. The orchestra performed in Spain, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. The tour was sponsored by BNY Mellon, PPG Industries, LANNXESS and Meyer, Unkovic & Scott.

2009 Asia Tour

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's 2009 Asia Tour marked conductor Manfred Honeck's first international tour as music director and the orchestra's debut in Shanghai and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The orchestra traveled to China and Taiwan from May 11 to 21, 2009, performing four concerts altogether, two at Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, one at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, and one at the Kaohsiung Main Stadium. The tour was funded by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and Westinghouse.

2009 European Festivals Tour

Director Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony on his first European tour from September 12–20, 2009. The orchestra performed in Essen, at Beethovenfest in Bonn, and at the Lucerne Summer Music Festival.

2010 European Tour

Director Manfred Honeck conducted the symphony during its European tour from May 12–30, 2010. The orchestra visited Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Austria with concerts in Basel, Stuttgart, Paris, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Prague, Dresden, Vienna, Budapest and Ljubljana. The tour was sponsored by BNY Mellon and Westinghouse.

2010 Lanaudière Festival

Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the 2010 Lanaudière Festival in Montreal. The program included works by Beethoven, Mahler, Richard Strauss and Wagner.

2011 European Festivals Tour

Director Manfred Honeck conducted the symphony during its European Festivals tour from August 22 to September 12, 2011. The orchestra performed at festivals in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and England, and gave concerts in Paris and Vilnius, Lithuania. The festivals included the Rheingau Musik Festival in Wiesbaden, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Hamburg, Beethovenfest in Bonn and Musikfest in Berlin, as well as the BBC Proms in London, the Grafenegg Festival and the Lucerne Festival. The tour was sponsored by BNY Mellon.

2012 Lanaudière Festival

Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony at the 2012 Lanaudière Festival in Montreal. The orchestra performed works by Dvorak, Glinka and Tchaikovsky and featured cellist Johannes Moser.

2012 European Residency Tour

Director Manfred Honeck conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during its European Residency Tour from October 26 to November 10, 2012. During the tour, the orchestra took up a four-concert residency at the Musikverein in Vienna. The Pittsburgh Symphony is one of the few American orchestras to be honored with a residency at the Musikverein. The tour also included performances in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Luxembourg. The program included works by Dvorak, Mahler, Mozart, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky.

2013 European Festivals Tour

Music Director Manfred Honeck returned with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to Europe for a tour of European Festivals. Concerts took place in Grafenegg, Berlin, Bucharest, Paris, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Lucerne and Bonn, and included soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter, Martin Grubinger and Yuja Wang.

Broadcasts
Previn and the Pittsburgh

Launched in 1977, "Previn and the Pittsburgh" was a series of specials produced by WQED-TV. The Alcoa Foundation sponsored the programs, which ran for three years and became the highest rated classical music series on PBS. The program showcased the diversity of Music Director Andre Previn's musical interests, talents and friends. The first program explored Mozart, with Previn and the Pittsburgh Symphony's Patricia Prattis Jennings playing four-handed piano sonatas. Others featured guest artists John Williams, conducting his music from "Star Wars" and "E.T.," Ella Fitzgerald, Yo-Yo Ma, Pittsburgh Symphony principal cello Nathaniel Rosen (the first American cellist to win the gold medal at the Tchaikovsky International Competition), composer Stephen Sondheim and violinist Itzhak Perlman. Composer Miklos Rosza appeared as a guest to hear the Pittsburgh Symphony play his Oscar-winning score for the movie "Ben-Hur." Previn displayed his considerable talent as a jazz pianist in a duet with his friend Oscar Peterson, the man Duke Ellington dubbed "the maharajah of the keyboard." When cameras came into Heinz Hall to film the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra rehearsing in their shirtsleeves, audiences saw a relaxed maestro in bellbottoms who obviously liked and respected the musicians. The first show aired on February 27, 1977, and within two days the Pittsburgh Symphony sold more than 2,500 additional seats.

Pittsburgh Symphony Radio

Launched in 1982, the Pittsburgh Symphony Radio program is hosted by Jim Cunningham of WQED-FM. It is a complete two-hour concert with Music Director Manfred Honeck and guest artists heard on over 100 PRI and NPR stations across the country. The Pittsburgh Symphony was first broadcast in 1936 when NBC Blue Network began a series of 26 half-hour radio broadcasts over the NBC Blue Network of more than 90 stations. The broadcasts were sponsored by Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company.

Heinz Hall history
A $10-million reconstruction of the theater took place between 1967 and 1971. Although much of the structure and décor remained the same, a new five-story wing was added to the back of the building. This wing expanded the stage and rehearsal space along with the music library and dressing rooms.

Several concerts took place before the remodel and reopening of the Hall in 1971, including a performance of works by Berlioz, Beethoven and Brahms by the Leonard Rose, Isaac Stern and Eugene Istomin Trio for the 1969 pension fund concert. Questionnaires filled out by symphony followers were collected after the concert and reflected an overwhelming support of the new venue.

Heinz Hall was dedicated in September 1971. The inaugural concerts took place on September 10 and 11 with William Steinberg conducting Beethoven's "Consecration of the House" overture and Mahler's Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection") with a combined chorus of Pennsylvania State University choirs. The New York Times published an outstanding review of the performances, citing the improvement of the acoustics over previous Symphony venues saying, "Pittsburghers at last have the opportunity to hear (the orchestra) as it ought to sound."

The Garden Plaza and a four-story addition to the Hall were completed in 1982 by the firm of MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni. The plaza included a waterfall and sculpture by London-based artist Angela Connor. The addition to the Hall included two bar/lounge spaces as well as a dining and meeting room. In addition, some public areas were refurbished into reception facilities in 1988.

A $6.5-million renovation began in 1995 with funding provided by the Howard Heinz Endowment and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Strategy 21 program funds. The renovation improved the acoustical, technical and aesthetic qualities of the Hall and was carried out by Architect Albert Filoni, of MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni, along with acoustician R. Lawrence Kirkegaard. The Hall reopened with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Governor Tom Ridge and Teresa Heinz.