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Updated 3/10/2021

NEW HAVEN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INCORPORATED

  • C

    CT

Institution/Business Type: Performing Group

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) is the forth-oldest American Symphony and celebrated its 125th Anniversary in January 2020.  Since its inception in 1894, NHSO has performed regularly in New Haven, most of that time in Yale’s historic Woolsey Hall which remains the primary venue for the Symphony’s Classics Concert Series. NHSO has an active concertizing schedule in addition to the Classics Concerts and performs its Pops Series in the neighboring towns of Hamden and Shelton; a Free Family Concert Series in New Haven and Shelton; and FREE concerts in New Haven’s Neighborhoods and on the New Haven Green.  It has toured throughout Connecticut and beyond (including performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center), performed numerous radio broadcasts, made the world premiere recording of the complete five-movement version of Mahler’s First Symphony; and commissioned and premiered 15 new American works (more than half by women and composers of color) in the past 10 years.

The orchestra is comprised of 65 professional musicians, most of whom live and work in the greater New Haven area and is led by Maestro Alasdair Neale. Maestro Neale is committed to diverse programming and curates seasons that feature classical and contemporary offerings, new American compositions, and works by historically underrepresented composers. The Symphony has been thrilled to welcome luminaries such as Tai Murray, Jennifer Koh, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Harolyn Blackwell, Tiempo Libre, and Orion Weiss, among others as guest artists for NHSO performances.

Each year, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra reaches nearly 52,000 Connecticut residents including more than 20,000 children, adolescents and their families through its robust education programs. Its geographic reach touches 120 towns throughout the State of Connecticut. This level of engagement and performance opportunities would not be possible without the support and collaboration of our numerous partners which include the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, New Haven’s Heritage Chorale, the New Haven Free Public Library, the Elm City Girls Choir, the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus, Yale Camerata, 42 Connecticut school districts, and more. In addition to welcoming partners to collaborate on our programs, NHSO frequently accepts contracted work to present education programs and concerts at schools, assisted living facilities, and large performance venues.

 NHSO is actively working to be an anti-racist organization and is taking steps to embed Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) in all areas of Symphony operations and programming. Successes have included the launch of NHSO’s Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Musicians and subsequent expansion to include Conducting, Board, and Administrative Fellows as well as IDEA training for all staff, board, and musicians. Outreach in the community including partnerships with local colleges and Boys & Girls Clubs; community conversations; programs featuring artists/composers of color; and presenting programs in New Haven’s neighborhoods support this goal.

Find Me

Elaine Carroll
Job Title: CEO
Phone: 203-865-0831 x12
Fax: 203-865-0845
Address:
4 Hamilton Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Social Media:

Additional Content:

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Independent

Year Founded:

1894

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Independent

Year Founded:

1894

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Music - Orchestral

Additional Disciplines:

  • Multi-Disciplinary

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Community Arts
  • Creation of a Work of Art (Including Commissions)
  • Curriculum Development
  • Performance / Concert / Reading
  • Professional Development / Training
  • Residency - Community
  • Residency - In School
  • Residency - Other
  • Workshops / Demonstrations / Master Class
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall, winter
Events Per Year: 229

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults
  • Businesses
  • Elders
  • Families
  • General Public
  • Immigrant Populations
  • Nonprofits
  • People with Disabilities
  • School Groups
  • Teens
  • Youth-At-Risk

Geographic Reach:

  • Town / City
  • County
  • Multi-County Region
  • State
  • Multi-State Region
  • National

Accessibility of Services

Accessibility of Services:

  • Access accommodations for people who are blind, partially sighted, and have low vision

NHSO provides free concert tickets to all blind, low vision, or dyslexic constituents. For over a decade, the Symphony has partnered with the Eastern Blind Rehabilitation Center at the VA to offer their residents opportunities to attend concerts and practice navigating a crowd with or without dogs. VA staff also works with the NHSO to train ushers on best practices to assist blind/low vision patrons. Large print programs are available at Symphony concerts.

Media Gallery

I Have Worked With

Affiliations and Accomplishments

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • League of American Orchestras

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • League of American Orchestras

Awards

Awards:

  • Aaron Copland Fund for Music
  • Fromm Foundation
  • ASCAP Award for Adventuresome Programming
  • City of New Haven Mayor's Community Arts Award
  • National Endowment for the Arts

Special Designations

Special Designations:

  • NEFA Grant Recipient

Artist Info

Teaching Artist

Teaching Settings:

  • Community Site / Center
  • School / University

Ages Served:

  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age
  • High School-age
  • Adults

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Music

Teaching Artist

Teaching Settings:

  • Community Site / Center
  • School / University

Ages Served:

  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age
  • High School-age
  • Adults

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Music

Touring Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Varies dramatically based on program choices

Fee Range:

$500 - $50,000

State of Residence:

Connecticut

Minimum Number of Performers:

1

Maximum Number of Performers:

1