Wichita Symphony Orchestra

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is a Wichita, Kansas, United States, based orchestra strongly associated with the Wichita State University School of Music. Founded in 1944, it is one of very few professional Symphony Orchestras in Kansas.

Music Director and Conductor is Daniel Hege, President of the Board of Directors is Jon Tiger. Concertmaster of WSO is John Harrison, Engineering Educator at Wichita State University.

It has a budget of $2.0 million in 2007.

Ensembles include the

• Wichita State University Chamber Players (strongly limited to Chamber music pieces)
• Wichita Symphony Chorus, directed by Michael Hanawalt
• Singing Quakers Alumni Choir

Their home concert and recital hall is a 1970 style Century II Concert Hall which holds more than 2000 patrons. Although situated within a city focal point, the Century II center, the orchestra's current hall is widely criticized for lacking the acoustical nuance a symphony hall requires. This could be explained by the fact that this hall was designed for music theater meaning acoustics fell by the wayside to factors such as general cost and the planned installment of a p.a. system.

Music styles played by WSO are broad-based, including classical music (although main focus), Pop music, Jazz, blue jeans concerts and many more.

External links

• Wichita Symphony Orchestra Website
• Antonio Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, Movement 3 in presto --- ogg media file Recording of Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer) — from The Four Seasons, Live recording 6 February 2000 by Wichita State University Chamber Players in Wichita, KS — Conductor Robert Turizziani, First Violinist John Harrison, time 2m:38.960s (Wikimedia Commons media file)

See also

• List of symphony orchestras in the United States