San Antonio Symphony

Let the San Antonio symphony break your impression of classical music, the orchestra continues to be the bastion of classical music in the city as well as the innovator of a raging pop orchestration.

A little history
The San Antonio Symphony owes much of its success from the musical directors who were able to carry it up the top ranks of one of the US’s most celebrated orchestra.  But if it weren’t for the ambition and determination of founder and Italian/Jewish conductor Max Reiter, the symphony would’ve been just a dream.

Carrying only a few belongings and $40 in cash after a disheartening circumstance in Milan, Reiter pushed his luck in the U.S. in the hopes of finding members of his orchestra.  Seeing other musicians having similar fate as his in New York, he toured the southern states of the U.S. through a round trip ticket as his investment.  He left each train and asked citizens to join him in his dream.

Finally, when his presentation in San Antonio was made, civic leaders engaged him to a demonstration concert.  Performing in front of 2,500 people on June 12, 1939, the concert was a huge success– that was how the fledgling San Antonio Symphony obtained the support of the city’s government for a season of concerts.

The new symphony managed to resolutely survive the war years and the Great Depression with only one thing at heart – to carry on the success and hard work invested by its founder even after his untimely death in 1950.  Reiter’s chosen successor, musical director Victor Alessandro ably dealt with the new challenges of the post-war years and expanded the Grand Opera Festival (which Reiter founded) to include a pop season.

The musical director to usher the San Antonio Symphony to its 50th anniversary was Milwaukee Symphony music director Zdenek Macal, who made notable contributions artistically to the continued existence of the San Antonio Symphony.

San Antonio Symphony today
In the new millennium, despite facing financial difficulties and canceling seasons once more, the orchestra is rising from the ashes with a new season that began in 2004-2005.

Today’s music director Larry Rachleff (since November 14, 2002) remained committed with much fervor to bringing the San Antonio Symphony to new heights.  The last season became a marvelous come back year for the San Antonio Symphony, with a new music plan in stretch.

The San Antonio Symphony continues to be a hybrid of classical and pop music performances, which is held in its concert home – the Majestic Theater.  The calendar of concerts has been laid for the first half of 2007, featuring the old and the new.  Relive the intricacies of the classic and embrace the vigor of the new generation.