Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra May 3, 2009

The Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra will present a spring afternoon concert of light symphonic music by Mendelssohn, Rossini, Greig, and Delius on Sunday, May 3 at 2:30 PM CDT at the Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville, TN. Come join us at 12:30 PM CDT in the Adventure Theatre for a conversation with conductor Robert Bernhardt about the musical numbers being performed that afternoon. The Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra is sponsored by Highland Federal Savings and Loan with support from the Tennessee Arts Commission. Attendance by young musicians and music students from The Music Academy, the Children of Crossville Chamber Orchestra, and private music studios is underwritten in part by the Music Guild of Cumberland County.

The Chattanooga Symphony traces its roots to an enterprising group of young people looking for an opportunity to play classical music together. Led by Melvin Margolin, several recent graduates and students from Chattanooga High School, joined by a few adult musicians in town, gave the first concert of the Chattanooga Symphony on November 5, 1933.

Earlier efforts to launch an orchestra at the turn of the century had never taken root, but the young players won the hearts of community leaders and music lovers with their tenacity and talent.