The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian instrumental music ensemble based in Kelowna, British Columbia. From 2006 until December 2023, the orchestra's principal conductor was Rosemary Thomson."'Brokenhearted': Former Okanagan Symphony music director will sue after surprise termination. Castanet, Dec 8, 2023"Review: Okanagan Symphony dazzles with Verdi’s Requiem". Vernon Morning Star, Nov. 12, 2018, Concert review by Anita Perry"Concert review: Yuletide Tales". Summerland Review, Dec. 25, 2018, by Anita Perry. The orchestra performs both classical and contemporary orchestral works."Symphony concert a fusion of east and west". Keremeos REview, May. 13, 2019, by Anita Perry. The orchestra plays throughout the Okanagan valley, in Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon.Warren R. Bland. Retire In Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across The Usa and Canada. Next Decade, Inc.; 2005. . p. 307.
History The orchestra was founded in 1960 by its first conductor, Willem Bertsch. In 1964, Douglas Talney became the conductor. In 1965, Leonard Camplin took over and remained the conductor for years."Orchestras". The Canadian Encyclopedia, by Kevin James, Patricia Wardrop, Kenneth Winters. November 29, 2010
In 1970, the Okanagan Symphony Choir was established. It was directed at first by Jocelyn Pritchard, who was succeeded in 1978 by Imant Raminsh.
In 1974, the orchestra received a Canada Council grant to hire a resident cellist."44 music groups to get grants". Lethbridge Herald, via Newspaper Archives, October 30, 1974 - Page 6 In 1991, the principal violinist was Imant Raminsh."Raminsh taking it easy". Medicine Hat News, via Newspaper Archives. January 07, 1991 - Page 15
In 1981, OSO members organized Sinfonia, a chamber orchestra. In 1988, a youth orchestra was organized by Raminsh."Review and photos: Okanagan Symphony Youth Orchestra". Kelowna Capital News, Anita PerryNov. 28, 2016
A performance of the OSO was heard nation-wide on a CBC Radio broadcast in 1989.
The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra performed a series of concerts in 2017 with guest musician Sean Bray to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday." Staple on valley’s music scene". Kelowna Daily Courier, Anna Jacyszyn, Oct 20, 2018
For many years, the principal horn player for the orchestra was Edmond House; he retired in 2017."Influential musician passes the horn". Vernon Morning Star, May. 5, 2017
In April 2018, the orchestra performed in concert with singer/songwriter Sarah Slean."Sarah Slean wins over Okanagan with OSO". Kelowna Capital News.Parker Crook, Apr. 10, 2018 A 2018 concert, "Prodigy," featured 12-year-old pianist and composer Kevin Chen performing early works by Mozart."Concert Review: Okanagan Symphony rings in spring". Kelowna Capital News, Anita Perry, Mar. 11, 2018
In 2019, the orchestra presented two Masterworks concerts titled "Themes and Innovations"."Perry: Okanagan Symphony presents innovative evening: review of the OSO Masterworks II series Themes and Innovations". Penticton News, Jordyn Thomson, Anita Perry. Nov. 26, 2019 In December of that year, in anticipation of its 60th anniversary, the symphony, along with the OSO Chorus, presented Handel's Messiah, the first in a series of planned special performances."Perry: Okanagan Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Messiah energizing". Review by Anita Perry, BC Local News, Dec. 23, 2019.
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