National Symphony Orchestra (Dominican Republic)
The National Symphony Orchestra was officially created on August 5, 1941. Nevertheless, its history can be traced to the beginning of the 20th century, when under the initiative of Juan Bautista Alfonseca, the Octet of the Youth Casino was founded in Santo Domingo.
Sudbury Symphony Orchestra
The orchestra was founded in 1953 as a community orchestra and gave its first public performance on January 13, 1954, conducted by Emil First at the Sudbury High School Auditorium. Eric Woodward, took over as Music Director in 1957, and in 1962 the orchestra was merged into the Sudbury Philharmonic Society, a combined choral and orchestral ensemble. The orchestra and the choir later became separate ensembles again, with the orchestra re-constituted in 1975 under its present name. Under Metro Kozak, the orchestra's Music Director from its incorporation in 1975 until his retirement in 1997, the orchestra grew to over 60 musicians with several instructors from the music programs at Laurentian University and Cambrian College serving as its permanent musicians. Kozak also founded the Sudbury Youth Orchestra to prepare future musicians for the SSO. Victor Sawa, who took over as Music Director in 1997, was also the Music Director of the Regina Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and a former Resident Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. At the end of the Orchestra's 2013.2014 season, it was announced that the following season would be Maestro Sawa's last as Music Director of the Sudbury Symphony. In 2016, Montreal-based conductor Mélanie Léonard, also a former Resident Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, was appointed to the position as the Sudbury Symphony’s first female music director and principal conductor.Founded in 2001, the Sudbury Symphony increased its operations to include the Sudbury Symphony Conservatory of Music. At its peak, the Sudbury Symphony Conservatory of Music employed five teachers, with students enrolled in lessons for string instruments, as well as a Junior Music Course, a Junior String Orchestra, Cello Ensemble and Student String Quartets.