a community ensemble called the civic symphony orchestra had been formed in denver in 1922. during the great depression, the orchestra struggled to pay its musicians and find paying customers. in 1934 helen marie black, the symphony's volunteer publicist, jeanne cramner, and lucille wilkin founded the denver symphony orchestra to consolidate all the musicians in the city and guarantee union wages. in 1935 they founded the denver symphony guild to develop projects and fundraise for the orchestra. black served as the denver symphony orchestra's business manager for more than 30 years, twelve of them as an unpaid volunteer. she was the first female symphony manager in the united states.