Orchestras & Choirs/Vocal Ensembles in Los Angeles County

Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of Kamots & Pixabay.com.

Orchestras

Bellflower Symphoney Orchestra. Los Angeles Almanac Photo.

Preceeding the Los Angeles Philharmonic (founded 1919), the Los Angeles Symphony was founded in 1893 by Professor August J. Stamm and violinist and composer Harley E. Hamilton. It was the fifth professional symphony orchestra established in the United States (after New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago). It was forced to disband by the 1895-1896 season, due to the economic depression of the time, but was revived in 1898. The organization again disbanded, then for good, in 1920.

The Woman's Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles was founded in 1893, as was the Los Angeles Symphony (see above), and likewise founded and directed by Harley Hamilton. It continued to perform concerts until the early 1950s. During the 1950s, the orchestra ended up either disbanded or reconstituted as part of the California Woman’s Symphony Orchestra, which itself disbanded in 1961. See "Striking a Chord: A Woman’s Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles Program, 9 February 1927."

Prior to 1948, the only orchestra in the Los Angeles area (there were more than a half dozen) open to African American musicians was the Huntington Park Symphony, founded during the 1930s. However, because musicians of color were in its ensemble, the orchestra was not welcome in many venues, forcing it to perform many of its concerts in public parks. In 1948, two things happened to shift opportunities for aspiring African American orchestral musicians. That year, a 16-year-old African American, Henry Jay Lewis,was invited to join the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a double bassist, becoming the first African American to join a major symphony orchestra in the United States. Lewis went on to become Assistant Conductor of the "L.A. Phil" in 1961 and, in 1968, become conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the first African American conductor of a major symphony orchestra. Also, in 1948, African American music teacher Mabel Massengill Gunn founded the Southeast Symphony, an orchestra established to give musicians of color in Los Angeles the opportunity to perform in a symphony orchestra. Southeast Symphony has continued to perform concerts, the longest continuously performing orchestra of primarily black musicians in the world.

Founded in 1953, the Los Angeles Doctors Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest community orchestras in the country originating from the health professions and still presenting regular concerts. Although a number of its members are health care professionals, many musicians not in health care professions play in the orchestra and are welcome to be involved. The orchestra holds benefit concerts on behalf of medical and mental health charities.

Founded in 1937 in East Los Angeles as the "Little Symphony," the Junior Philharmonic Orchestra, based in Los Angeles, is the second oldest youth orchestra in California and among the oldest in the United States.

Choirs & Vocal Ensembles

The Burbank Chorale, once known as the Burbank Choral Club, is one of the oldest musical organizations in California. It is the longest continuously performing arts organization in the San Fernando Valley. Beginning as a musical group associated with the Woman's Club of Burbank, it presented its first program in 1920. Not long afterwards, the group adopted the name Burbank Choral Club and, separating from the Women's Club, allowed men to join its membership.