History

From the 1890's to the early part of the twentieth century the Ming Opera Orchestra provided classical music in the Helena region. Established principally to accompany traveling shows that came to Montana to perform at the Ming Opera House, the Ming Opera Orchestra's final conductor, Professor Weber, passed away in 1904, leaving the orchestra without a conductor. Violinist Fred Kuphall from Helmsville, Germany, a former student of Professor Weber's, returned to Helena to succeed his mentor in addition to becoming the music teacher at Helena High School. There Mr. Kuphall taught Octavia Haroldson, who, upon her graduation from Helena High School, founded the Helena Little Symphony in 1938. Through Octavia Haroldson's insistence, the Helena Little Symphony offered performances until she formed the Helena Symphony Orchestra in 1955.

The Helena Symphony was formed to provide performances of classical music of the highest caliber to entertain and educate audiences in the region in order to contribute to the well-being of society by enhancing, enriching, and expanding the cultural lives of the residents of the Helena community. On the tenth anniversary of the Symphony in 1965, T. Lawrence Madden, the sixth music director, formed the Helena Symphony Chorale as a 100-voice symphonic chorus to perform with the Helena Symphony Orchestra. Recently, the Helena Symphony Foundation was founded to ensure the financial security and of the Helena Symphony. Over the past forty-nine years, the Helena Symphony has performed over a thousand works by more than 300 composers. Renowned guest artists and ensembles from throughout the community, region, country, and world have performed with the Symphony. Contributing to the future of classical music and to American culture, the Helena Symphony Orchestra & Chorale has given dozens of world premieres of works by American composers.

Through its active outreach program the Helena Symphony has sponsored events to enhance the music education of the community. From its traditional youth and family concerts to new programs, such as the Pre-Concert Conductor's Crash Courses , Kid Konductors!, to workshops and master classes in conducting, composition, and performance, the Symphony continues to help the community enjoy, appreciate and value classical music through knowledge and experience.

Collaborating with other orchestras throughout the world, the Helena Symphony has hosted ensembles such as the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra & Chorus from the Ukraine , the Kumamoto Symphony from Japan, and the National Symphony Orchestra from Washington , D.C. Under long time Chorale Director, David Buness, The Helena Symphony Chorale has performed for two International Choral Festivals and traveled to Southeast Australia on a six city performance tour. Most recently, on his trip to Russia , President George W. Bush presented Russian President, Vladimir Putin, a gift of one hundred compact discs including four recordings of the Montana Summer Symphony featuring musicians of the Helena Symphony Orchestra.

Since 1955 the Helena Symphony has progressed artistically and has become a cultural institution and leader in the Helena region and state of Montana . The artistic leadership was formed under the first music director, Eugene Andrie (1955-1958). For the next decade several music directors led the Symphony: Donald Nitz (1958-1959), Gordon Childs (1959-1960), Robert Crebo (1960-1961), John Varnum (1961-1963), T. Lawrence Madden (1963-1966), Richard H. Starr (1966-1968), and Muri Mekar (1968-1969). Longer tenures of two of the next three music directors, Richard Shackelford (1969-1977), Frank Carl Diliberto (1978-1979), and John LoPiccolo (1979-1988) added stability over the next two decades. Two music directors who were recognized composers, Elizabeth Sellers (1988-1995) and Eric Funk (1995-2002) guided the last ten years of the Symphony.

In 2001, an international search was launched to find the next artistic director of the Helena Symphony. Under the leadership of the Board of Directors, the search committee included members of the Board, musicians from the Orchestra and Chorale, community members, Symphony administration, and Symphony donors and subscribers. Nearly one hundred candidates, 15 semifinalists, five finalists, and almost two years later, the Helena Symphony named Philadelphia Conductor Allan R. Scott to become the 14th Music Director & Conductor of the Helena Symphony Orchestra & Chorale, to guide it into its next chapter as one of the leading performing arts organizations in Montana.