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With both the Wooster Symphony Orchestra and the Wooster Jazz Ensemble under his direction, Jeffrey Lindberg, associate professor of music at The College of Wooster, has cultivated many student musicians while entertaining thousands of concert goers during the past 15 years. Lindberg received his bachelor’s and his master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. He joined the Wooster faculty in 1986. Areas of expertise for Lindberg range from orchestra conducting to jazz ensemble conducting. In addition, he is a leading authority on Duke Ellington and has completed numerous transcriptions for jazz ensemble by Ellington. Lindberg has also been commissioned to create transcriptions for the Smithsonian’s Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and for such artists as Dave Brubek and Joe Williams. Lindberg is the artistic director of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Chicago’s oldest professional jazz orchestra in continuous performance, and the music director of the Wooster Symphony Orchestra. He has several honors to his credit, such as the Outstanding Young Men of America Award. He also has membership in such prestigious honor societies as Pi Kappa Lambda (national honorary music society), Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Eta Sigma (national scholastic honorary). Under Lindberg’s initiative, the Wooster Symphony and The College of Wooster Jazz Ensemble joined hands in 1999-2000 to present a subscription series of both symphonic music and jazz, the first such collaboration under one music director. |
The Wooster Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is one of this area’s crown jewels. Talented musicians from The College of Wooster and the surrounding community combine to present at least three concerts each year. As the symphony prepares for its 87th season, director Jeffrey Lindberg discusses its history, mission, and value. What is the origin and history of the Wooster Symphony Orchestra? he Wooster Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1915 by Daniel D. Parmelee. Its first performance was given in the old Memorial Chapel on The College of Wooster campus. In those days the orchestra rehearsed in a building that stood on South Market Street where the Apple Creek Bank building is now located. When founded, the orchestra had no direct relationship with the College. Later the College took the orchestra under its wings and adopted the ensemble into the music curriculum. The Wooster Symphony Orchestra is the second oldest orchestra in continuous performance in the State of Ohio; only the Cincinnati Symphony has had a longer duration. Who makes up the orchestra? The Wooster Symphony is composed of 65 musicians; about two-thirds are College of Wooster students and about one-third are people from Wooster and the surrounding area. What is the orchestra’s mission? The Symphony’s mission is two fold: To expose its performers to the literature of the symphony orchestra, and to provide quality performances of the symphonic literature to the entire community. How does the Wooster Symphony Orchestra benefit the community? The Wooster Symphony Orchestra is one of Wooster’s cultural treasures. It not only enhances the curriculum of a small liberal arts college (most colleges the size of Wooster do not have enough performers to offer a full symphony orchestra), but it also presents opportunities for performance by area residents. It also offers regular public concerts with stellar soloists in a convenient location and at a very reasonable price. Are there many communities the size of Wooster that have a symphony orchestra? usually either professional or semi-professional, or it is a volunteer group with no direct relation to an educational institution (e.g., a community orchestra). How is the Wooster Symphony Orchestra funded? The Wooster Symphony receives an annual budget allocation from The College of Wooster. It also receives funds from ticket sales. In addition, the Symphony receives donations from those who subscribe to the concert season, and the Women’s Committee for the Wooster Symphony Orchestra has ongoing projects for supporting the WSO. |
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