The Greenwich Symphony Orchestra is a professional orchestra featuring world-class soloists in five dual concerts per year, performing in a new state-of-the-art concert hall, the Performing Arts Center at Greenwich High School.
Formed in 1940, the group became the Greenwich Philharmonia in 1958 under the baton of Kenneth Wendrich, with Catherine Converse as its first President. In 1967, John Nelson became Music Director and Marian Jeffrey Board President. Together they transitioned the Philharmonia into a fully professional orchestra and began a period of growing prestige.
In 1975, the organization welcomed David Gilbert as its Conductor and Music Director, an affiliation that would last forty-five years. In its 25th anniversary season, the Philharmonia formally changed its name to the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra. That same year, Mary Radcliffe began a remarkable thirty-seven-year tenure as President of the Board. Both Mary and David announced well-deserved retirements from their positions in 2020. The organization welcomed former Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei as its new Board Chair and launched an international search for the Music Director who will lead the GSO into its 64th season of extraordinary music.
The 2021/2022 season was the culmination of our search for a new Music Director. Each of the five talented and accomplished finalists rehearsed and conducted one of the season concert weeks, during which we polled both the audience and orchestra musicians for their opinions. The response to all of the finalists was enthusiastic; faced with such a wealth of promise, the Board selected Stuart Malina as the new Music Director. We are excited as Maestro Malina leads the GSO into the next chapter of its history.