THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE | FRIDAY •DECEMBER 3, 2010 A3 INDEPTH

Timeline: Symphony before being renamed the 1953: San Diego native Robert Shaw musicians sign a full season contract the orchestra to continue its San Diego Symphony San Diego Symphony in 1940 and named music director of the San for the first time and the number of operations. disbanding in 1941. Diego Symphony. concerts increases. (Financial and 1996: Symphony silenced as it files 1910: German violinist Richard management instability continues 1949: Fabien Sevitsky, former con- 1955: Financially plagued San Diego for bankruptcy, nearly $5 million in Schliewen assembles a group of local throughout Eros’ tenure). musicians, promotes them as the ductor of the Indianapolis Symphony, Philharmonic merges with the debt. conducts a resurrected San Diego San Diego Symphony. Symphony. 1980: British conduc- 1998: The San Symphony in summer concerts in tor David Atherton, 1912: Lionel Gittelson, also a German 1959: Earl Bernard Murray, associate Diego Symphony is Balboa Park. principal conductor violinist, conducts six concerts at the conductor of the San Francisco Sym- resurrected again; of the Royal Liverpool U.S. Grant Hotel. 1950: Pianist and conductor Leslie phony, succeeds Shaw and becomes Jung-Ho Pak, Hodge, the founding music direc- the orchestra’s first full-time, year- Philharmonic, ap- associate conductor 1913: Conductor B. Roscoe Schryock tor of the Guadalajara Symphony, round music director. (Shaw soon pointed music direc- under Talmi, is takes over. He expands the orchestra conducts a reconstituted San Diego finds fame as a choral conductor and tor.With a budget named artistic director. to 49 members before financial is- Philharmonic in concerts in Russ of more than $1 million, orchestra later as music director of the Atlanta 2002: Joan and Irwin Jacobs donate sues force it to shut down in 1920. Auditorium. moves into League of American Symphony). $120 million in grants and bequests, 1927: Music educator Nino Marcelli Orchestras’ top tier, but barely avoids which is the largest donation ever to leads the first performances of the 1965: Orchestra moves to new Civic bankruptcy a year later. Theatre; one of the soloists is the a symphony orchestra. San Diego Civic Orchestra at the 1985: The former Fox Theater, renowned soprano Dorothy Kirsten. 2003: Jahja Ling named music Spreckels Theatre on April 9, followed renamed as Symphony Hall, opens director. by performances by the Philharmonic 1967: Hungarian conductor Zoltan as the new home of the San Diego Orchestra of San Diego (with many of Rozsnyai named music director.A Symphony. 2010: With a budget of $19 million, the same musicians) in Balboa Park. frequent conductor of the Columbia the orchestra returns to “group one” 1986: Season canceled as the 1936: Following the Civic Orchestra’s (Records) Symphony Orchestra, he status with the League of American orchestra is unable to reach an success in the California Pacific Inter- recorded a Schubert,Wagner and Orchestras. Centennial season agreement with its musicians. national Exposition, the San Diego Beethoven disc with the San Diego officially opens with concerts at the Orchestra Association is formed. Symphony for the Vox label. 1987: Yoav Talmi named music Embarcadero, the San Diego Zoo, the Marcelli conducts a single concert at 1971: Rozsnyai fired after a succes- director and takes over a revived USS Midway Museum and Copley the Savoy Theater. sion of management issues, financial orchestra. Symphony Hall. problems, temporary shutdowns and 1937: The association collaborates 1990: Symphony Hall is named JAMES CHUTE & artistic challenges. MERRIE MONTEAGUDO • U-T with the Federal Music Project, and The San Diego Symphony’s Copley Symphony Hall in recognition an orchestra performs under guest Victoria Bellencourt and 1972: Another Hungarian, conductor Sources: Melvin Goldzband’s “San Diego of Union-Tribune Publisher Helen K. Symphony, From Overture to Encore”; conductors as the San Diego Federal Jeanne Cletus in 1952. U-T FILE Peter Eros, named music director; Copley’s $2.5 million gift that allowed Union-Tribune archives

During his tenure as music director of the San Diego Symphony, Jahja Ling has filled more than 40 open positions in the 80-member ensemble. DAVID HARTIG SYMPHONY • City has come close to losing orchestra on a number of occasions

FROM A1 Disputed origin gave what must have been Cliburn,onhisfirsttoursince bankruptcy. bequests in 2002. It’s taken most of a cen- Looking at the orchestra’s remarkable performances his legendary win at the 1958 “We did not have the fi- The rebuilding that fol- tury, but the orchestra is at often muddy, sometimes during the summer of 1938, Tchaikovsky Piano Competi- nancial stability that we lowed — and the 2003 ap- last fulfilling that promise confusing, and occasionally including a program con- tion, performed with the or- needed,” said Kessler, who pointment of Jahja Ling as as it celebrates its centen- bizarre history, its achieve- ducted by the eminent com- chestra at Russ Auditorium. was off the board when it music director and his filling nial with a sold-out concert ment is all the more re- poser (then living in Los An- The 1960s witnessed the folded. “The board worked of more than 40 open posi- tonight with cellist Yo-Yo markable. By the time Jay geles) Arnold Schoenberg. orchestra’s move into the assiduously to make sure tions in the 80-member en- Ma at the Balboa Theatre and Lael Kovtun started at- According to the review in San Diego Civic Theatre and there was an extant sym- semblewithsomeexceptional and a reception at the U.S. tending symphony concerts the Union, the program (his morefinancialturmoil,which phony, but if there was any young musicians — resulted Grant. at Russ Auditorium in 1958, “Verklarte Nacht”and his continued into the 1970s as problem, any little glitch, inasymphonythatcansound Given the challenges it shortly after the couple arrangements of Bach’s E- the orchestra, with its fre- we’d be in trouble. It was a the equal of orchestras in its has faced since the begin- moved to San Diego from flat Prelude and Fugue and quentmanagementturnover, day-to-day situation, and it classincitiessuchas Seattle, ning — financial, adminis- Seattle, the orchestra had Brahms’ G-minor Piano developed a reputation as “a was tough. If you work that Denver and Dallas. trative and artistic — the repeatedly struggled with Quartet) was met with “sus- graveyard” for symphony way on a regular basis, it be- “We were hoping, when orchestra has earned its financial shortfalls, ceased tained applause.” managers, to use historian comes debilitating.” we started, to not only title as the oldest symphony operations at least three Goldzband’s words. A committee headed by bring back the orchestra, orchestra in California and times and operated under ‘Graveyard’ to rebirth While conductors David Sandra Pay, backed by $2 but to end up with a much the oldest arts institution in four different names. The1940s,largelybecause Atherton and Yoav Talmi million in pledges from Lar- improved orchestra,” said San Diego. Even its history, and ofthe war,were alostdecade provided often enlightened ry Robinson, John Moores Irwin Jacobs. “So that’s Buoyed by the commu- present claim as the old- for the orchestra, and the artisticleadershipinthe’80s and Joan and Irwin Jacobs, been very positive. Clearly, nity support, financial sta- est symphony orchestra ’50s were distinguished by and ’90s — and the orches- revived the symphony in the orchestra has never bility and artistic stature it in California, was in doubt the presence of San Diego’s tra found a home in Copley 1998.Andthe Jacobses pro- been better.” has achieved over the past in the 1970s, as symphony own Robert Shaw, before Symphony Hall — serious fi- vided a firm foundation for decade, the orchestra has management apparently he left to find acclaim on the nancial problems continued. the orchestra’s continued [email protected] taken its place in the center preferred to date the en- East Coast. But the decade In 1996, almost $5 million in rebuilding with their gift of (619) 293-1290 of the area’s cultural life. semble’s origins to a 1927 ended with a flourish as Van debt, the orchestra declared $120 million in grants and Twitter @sdutchute This year, it performed ev- concert by the San Diego erywhere from the San Di- Civic Orchestra conducted egoZoototheUSSMidway by Nino Marcelli. The San Museum, and its musicians Diego Symphony celebrated played with organizations its “50th anniversary” in ranging from the La Jolla 1977 in Golden Hall after a Music Society’s Summer- concert conducted by Dan- Fest to Orchestra Nova. ny Kaye. Although the city has Still, Melvin Goldzband, come close to losing the the symphony’s archivist, orchestra on a number of and Mildred Lyman Tracy, occasions, the symphony’s whose graduate thesis at goals of excellence, educa- SDSU wasonthehistoryof tion and community service the San Diego Symphony, have never been closer to date the orchestra to that the aspirations of the com- 1910 concert, with its pro- munity it represents. gram of Ferdinand Hér- “What would this city be old’s Overture to “Zampa,” without an orchestra?” said Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 Jay Kovtun, who has been (also on tonight’s commem- a symphony subscriber orative program), Gounod’s for more than 50 years. “A Ballet Music from “Faust,” sleepy Navy town?” Bruch’s cantata “Fair Ellen” “For any city to be great, and Wagner’s Fantasie from it needs a symphony orches- “Lohengrin” conducted by tra,” added his wife, Lael Richard Schliewen. Kovtun, a former symphony Goldzband, however, still board member, echoing an credits Marcelli, a music ed- impassioned refrain that ucator with the San Diego first manifested itself in that City Schools, as the father 1910 concert and has been oftheSanDiego Symphony. articulated countless times For 10 years, including ac- since. claimed concerts at the 1935 “I’ve felt it was very im- and 1936 California Pacific portant to support an orga- International Expositions nization where 80 orchestra that were nationally broad- members lived here, worked cast by CBS radio, Marcelli here, paid taxes here, worked unceasingly to cre- taught our children music ate and sustain an orches- here,” said Warren Kessler, tra, which he lost in 1937 who has been active on the under the heavy hand of symphony board for nearly the director of the Federal three decades. “By doing Music Project, part of the that, in whatever small part Works Progress Adminis- I could play, I believed San tration. Diego wouldbeabletohave Performing for several an orchestra. And now, we seasons under the name form the music fabric of the of the San Diego Federal entire community.” Symphony, the orchestra ‘DIVAS’ OFFER SALUTE TO TROOPS AT MIRAMAR N+D WEEKEND • Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj are among the performers who will take to the runway tonight for a TV special inspired by Bob Hope’s USO shows.

FRIDAY • DECEMBER 3, 2 0 1 0 • MORETHAN 1 ,0 0 0,0 0 0 READERSWEEKLY • SIGNONSANDIEGO.C OM COUNCIL VOTE COULD DISCOVERY OPENS WORLDS BOX OUT WALMART OF LIFE-FORM POSSIBILITIES Veto override forces supercenters to finance Microbes thrive on arsenic; arsenic, which it substitutes for the fun- study of stores’ impact on jobs, community damental building block of all known assumptions about building living elements on Earth: phosphorus. JEN LEBRON KUHNEY• U-T minates years of debate in The newly discovered “extremophile” San Diego over whether blocks of life challenged — dubbed GFAJ‘DIV-1AS—’ OFFER is theSAfiLUrsTEt known Opening a supercenter in such stores, including some life-form that canTO TROOPS pull offAT MIRAMAR the trick. the city of San Diego became Walmarts, are a harbinger MIKELEE• U-T The NASA-fundedN+D WEEKENDdiscovery • piqued much more difficult — some of death for small businesses interest amongKaty topPerry scientists and Nicki Minaj in San suggest impossible — after and fair wages in a commu- Microbes found in the otherworldly Diego and elsearewh amongere, thesome performerswho had the City Council on Thurs- nity, or a boon for consumer environment of Mono Lake have opened theorized thatwho it wa willsta possibleke to the to swap day overturned Mayor Jerry choice and municipal financ- up more possibilities that life-forms out ubiquitousrun life-wafoy tormingnight focor ampounds. TV special inspired by Sanders’ veto of an ordinance es. might exist on other planets in ways The findings,Bob published Hope’s USO online shows. in the that requires retailers to con- Organized labor and its that border on science fiction, NASA journal Science, will alter textbooks duct a study of how the stores council allies four years ago scientists announced Thursday. and expand research in several fields, will affect the surrounding failed to enact an outright The microorganism, pulled from the including studies about Earth’s evolu- neighborhood before mov- ban on supercenters, which saline waters on the eastern edge of tion, organic chemistry and astrobiol- FRIDAY • DECEMBER 3, 2 0 1 0 • MORETHAN 1 ,0 0 0,0 0 0 READERSWEEKLY • SIGNONSANDIEGO.C OM ing in. are defined as big-box retail- California, defies biological convention ogy. The veto override cul- SEE OVERRIDE• A10 because it thrives on the toxic chemical SEE LIFE-FORM • A9 COUNCIL VOTE COULD DISCOVERY OPENS WORLDS BOX OUT WALMART OF LIFE-FORM POSSIBILITIES INDEPTH A3Veto override forces supercenters to finance SANDIEGO SYMPHONYCELEBRMicrATobesESthriCENTENNIALve on arsenic; arsenic, which it substitutes for the fun- study of stores’ impact on jobs, community damental building block of all known assumptions about building living elements on Earth: phosphorus. JEN LEBRON KUHNEY• U-T minates years of debate in The newly discovered “extremophile” San Diego over whether blocks of life challenged — dubbed GFAJ-1 — is the first known Opening a supercenter in such stores, including some life-form that can pull off the trick. the city of San Diego became Walmarts, are a harbinger MIKELEE• U-T The NASA-funded discovery piqued much more difficult — some of death for small businesses interest among top scientists in San suggest impossible — after and fair wages in a commu- Microbes found in the otherworldly Diego and elsewhere, some who had the City Council on Thurs- nity, or a boon for consumer environment of Mono Lake have opened theorized that it was possible to swap day overturned Mayor Jerry choice and municipal financ- up more possibilities that life-forms out ubiquitous life-forming compounds. Sanders’ veto of an ordinance es. might exist on other planets in ways The findings, published online in the that requires retailers to con- Organized labor and its that border on science fiction, NASA journal Science, will alter textbooks duct a study of how the stores council allies four years ago scientists announced Thursday. and expand research in several fields, will affect the surrounding failed to enact an outright The microorganism, pulled from the including studies about Earth’s evolu- neighborhood before mov- ban on supercenters, which saline waters on the eastern edge of tion, organic chemistry and astrobiol- ing in. are defined as big-box retail- California, defies biological convention ogy. The veto override cul- SEE OVERRIDE• A10 because it thrives on the toxic chemical SEE LIFE-FORM • A9

INDEPTH A3 SANDIEGO SYMPHONYCELEBRATES CENTENNIAL

San Diego Symphony music director Jahja Ling leads the oldest symphony orchestra in California. JOHN R. MCCUTCHEN • U-T FILE A birthday worthy of note At 100, a thriving San Diego Symphony has overcome its less-than-harmonious history

JAMES CHUTE • U-T

San Diego Symphony music director Jahja Ling leads the oldest symphony orchestrahe story in California.was buriedJOHN R. MC onCU theTCHEN society • U-T FILE page, right Tunder an item on society matrons attending a tea party at the U.S. Grant Hotel: “Symphony Gives Initial Concert.” A birthday wortThathy Dec. 6, 1910,of notice in thenoThe Sante DiegoUnion At 100, a thriving San Diego Symphony has overcpromevieeweitsdle thess-tfirshatn- inha a seriesrmon ofiocousncertshistoryby “The San Diego Symphony association” in the ballroom JAMES CHUTE • U-T of the U.S. Grant Hotel.Andinastorythat followed the next dahey, storythe Unwasion buriedstated on the it societywas “a pangeeve, rightnt that Tunder an item on society matrons attending a shouldteaat partytractat specialthe U.S.atGranttention,Hotel: not“Symphony only fo Givesr intrin- sic merit,Initial but Concert.”for the promise it holds for a share in Dr. Leslie Hodge conducts a reconstituted San Diego Philharmonic in 1951. the progressThat Dec. of6, the1910, cit noticey.” in the The San DiegoUnion The philharmonic merged with the San Diego Symphony in 1955. U-T FILE previewed the first in a series of SEEconcertsSYMPHONYby “The • A3 San Diego Symphony association” in the ballroom of the U.S. Grant Hotel.Andinastorythat followed the next day, the Union stated it was “an event that should attract special attention, not only for intrin- BUILDER PURCHASES DEVELOPER MAY HAVEsic merit,TO but for thePA promiseY MI it holdsLLfor aIO shareNS in CARLSBAD ACDr. LeREslieAGEHodge conducts aRe reconstitutedsident’s Sansu Diegoit ove Philharmonicr The Ro inck 1951.Churchthe’s progresscrowds of co theul citdy.”get class-action status The philharmonic merged with the San Diego Symphony in 1955. U-T FILE SEE SYMPHONY • A3 FOR 680-HOME PLAN MATTHEW T. HALL• U-T

ROGER SHOWLEY • U-T A Point Lomadisputethatpitsoneofthe BUILDER PURCHASES nation’s largest churches against neighbors In another sign that San Diego’s housing DEVELOPER MAY HAVEaggrieTOved PAby itsY SundayMILL crowdIOsNS may cost marketmightbeheadingtoCAwardrecoveRLSBAry,theD ACREAGE Resident’s suit over The Rock Church’sthecrow areads’s codeulved gelopert clas millionss-actio ofnsta dollars.tus 211-acrewesternhalfofCarlsbad’sRobertson Bonnie Mann, a resident of the Liberty MATTHEW T. HALL• U-T Ranchhasbeensoldformorethan$30millionFOR 680-HOME PLAN Station community, is suing Corky McMillin to Los Angeles developerRO ShapellGER SHOWLEHomes.Y • U-T Companies,A Point Lo allegingmadisputethatpitsoneofthe that its officials failed Shapell, which has been absent from the to disclosenation’s lar thatgest churches The Roagckainst Church neighborswould local home-building markeInt foanotherr some sign time that, San Diego’s housing moveaggsorie closeved by toits her Sunday house crowd ands may347co others.st marketmightbeheadingtowardrecovery,the the area’s developer millions of dollars. plans to start grading for211-acre 680 homeswesternhalfof in earlyCarlsbad’sRobertson OnBonnie Thursda Mann,y, in awhatresident co ofuld the pr Libertove detri-y 2012 on the property, whRaichnchhasbeensold is north offo Elrmorethan$30million mentalStationforco McMillin,mmunity, is suing San Cor Diegoky McMillin Superior CaminoReal,westofCannonto LoRoads Angelesandsouth developer Shapell Homes. CourtCompanies,Judge Richardalleging that Strauss its officials tentativelyfailed of Tamarack Avenue on theShapell, easternwhich side has of been absent from the certifiedto disclose Mann that’s claim The Ro asck a class-action Church would suit, local home-building market for some time, move so close to her house and 347 others. Carlsbad. plans to start grading for 680 homes in early allowingOn Thursda her to rey, inpresentwhat could other prove neighbors.detri- The announcement follo2012we ond locally the propert basedy, which is north of El IfmentalStraussfor McMillin,finalizes San his Diego decision Superior after a Sudberry Properties’ receCaminoReal,nt startwe onstof theCannonRoadTraandsouthffic controllers direct some of the estimated hearingCourt thisJudge morning, Richard Straussand if McMillin tentatively ulti- 230.5-acre Civita projectof inTa Missionmarack AvVaenuelle ony, the eastern15,000 side people of who attend five Sunday services matelycertified loses Mann in ’scoclaimurt, as the a class-action developer suit, might where more than 4,700 homesCarlsbad. are planned at The Rock Church at Liberty Station in Point haveallowingto pay her “multiple to represent millions other neighbors. of dollars,” The announcement followed locally based If Strauss finalizes his decision after a SudberrySEE BUILDER Properties’ • A11recent startLoma. on thePEGGY PEATTIETraffic controllers • U-T direct some of the estimated hearing this morning,SEE and ifDEVELOPER McMillin ulti- • A6 230.5-acre Civita project in Mission Valley, 15,000 people who attend five Sunday services mately loses in court, the developer might where more than 4,700 homes are planned at The Rock Church at Liberty Station in Point have to pay “multiple millions of dollars,” SEE BUILDER • A11 Loma. PEGGY PEATTIE • U-T SEE DEVELOPER • A6