HISTORY OF SOUTH VALLEY SYMPHONY

The Early Years
The South Valley Symphony began in 1972 with six local musicians under the baton of Kathleen Ash Barraclough. In the beginning it was offered as a night class by the Morgan Hill Schools Continuing Education. A decision was made to form the group into a "community" orchestra and to develop local talent rather than to import players for concerts. Thirty five people attended the first concert performed by fourteen members, many of them students, at Live Oak High School in December of 1974.

With the passage of Proposition 13 in 1976 the orchestra was no longer supported by Morgan Hill Schools. A group of citizens, headed by Lois Clawson and Norma Link, set out to find a supporting group so it could continue. In 1977 Dan Bartelli was elected as the first President of an eight member board and an operating budget of $1390. The Symphony was incorporated that same year and obtained a non-profit status in 1979. Today it is still a non-profit organization and has an elected 16 member Board of Directors.

Alliance and Partnership with Gavilan College Arts Department
In 1982 the first guest artists performed for the winter concert. The quality of the orchestra was steadily improving as was the number of musicians and people attending concerts.  An arts alliance was formed in 1991 with Gavilan College. This alliance made the orchestra a teaching orchestra thus giving credits to participating students. Today forty to fifty volunteer musicians rehearse weekly at Ascension Solarsano Middle School in Gilroy. It is still the policy of the orchestra to promote local talent whenever possible.

With the 1999 May concert at the Gavilan Theater the Symphony completed their 25th season.  The budget was $30,000 and the average audience was 350. A very successful two performance Youth Concert played to standing room only and two other concerts were sellouts as well. In addition SVS began a new partnership with Gavilan College Theater Arts Department under the direction of Marilyn Abad Cardinalli. The first collaborative effort was Peter and the Wolf, a children's musical, in November, aided by a $2500 Valley Foundation grant awarded to the Symphony in April.

Villa Montalvo and 'Arts Builds Communities' Grant Program
To help prepare for the next 25 years the South Valley Symphony entered into a mentor-mentee relationship with Villa Montalvo, a recognized performing arts organization in Santa Clara County in 1998. With the financial support and under the guidance of the Community Foundation's "Arts Builds Communities" Grant program, the Board set goals to increase the number of orchestra members, to increase the concert audience through more advanced marketing and fundraising procedures and to promote a better understanding of, and communication with, the different cultural aspects of that audience.

The Symphony's Conductors
From 1990 to 1999 the orchestra was under the direction of Dr. Jason Klein. Dr. Klein tendered his resignation at the end of the 1999 season. The Board then formed an eight member panel to begin the search for a new conductor.  After an extensive search Mr. Henry Mollicone was selected as conductor. He served in that capacity from 1999 to 2005. After he resigned, Dr. Anthony Quartuccio took the baton the beginning of the 2006/2007 season as the new musical director.

Today the goal of the Symphony remains the same as it was in 1974, "to produce quality music for South Santa Clara County, especially the tri-city areas of Gilroy, Morgan Hill and Hollister". Now more than ever we need the support of people and businesses that are the foundation of the cultural arts programs.