Founded in 1948, the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) is a semi-professional orchestra in Denver, Colorado led by music director Lawrence Golan. The DPO performs six concerts per season on the Antonia Brico Stage at Central Presbyterian Church.

History

Antonia Brico Antonia Louisa Brico (June 26, 1902 – August 3, 1989) was a Dutch-born American conductor and pianist. Early life and education Born Antonia Louisa Brico to a Dutch Catholic unmarried mother in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Brico was renamed ...

founded the DPO as the Denver Businessmen's Orchestra in 1948. Brico, who was the first woman to conduct the

New York Philharmonic Orchestra The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

(1938), debuted the orchestra to a full auditorium. The premiere performance received a telegram from composer

Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius (; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and 20th-century classical music, early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his countr ...

wishing good luck. In 1968, the name was changed to the Brico Symphony. Brico remained as music director until 1984. Russian-American conductor Julius Glaihengauz became DPO's second music director. A graduate of the

Moscow Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory () is a higher musical educational institution located in Moscow, Russia. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in musical performance and musical research. Th ...

, Glaihengauz led the orchestra for 11 seasons under its new name, Centennial Philharmonic. An interim director, Kirk Smith, led the orchestra for one season following Glaihengauz's departure. In 1999, Dr. Horst Buchholz became the third music director, and in 2004, the Centennial Philharmonic Orchestra became the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. Buchholz, who was a Professor of Music at the University of Denver, served as music director and conductor until 2009. Following his departure, he was appointed the orchestra's first Conductor Laureate. Adam Flatt served as music director from 2010 through 2013. Lawrence Golan is the DPO's current music director. Golan is a professor and music director at the University of Denver's

Lamont School of Music Lamont School of Music is the school of arts of the University of Denver, based in city of Denver, United States. In 1941, the school merged with the University of Denver. History Despite its separation from Denver University's main campus for ...

. In summer 2016, Golan led the DPO on its first international tour — a 14-city, 14-concert tour across China. The Denver Philharmonic has entered into an innovative multi-year partnership with the Bayerische Philharmonie in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, Germany. In October 2017, the Denver Philharmonic sent musicians to Munich to perform in Hercules Hall in the Residenz in downtown Munich. The DPO made its home at KPOF Hall for 51 years, and in December 2015, the orchestra moved to its new venue at Central Presbyterian Church. In summer 2016, the church's

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

was remodeled into a flat stage to accommodate the orchestra; the Antonia Brico Stage is named for and dedicated to DPO's founder.

References

{{authority control Orchestras based in Colorado Musical groups from Denver