Green Bay's symphony orchestra is marking the 100th anniversary of its founding. The orchestra has had ups and downs over the years, but its new director says the band can live on.
The Green Bay Symphony was organized in 1913, and its first concert was in March of 1914. Since then Green Bay has kept a classical music tradition alive in one form or another.
Dan Linssen has taken the reigns as Executive Director, and says having such a group was an accomplishment for a small city back then: “If they had a classical music orchestra then they were really something, and coming of age as a community.”
The original orchestra lasted until 1921. It was kept alive informally by music buffs. Then, in 1929, it was reformed into a small “polyphonia society,” which came to an end with World War ll. By 1960 it was officially reborn as the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra.
Today, Linssen says less than 30 percent of the orchestra's revenue comes from ticket sales. The rest is from corporate donations and fundraisers. “Symphony orchestras left and right are biting the dust,” he says. “Even the very big ones that have been around seemingly a long time. They're either in Chapter 11, under reorganization, or have simply closed their doors and cease to operate. We've had a 100-year track record. I think we can expect a-200 year track record if we do this right, but we have to reach out to the majority of the community.”
To that end, the symphony kicks off its season October 12 with an Oktoberfest theme, complete with beer and a polka band in the lobby of the Weidner Center. The concert itself features music from three German composers.
