Who We Are
Sage City Symphony was started in 1972 as a community / college orchestra with close ties to Bennington College in southern Vermont. Since then it has become primarily a community orchestra that draws players from 3+ states, as well as providing academic credit to Bennington College students who choose to participate. The Symphony endeavors to present programs that are beyond the usual ambition of community orchestras and that offer a challenging playing opportunity to local musicians. We attract a high caliber of amateur as well as professional musicians without the requirement of auditions.
The Symphony plays the traditional repertoire and contemporary music, commissioning and premiering new pieces each season. The Symphony rents and borrows music as needed, but also owns a library of scores and music parts for traditional overtures, symphonies, and our own commissioned works.
Sage City Symphony is a registered federal non-profit organization in the State of Vermont, and relies entirely on generous donations, gifts in kind, grants, and volunteer services from individuals, local foundations, businesses, and sponsors. Concerts are always free and open to all. The Symphony is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of longtime community supporters and musicians.
We are grateful to Bennington College in North Bennington, Vermont, for space for our rehearsals, concerts, and annual dinner.
Mission Statement
The mission of Sage City Symphony is to offer high-quality orchestral music to the residents of Bennington County and its surrounding areas, to provide an opportunity for musicians of various skill levels to play orchestral music, and to commission new orchestral works to be performed by Sage City Symphony.
Key Players
Music Directors
Louis Calabro (1926-1991), Founding Music Director
Michael Finckel, Music Director
Executive Board
Celia Murray, President
Suzy Yucht, Vice President
Jack Leonard, Treasurer
Janet Betlejeski, Secretary
Board of Directors
Susan Abrams, Librarian
Michelle M. Alexander
Lucy Gardner Carson
Steve Ellis
Michael Gallagher
Catherine Hall-Schor
François Sécordel
Gail Smith, Manager
Karl Brosch, Past President
Christine Graham
Peter Lawrence, Esq.
Guy Rauscher
Marcella Rauscher
Emeriti
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