Who We Are

The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra is a not-for-profit registered charity and was incorporated in 1975. The late Mr. Emil First founded the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra in 1953 and the SSO has been a vibrant musical force within our community since it's inception. In the intervening years the role of conductor has been passed to Mr. Eric Woodward, Dr. Metro Kozak, and most recently and currently Maestro Victor Sawa.

Today the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra performs an annual six-concert series. As a community orchestra the SSO relies on the tremendous dedication and skills of many volunteer musicians.

History

Founded by the late Emil First in the fall of 1953, the original Symphony was comprised of a group of very interested adults and local music students. The first public performance took place on January 13, 1954.

In 1957, Mr. Eric Woodward succeeded Mr. First as the Symphony’s conductor and retained that position for eighteen years. During this period, the orchestra evolved into the Sudbury Philharmonic Society that combined orchestra and choir.

Following Mr. Woodward’s departure in 1974, the orchestra and the choir became separate entities once more. The choir became The Bel Canto Chorus which continues to delight audiences to this day. The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra emerged as the newly incorporated, not-for-profit community orchestra that exists today. A new mandate and mission reflected the Symphony’s twofold commitment to music education and public performance.

In 1975, Metro Kozak became the SSO’s third conductor. He held this position until his retirement in 1997. In 1998, Maestro Victor Sawa, a professional conductor from the Regina Symphony, was hired to carry on the tradition of the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra.

Maestro Sawa enjoys interacting with the audience during the concerts as he provides keen insights and background to the pieces in that evening’s program. This trademark interaction continues to be a very popular facet of each concert.

Currently the orchestra is composed of approximately fifty five local musicians from the City of Greater Sudbury and surrounding area. The launching of the new Sudbury Symphony Conservatory of Music in 2001 was an exciting step forward for the Symphony. In addition to providing this new service, the Symphony continues to participate within the school systems by offering "Outreach in Education Programs" The Symphony continues to donate scholarships and bursaries to young musicians each year, and provides credit courses for qualified musicians through Cambrian College and Laurentian University. As the Symphony celebrates its 32nd season, we would like to thank our loyal audience, for your continued support and belief in the value of the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra.