33467 total results

This collection includes oral history interviews with key musicians and local supporters of the symphony.

Terri Kirchner and Helen Sonenshine are both members and leaders in the Virginia Symphony Orchestra starting in the late 1990s. Both are past presidents of the League who were involved in modernizing the organization. Both also had significant involvement in the Symphony’s Board of Directors by virtue of their tenures as League President. Terri Kirchner was born in San Jose, California on April 10, 1950, and Helen Sonenshine was bron in Baltimore, Maryland on July 12, 1937. The interview was conducted with Terri Kirchner and Helen Sonenshine in the Digital Services Center of the ODU Perry Library for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.The interview discusses Terri Kirchner and Helen Sonenshine's involvement with the Virginia Symphony League and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra including finances, fundraising, musical directors, board of directors, and executive directors. The interview also discusses the Virginia Symphony Chorus and its relationship to the VSO. 0:53:30

Photograph of Terri Kirchner taken during oral history interview for the Virginia Symphony Archives project.

Photograph of Terri Kirchner, Jean Major, and Helen Sonenshine taken during oral history interview for the Virginia Symphony Archives project.

Terri Kirchner and Helen Sonenshine are both members and leaders in the Virginia Symphony Orchestra starting in the late 1990s. Both are past presidents of the League who were involved in modernizing the organization. Both also had significant involvement in the Symphony’s Board of Directors by virtue of their tenures as League President. Terri Kirchner was born in San Jose, California on April 10, 1950, and Helen Sonenshine was bron in Baltimore, Maryland on July 12, 1937. The interview was conducted with Terri Kirchner and Helen Sonenshine in the Digital Services Center of the ODU Perry Library for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.The interview discusses Terri Kirchner and Helen Sonenshine's involvement with the Virginia Symphony League and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra including finances, fundraising, musical directors, board of directors, and executive directors. The interview also discusses the Virginia Symphony Chorus and its relationship to the VSO. 0:53:30

Photograph of Helen Sonenshine taken during oral history interview for the Virginia Symphony Archives project.

James Babcock was a member of the Virginia Symphony Board of Directors beginning in 1977, when he moved to the Hampton Roads area to become president of First Virginia Bank. Babcock served as president of the board from 1984-86. Among his achievements during that period was instituting the first long range planning process for the orchestra. At the time of the interview, Babcock also serves as a director of the Virginia Symphony Foundation. Babcock was born in Caldwell, New Jersey on June 16, 1933. Oral history interview conducted with James Babcock in his Virginia Beach home for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Babcock's time as a member and president of the Virginia Symphony Board of Directors. Important highlights include the merger of the Peninsula, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach orchestras; fundraising campaigns; and the Virginia Symphony strike. 0:52:00

Carroll Bailey is a long-time member of the orchestra. He began his 50-year career with the Virginia Symphony during World War II and retired as a bass player in 1996. During that time, he also served as a school music teacher at Norview High School. Bailey was born in Algona, Iowa on July 6, 1922. Oral history interview conducted with Carroll Bailey in his Virginia Beach home for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Bailey's career in the Virginia Symphony as a trumpet and bass player and his experiences with the various conductors of the symphony. 0:52:00

Winnie Maddock Baldwin served the Virginia Symphony Orchestra for more than 50 years. She was the first woman to serve on the Virginia Symphony Board of Directors. She was secretary on the board for 17 years. She also served on the Trustees Council, was President of the Women’s Auxiliary to the Norfolk Symphony and Choral Association, and was featured in a biographical piece in the 2006 symphony program. Baldwin was born in Norfolk, Virginia on December 1, 1906 and died in Twin Falls, Idaho on November 10, 2008. The interview was conducted with Winnie Maddock Baldwin in her Norfolk home for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Baldwin's time as a member of the Virginia Symphony Board of Directors. Important highlights include her experiences with the Women's Auxiliary and Youth Orchestra, fundraising, as well as experiences with local musicians and the symphony conductors. 0:48:00

Clay Barr was a board member of the Virginia Symphony and its historical antecedents from the 1960s until 2007. She served as president of the Board from 1981-1983, during the merger of the three Hampton Roads orchestras. Following her service on the Board of Directors, Barr was a member of the Trustee Council. She chaired the search committee that recruited JoAnn Falletta as Music Director and worked hard to support the orchestra's appearance at Carnegie Hall in 1997. Barr was born in Norfolk, Virginia on May 3, 1941. The interview was conducted with Clay Barr in her Norfolk office for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Barr's time as a member of the Virginia Symphony Board of Directors. Important highlights include the merger of the Peninsula, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach orchestras; the Virginia Symphony strike; and experiences with the symphony conductors. 0:57:00

Minette Cooper was a major contributor to the formation of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra from the merger of the area's three existing orchestras, the Norfolk Symphony, the Peninsula Orchestra, and the Virginia Beach Pops. She served both on the Symphony Board and as an officer in the Symphony league during that period. Her service on the orchestra's board predated the merger period and continues to the present time. She served as president of the Board of Directors from 1986-1988. Cooper was born in New York, New York on December 23, 1937. The interview was conducted with Minette Cooper in her Norfolk home for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.The interview discusses Cooper's time as a member of the Virginia Symphony Board of Directors. Important highlights include the merger of the Peninsula, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach orchestras; relations with Norfolk State and Old Dominion Universities; the Virginia Symphony strike; experiences with the symphony conductors; and avocation for arts education. 1:42:30

Principal Percussionist with the Virginia Symphony, Rob Cross joined the orchestra in 1981. Over time he has served in the administration of the orchestra as general manager, interim executive director, artistic administrator, and personnel manager. Now he is the executive director of the Virginia Arts Festival and continues as a principal in the symphony. Cross was bron in Norfolk, Virginia on August 9, 1959. The interview was conducted with Rob Cross in the offices of the Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Robert Cross's career with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the VSO musical directors, concert highlights, the various administrative positions he has held with the VSO, and his tenure as executive director of the Virginia Arts Festival. 0:41:30

Principal Percussionist with the Virginia Symphony, Rob Cross joined the orchestra in 1981. Over time he has served in the administration of the orchestra as general manager, interim executive director, artistic administrator, and personnel manager. Now he is the executive director of the Virginia Arts Festival and continues as a principal in the symphony. Cross was bron in Norfolk, Virginia on August 9, 1959. The interview was conducted with Rob Cross in the offices of the Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Robert Cross's career with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the VSO musical directors, concert highlights, the various administrative positions he has held with the VSO, and his tenure as executive director of the Virginia Arts Festival. 0:41:30

Photograph of Rob Cross taken during oral history interview for the Virginia Symphony Archives project.

Photograph of Rob Cross and Jean Major taken during oral history interview for the Virginia Symphony Archives project.

Lillian Curry became a violinist for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra when she was 15 years old. She continued in that role for 50 years until her retirement in 2018. Curry was born in Virginia around 1953. The interview was conducted with Lillian Curry at her music store, Angelico Violins in Chesapeake, Virginia, for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. In the interview, Curry discusses her long career with the VSO, the VSO musical directors, board, finances, labor relations, and highlights of the orchestra. 0:40:06

Lillian Curry became a violinist for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra when she was 15 years old. She continued in that role for 50 years until her retirement in 2018. Curry was born in Virginia around 1953. The interview was conducted with Lillian Curry at her music store, Angelico Violins in Chesapeake, Virginia, for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. In the interview, Curry discusses her long career with the VSO, the VSO musical directors, board, finances, labor relations, and highlights of the orchestra. 0:40:06

Lillian Curry became a violinist for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra when she was 15 years old. She continued in that role for 50 years until her retirement in 2018. Curry was born in Virginia around 1953. The interview was conducted with Lillian Curry at her music store, Angelico Violins in Chesapeake, Virginia, for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. In the interview, Curry discusses her long career with the VSO, the VSO musical directors, board, finances, labor relations, and highlights of the orchestra.

A newcomer to arts boards when she joined the symphony's board of directors, Betty Harmon Edwards was an experienced board member for other kinds of organizations, and she brought new skills to the symphony board. During her presidency in 1995-97, she undertook a board development process and initiated a strategic planning process. The highlight of her presidency was leadership to make the orchestra's first concert in Carnegie Hall a possibility and a success. The interview was conducted with Betty Harmon Edwards in her Norfolk home for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Betty Edwards' service with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra's Board of Directors, her tenure as board president, various board committees, as well as the board and symphony's finances. 0:55:00

A newcomer to arts boards when she joined the symphony's board of directors, Betty Harmon Edwards was an experienced board member for other kinds of organizations, and she brought new skills to the symphony board. During her presidency in 1995-97, she undertook a board development process and initiated a strategic planning process. The highlight of her presidency was leadership to make the orchestra's first concert in Carnegie Hall a possibility and a success. The interview was conducted with Betty Harmon Edwards in her Norfolk home for a project on the history of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The interview discusses Betty Edwards' service with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra's Board of Directors, her tenure as board president, various board committees, as well as the board and symphony's finances. 0:55:00