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Wyoming Symphony Orchestra
A Brief History

Imagine Wyoming in the 1920's. That's when the Wyoming Symphony got its start as the Casper Concert Symphony Orchestra. It was a group of musicians who played for the purest of reasons - it satisfied their desire to play music. In 1929, the group changed musical directors and their name. They became known as the Casper Philharmonic and continued to play music until 1942 when the country concentrated on WWII. It was that same desire to play music that got the group started again in 1947. Under the direction of Russell Schwejda and with a new name, Casper Civic Symphony Association, the orchestra moved forward with a President and a Board of Directors.

During this period the organization became a community -- Musicians, Board, Guild, Volunteers and Audience all with the same desire for live symphonic music. In spite of very limited funding, the orchestra started traveling to other cities in Wyoming to perform. They also managed to start the tradition of children's concerts and the maintenance fund. In 1959 a deal was worked out with Casper College to share the cost of one person working both as a faculty member at the college and as the Casper Civic Symphony's resident conductor. Ernest Hagen was hired. He worked hard and the orchestra prospered. The community continued to further embrace the organization with the formation of a Guild to help sell tickets and organize an annual ball, a Youth Symphony to help young players excel and a Junior Guild. Hagen left Casper to begin the Jackson Hole Summer Symphony Association.

Ed Marty, who steered the orchestra from 1962 until 1970, developed an Annual Youth Competition where the winner received a small scholarship to the school of their choice and the opportunity to solo at the Annual Children's' Concert. Rex Eggleston filled the void when Marty left mid season in 1970 and conducted the Casper Civic Symphony Association's 1970-71 orchestra season.

In 1971 Curtis Peacock became the new faculty violinist at Casper College and in 1972 took over as the Conductor of the Civic Symphony. History repeated itself and the orchestra changed its name to the Casper Symphony, this time to reflect a better orchestra and an ever-evolving community presence. Since 1972 Curtis Peacock drove the orchestra to improve its professionalism, nurturing local talent and implementing a core orchestra concept that includes a goal of a few full time professional musicians.

Peacock passed his baton after the close of the orchestra's 51st season (2000-2001) and we embarked upon another journey to find a new conductor during the ensuing season. After an exhaustive worldwide search, Jonathan Shames was selected to lead the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra into the future. Maestro Shames also serves as the Associate Director of Orchestras at the University of Michigan where he conducts the Philharmonia and the Acclaimed Contemporary Directions Ensemble. He has won the finalist-diploma in the 1982 Moscow International Piano Competition and was named a Fellow for the American Pianists Association in 1980. The Wyoming Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to have such a talented musician and conductor leading us.

We are a long way from 1920 with our internet, television and microwave food but the desire is still here. "Wyoming", as our former governor put it, has become "a small town with some long streets." The Casper Symphony has changed its name to the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra to reflect and embrace our community, our state, and us. We have never been better or more alive than we are today. Please join us as we anticipate future artistic and community growth. Let's make our own history.