Reorganization
The orchestra was reorganized in 1947 as a permanent professional group. A well-known American conductor, Werner Janssen, was engaged for two seasons (1947–1949), followed by James Sample (1949–1953). Guest conductors were engaged for the 1953-1955 seasons (in lieu of a regular conductor) including Carlos Chávez, Enrique Jordá, Dimitri Mitropoulos Thomas Schippers, Boris Sirpo, Russell Stanger, and Igor Stravinsky. Theodore Bloomfield was one of these guest conductors, and he also became the next regular conductor (1955–1959). The Italian conductor Piero Bellugi (1959–1961) became only the second non-American conductor since Hoogstraten. Each of these early conductors in the reorganized symphony era left after only a few years because the orchestra lacked financial backing. Bellugi also refused to return for a scheduled guest conductor engagement in the Spring of 1962 citing the programs lacked sufficient scope for his talents.
Three more American conductors followed: Jacques Singer (1962–1972), Lawrence Leighton Smith (1973–1980), the first conductor born in Portland to lead the orchestra, and James DePreist (1980–2003). DePreist is now the Laureate Music Director of the Oregon Symphony. Since 2003, the Uruguayan-born Carlos Kalmar is the orchestra's music director. In April 2008, the orchestra announced the extension of Kalmar's contract as music director to the 2012-2013 season.
During 1965-1967, the orchestra performed in a leased 1927 movie house, the Oriental Theatre at 828 SE Grand Avenue between Morrison and Belmont Streets, while the Civic Auditorium was being rebuilt. In July 1966, a $1.25 million Ford Foundation grant was announced. In August 1967, the name was changed to the Oregon Symphony to reflect the wider scope of the orchestra. In 1970, the Oregon Symphony Pops began a longstanding relationship with their conductor Norman Leyden who was appointed associate conductor in January 1974. Leyden, who retired in May 2004, was honored with the lifetime title laureate associate conductor. In the fall of 1970 the symphony board and musicians' union successfully negotiated the first two-year contract. The musicians, seeking better wages, joined the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) in 1971.
In 1984, the orchestra went from part time to full time. Also in 1984, the orchestra moved from Civic (now Keller) Auditorium to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The orchestra was now able to rehearse in the same space they performed their concerts. James DePreist's arrangement of the theme for The Cosby Show was recorded by the orchestra in May 1988 for use in the fifth season of that television program.
The first out-of-state tour outside of the Pacific Northwest was made in September 1992, to the Hollywood Bowl at the invitation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Although there were brief lockouts by management in 1986 and 1989, in September 1996 the 86 musicians voted unanimously to strike for the first time. Money was the issue in negotiating a new contract. Five rehearsals and six concerts were canceled before a new four-year contract was negotiated before the end of September.
The orchestra's first Grammy nomination came in 2003. Principal percussionist Niel DePonte was nominated for best instrumental soloist performance with orchestra for Oregon composer Tomas Svoboda's "Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra", recorded by Albany Records in January 2000.
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