The Victoria Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in Victoria, British Columbia. It is considered by some to be Vancouver Island's premiere active performing arts organization. Currently directed by Tania Miller - one of North America's first female musical directors - the orchestra consists of 34 full-contract, and 15 part-contract, musicians. Each season the orchestra gives more than 50 main series performances, as well as a 2-week-long summer festival. A highlight of the year for many is the annual Symphony Splash fund-raising concert, held on the Sunday of the August long weekend. Each year the symphony orchestra performs on a barge in Victoria's Inner Harbour for an estimated crowd of forty thousand listeners - many attending in kayaks, canoes or dragonboats immediately in front of the barge. The orchestra administration consists a paid staff, a board of directors, and many volunteers.
The Victoria Symphony was founded in 1941 by members of the Royal Canadian Navy as an amateur ensemble. Melvin Knudsen served as the group's first conductor, leaving after seven years in 1948 when he was succeeded by Hans Gruber. Otto-Werner Mueller was appointed principal conductor in 1963, followed by Laszlo Gati in 1967. The orchestra became a professional ensemble during Gati's years in the mid 1970s.
In 1979 Paul Freeman left the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to assume the position of principal conductor of the Victoria Symphony. Glen Fast served as his associate conductor beginning in 1983 and eventually replaced him for a short time as principal conductor in 1988 when Freeman retired. Peter McCoppin was appointed as conductor in 1989, a position he held until 1999 when Kees Bakels succeeded him. Bakels left in 2002 at which time Timothy Vernon was appointed interim music director. Tania Miller has been music director since the 2003-2004 season.
The dynamic young Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Seguin, who currently holds the position of music director designate with the Philadelphia Orchestra - and has held positions with the London and Rotterdam Philharmonic - previously held the position of Principal Guest Conductor (2003-2007) with the Victoria Symphony. The acclaimed Québécois musician and conductor Alain Trudel followed Yannick in 2009, a position he continues to hold.
Music Director Tania Miller and the orchestra have recently released two CDs of music by the Dutch composer Wim Zwaag, including a violin concerto performed by the orchestra's brilliant concert master Terence Tam.
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