Conductor Henry Krips era (1949-72) raises community profile of then-South Australian Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Henry Krips (right) raised the-then South Australian Symphony Orchestra's community profile, boosted with its presence on ABC television (top left), with Bevan Bird (left) and Richard Smith who separately led the percussion section for a combined 65 years.Botton left: Tuba player Cyril Britten fascinated schoolchildren during the orchestra's late-1960s tour of the Northern Territory.
The era (1949-72) of Henry Krips, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s longest-serving conductor, brought a new high profile in the community.
As resident conductor, the Vienna-born Krips soon reformed the orchestra. It was renamed the South Australian Symphony Orchestra in 1949. (The name reverted back to Adelaide Symphony in 1975.) A new funding agreement between the state government, Adelaide City Council, South Australian Orchestral Association the ABC, required the orchestra to serve the community of South Australia.
Krips became well known, leading the 55-member orchestra at regular public and school concerts. As well as concerts in Adelaide and Mount Gambier, the orchestra regularly visited many small towns including Tumby Bay, Yorketown, Mannum and Penola. When ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) television came to Adelaide in 1960, the South Australian Symphony Orchestra gained extra profile in the state’s homes.
The orchestra’s first tour to Darwin in 1967 involved a stopover at Alice Springs where school students were bussed in from many outlying areas for the unique experience of hearing a live symphony orchestra playing at a school’s concert. Krips, credited with introducing the works of Gustav Mahler to Australian audiences, had taken over from original resident conductor William Cade (1936-48).
He was succeeded by chief conductors Elyakum Shapirra (1975-79), José Serebrier (principal guest conductor, 1982-83), Piero Gamba (1983-85), Albert Rosen (1986), Nicholas Braithwaite (1987-91), David Porcelijn (1993-98) and Arvo Volmer (1993-98). For 2015-19, Nicholas Carter was the first Australian appointed to lead a major Australian orchestra.
Carter was followed by Mark Wigglesworth as principal guest conductor from 2018. That year, the artistic leadership team evolved under Wigglesworth to include young violinist and the orchestra's new emerging artist in association Grace Clifford; Australian composer and the orchestra's new composer in association Cathy Milliken. In 2021, the team comprised Pinchas Zukerman, Milliken and Wigglesworth.
