About the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra

A Brief History

The debut performance of the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra occurred on Saturday, August 26, 1995 with Maestro Roger Bayes conducting. The University Foundation of Sierra Vista sponsored the concert and the Buena Performing Arts Center was filled for this first performance. The original founders fo the Symphony were Richard and Katheryn Zoller, Dan and Suzanne Howdeshell and Roger Bayes.

The program consisted of Overture to L'Italiana in Algen by Giocchino Rossini; Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K 550 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op 21 by Ludwig Von Beethovan.

There were thirty-six Orchestra members for that first concert. The Concertmaster was Beverly Wright.

When the second season began on August 23, 1996, there were thirty-eight Orchestra members and Debbie Dinkel began her stint as Concertmaster.

The program consisted of John Williams' Olympic Fanfare and Theme; Robin Hood Prince of Thieves; Main Theme and excerpts from An American Symphony by Michael Kamen; Music from Apollo 13 by James Horner; selections from Les Miserables by Claude -Michel Schoenberg; selections from Cats and The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber; The Entertainer by Scott Joplin, Hohann Strause Jr's An der Schoenen Blauen Donau; and our traditionally popular finale, John Phillip Suisa's Washington Post March.