Our History

 

Since 1894, Ottawa’s civic symphony has gone through many iterations, names, revised organizational structures, challenges in finding appropriate and affordable concert venues, and the ongoing challenge of financial sustainability. But somehow, through 130 years, with the support of many talented community leaders, volunteers, musicians, patrons and donors, Ottawa has always been able to ensure the continued legacy and excellence of its symphony. It is a legacy that has brought decades of cultural benefit to our community, through performances of the very canon of the world’s most enduring music.

The orchestra was called the Ottawa Civic Symphony from 1965 to 1976, and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (OSO) thereafter. Early concerts were held in a local high school auditorium before moving to the National Arts Centre in 1974, where we performed for 44 years. In 2018, we received an invitation from Carleton University to perform in their newly acquired venue, Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre. Our first concert in this space was on January 21st, 2019.

A Community-Based Professional Orchestra

  • Ottawa is home to our musicians, and our orchestra belongs to Ottawa. The OSO frequently features area musicians as soloists and is committed to giving opportunities to emerging and established local, regional and Canadian talent.

  • We’re fearless in our programming. We don’t shy away from the exciting, monumental works of the 19th and 20th centuries that take full advantage of our large and harmonically rich ensemble of musicians. In our intimate concert setting at Carleton Dominion Chalmers Centre, our audiences are treated to the big, full sounds of composers like Bruckner, Mahler, Wagner and Strauss that only a large-scale orchestra like ours can offer. On concert night, you’ll be wowed by anywhere from 70 to 100 musicians on stage!

  • We celebrate original Canadian content. At all our performances, you’ll experience work by at least one Canadian composer. In 2018-19, our audiences were treated to the World Premiere of a newly commissioned work by Harry Stafylakis, as well as works by Alexina Louie, Jeffrey Ryan, Kelly-Marie Murphy, Airat Ichmouratov and John Estacio. In 2019-20, we will premiere 5 pieces in 4 concerts at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre. Musical innovation in the orchestral genre!

  • We create opportunities for emerging musicians. Through a longstanding arrangement with the University of Ottawa, our mentorship program affords young musicians the opportunity to perform with our professional orchestra over the course of their degree. During this time, students virtually double their orchestral performance opportunities in a given academic year and are exposed to a broad and challenging repertoire. This program is an active recruiting tool for the School of Music, helping to attract students from across Canada and the world to study in Ottawa.

    • In 2017, we launched the Ottawa Symphony Senécal -  Mozart Prize, sponsored by a generous patron of the OSO, Nicole Senécal. This $2,500 cash prize assists talented young Canadian artists to establish their musical careers. The final edition of the prize will feature the violin, in concert at our February 9th, 2025 performance.