Sioux City Symphony Orchestra

The Sioux City Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Sioux City, Iowa.

The Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and The Sioux City Municipal Band were each formed in the early 1930s under the guidance and direction of Maestro Leo Kucinski. [ [http://www.siouxcityhistory.org/people/moree0d2.html?id=59_0_2_0_M Notable People | Sioux City History ] ]

Under Kucinski's baton for most of its early history, the orchestra gradually developed into a highly respected, paid-professional Class B civic orchestra with a regular performing season. The orchestra's home is the beautiful Orpheum Theater, located downtown. The Municipal Band, with close kinship to the Orchestra, is also a paid-professional group that traces its origins to The Monahan Post 64 Band of the American Legion, in the 1920s. The Monahan Post Band became world-famous when it was selected as the "official" band of the American Legion in the mid-1920s. From its founding until the early 1930s, The Monahan Post Band made several tours that included concert appearances in New York, New Orleans and Paris.

The home of the Municipal Band is the city band shell in Grandview Park on the city's north side. There, it performs a very popular Sunday afternoon "pops"-style concert series during the summer months, and it also performs other engagements throughout the year.

Sioux City's ability to produce highly gifted musicians for fine music of all styles can be attributed to its citizens' very strong and longstanding commitment to and financial investment in music education within the public and private school systems. In the 1930s, Maestro Kucinski worked closely with Superintendent of Schools [http://www.siouxcityhistory.org/people/more6758.html?id=5_0_2_0_M M.G. Clark] to create the foundation for this nationally recognized public school music program. [ [http://www.siouxcityhistory.org/people/more6758.html?id=5_0_2_0_M Notable People | Sioux City History ] ] Additionally, Morningside College has long been home to a vital and energetic music department, which has served to contribute to the pool of fine musicians and music educators in Sioux City. Sioux City has an All-City Orchestra whose members are elementary grade students who participate by audition, and the [http://webs.morningside.edu/kucinskiacademy/pages/youthsymphony.htm Siouxland Youth Symphony] , whose players are selected by competitive auditions from the junior schools and high schools in the area.

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