San Antonio Symphony Orchestra

The San Antonio Symphony Orchestra was established by musician and arts patron Anna Goodman Hertzberg and musical director Carl Hahn in 1905. The amateur ensemble performed regularly through the 1910s and 1920s under the direction of Arthur Claassen and Julien Paul Blitz, but was discontinued at some point. The revived San Antonio Symphony was formed by musical director Max Reiter in 1939. The ensemble quickly grew to be the only "major" professional orchestra in Texas. The Symphony was led from 1950 to 1976 by Victor Alessandro; during this time, the Young People's Concert series established and the symphony began recording performances with Mercury Records. Alessandro was succeeded as director by François H. Huybrechts (1978-1980), Lawrence Leighton Smith (1980-1985), Christopher Wilkins (1992-2000), Larry Rachleff (2004-2008), and Sebastian Lang-Lessing (2010-2020). The Symphony has suffered recurring financial difficulties from the 1980s through present day, including a bankruptcy cancelling the 2003-2004 season. Prominent musicians who have been members of the San Antonio Symphony include Robert L. Annis (clarinet, 1971-1973), Franz Benteler (violin, 1946-1947), Maximilian Dimoff (bass, 1990-1993), Julius Hegyi (violin, 1948-1951), Eugene Lacritz (clarinet, 1952-1958), Eric Rosenblith (violin, 1952-1955), Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio (violin, 1994-2007), Mark Sparks (flute, 1985-1987), Daniel Stolper (oboe, 1959-1964), Donald Wilerstein (violin, 1963-1964), and Clifton Williams (horn, 1949-1966).