Mission
The mission of the Muncie Civic & College Symphony Association, an alliance between the community and Ball State University, is to stimulate, educate, and entertain audiences in East Central Indiana and to provide a meaningful musical experience for professional, community, and student musicians, through the performance of fine music and other activities.
History
The Muncie Symphony Orchestra was founded in the summer of 1949 by a group called Friends of the Orchestra. Dr. Robert Hargreaves was its first Music Director, serving in this capacity for 33 years. He and his wife, Katie, administered the orchestra out of their home. Dr. Hargreaves was tireless in building the organization, recruiting faculty members to teach at the BSU School of Music and play in the orchestra. New faculty members with musician spouses were especially valued! Dr. Hargreaves' method of staffing the orchestra shaped a unique model which is still in existence today: faculty members are principal players and sections include their students. In few other organizations of any kind do faculty and students enjoy this kind of mentoring, yet collaborative, relationship. Players from neighboring orchestras and professional-quality musicians form the local community round out the orchestra's roster. Upon Dr. Hargreaves' retirement, the Board of Directors hired Leonard Atherton as the new Music Director. A native of England, he joined the MSO and Ball State University in 1982. In addition to his duties conducting the MSO, he taught graduate and undergraduate conducting classes at BSU and conducted the Ball State Symphony Orchestra. Atherton strongly believed in the college and civic.phpect of the orchestra, and in providing solo opportunities for the faculty principals. He retired as music director at the end of the 2002-03 concert season. The Muncie Symphony Orchestra consists of approximately 90 musicians; 18% faculty, 52% community members and 30% students. All subscription concerts are performed in the John R. Emens College-Community Auditorium on the campus of Ball State University. It seats 3,575. Besides the eight subscription concerts, the MSO performs a free outdoor concert on the Ball State Arts Terrace and a Young People's Concert for elementary students. The MSO also sends outreach chamber ensembles to area schools every week of the school year to introduce young audiences to classical music and the instruments of the orchestra. Muncie Symphony League has been working to support the orchestra since 1955. The League plays an important role in promoting the orchestra, and raising funds through such projects as "Lunch with the Artist," the annual subscription drive, and other community projects. Guest artists over the years have included Aaron Copland, Arthur Fiedler, Roberta Shaw, Dave Brubeck, The Empire Brass, André-Michel Schub, Victor Borge, Doc Severinsen, Dmitry Sitkovestsky, Bella Davidovich and Marvin Hamlisch.
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