Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra Scrapbooks and Photographs
The material in this collection is primarily related to the formation of Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra. Although the collection spans the years of 1943 to 1971, the bulk of the collection consists of two scrapbooks kept by Waldo E. Cohn, marked as Book #1 and Book #2, which documents the creation and the early years of the Orchestra between 1943 and 1949. These scrapbook albums include letters, newspaper clippings, photographs, copies of photographs, programs, sheet music, two May 11, 1945 tickets to the Orchestra's program at High School Auditorium, and a Civil Service Award issued to Waldo E. Cohn on March 21, 1947 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. For related material see MS.2535.
Dates
- 1943-1971
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet
Abstract
The material in this collection is primarily related to the formation of the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra. Although the collection spans the years of 1943 to 1971, the bulk of the collection consists of two scrapbooks kept by Waldo E. Cohn which documents the creation and the early years of the Orchestra between 1943 and 1949.
Biographical/Historical Note
The earliest roots of the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, Tennessee's oldest continuing symphony, began in the autumn of 1943 when Waldo Cohn arrived in Oak Ridge to begin work at the National Laboratory. He organized a small group of musicians to play chamber music in his living room. Once the group had grown too large for Cohn's house they began to meet in a local high school auditorium. The Oak Ridge String Symphonette gave its first concert with Waldo as conductor on June 16, 1944. The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra formed later that summer, and the first full-fledged symphony concert was performed in November 1944. Cohn would serve as the Orchestra's conductor for eleven years.
Arrangement
Collection consists of three folders.
Acquisition Note
This collection was donated to the University of Tennessee Libraries, Knoxville, Special Collections on August 17, 2000.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository