Dallas Symphony Orchestra opens new archives reading room at Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

READING ROOM, LOCATED ON THE LOWER LEVEL BY THE GUEST SERVICES CENTER, SHOWCASES MATERIALS, DOCUMENTS AND PERFORMANCES FROM THE ORCHESTRA’S HISTORY

LAUNCH OF READING ROOM INCLUDES SELECTED MATERIALS ON LOAN FROM THE ARCHIVES OF MORTON H. MEYERSON

OPENING OF SPACE MARKS THE FIRST STEP IN REVIVING THE ORCHESTRA’S ARCHIVES COLLECTION

Dallas, Texas (February 9, 2023) – The Dallas Symphony Orchestra today announced the opening of a new archives reading room in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The reading room is located on the lower level of the hall near the Guest Services Center in the space previously occupied by the Symphony Store. Visitors to the reading room can peruse historical documents, read past program books, view pieces of memorabilia and enjoy rotating exhibits from the DSO’s history. In addition, archival news programs, interviews with artists, and past audio and video performances will be available on a dedicated monitor in the area. The reading room is made possible with support from Joanne Bober, Diane and Hal Brierley, Yon Jorden and Cece Smith and Ford Lacy. 

The archives of Morton H. Meyerson has generously loaned a number of documents from his permanent collection to open the reading room. Visitors may view original acoustical sketches and recommendations for the Eugene McDermott Concert Hall, historic press clippings from the launch and correspondence to and from Mr. Meyerson regarding the construction of the Meyerson Symphony Center.

“The Dallas Symphony Orchestra has a rich history since its launch in 1900. I was surprised when I arrived that a formal archives had not been perpetuated at the organization,” said Kim Noltemy, Ross Perot President & CEO of the Dallas Symphony. “We are thankful that we now have the support to launch a full archival program and display fascinating pieces from our history to the public.”  

The reading room is the first step in a larger archival program led by Denise McGovern, Vice President of Communications & Media, and Karen Schnackenberg, Principal Librarian (Jessie D. & E. B. Godsey Chair). Schnackenberg’s 32-year tenure at the DSO has provided her with a keen knowledge of the history of the organization and the personnel who made events happen. She worked closely with the Dallas Public Library in the early 2000s to gather the large collection of materials that is currently housed at the Central Library. McGovern’s experience in media drew her to find a method to exhibit audio and visual materials that showcase the performances from the ensemble’s history. McGovern and Schnackenberg have worked together for the last three years to gather assets, organize materials and cull the permanent collection in storage the Dallas Public Library to set a foundation for the revived DSO archives.

“I knew that the reading room needed a way to listen and watch the concerts we have performed throughout our history and present media that wasn’t on paper,” said McGovern. “Visitors to the room at launch will be able to view news broadcasts from the opening of the Meyerson, listen to Eduardo Mata’s final performance as Music Director of the DSO, view Fabio Luisi’s first concert after being named Music Director and watch interviews with past orchestra members.”

The work to mine the current archives revealed a stark issue. Hundreds of performances of the DSO are trapped on obsolete media, and without an effort to extract them, the performances will be lost. Thanks to a generous grant from the Summerlee Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Texas history, the DSO has been able to begin to digitize the audio catalog and preserve the audio history for future generations. This initiative has just begun, and key performances from this preservation process will be available for listening in the reading room in the future.

“This is a evolving project, but an important one for the DSO,” said Noltemy. “Our current performances, initiatives and programs are built on the work that was done in the past by hundreds of musicians, supporters and audience members. I look forward to learning more about the incredible history of the DSO and sharing it with the citizens of Dallas.”

ABOUT THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Fabio Luisi, presents world-class orchestral music at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, one of the world’s top-rated concert halls. As the largest performing arts organization in the Southwest, the DSO is committed to inspiring the broadest possible audience with distinctive classical programs, inventive pops concerts and innovative multi-media presentations. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the orchestra reaches more than 243,000 adults and children annually through performances, educational programs and community outreach initiatives. During the pandemic, the Dallas Symphony was one of a few major U.S. orchestras to present socially distanced concerts with live audiences throughout the 2020/21 Season. Furthermore, the orchestra has offered more than 200 outdoor chamber concerts in neighborhoods throughout the Metroplex since the summer. The DSO continued online music lessons to more than 300 students as part of its Young Strings and Young Musicians programs.

The Dallas Symphony has used digital and broadcast media to share music beyond its geographic boundaries and has become a leader among American orchestras in digital distribution. In 2021, the DSO presented a three-concert broadcast series with Bloomberg Media, reaching over 4 million viewers globally. In October 2021, PBS stations across the country began airing One Symphony, Two Orchestras, a program that documented the historic concert of Mahler’s First Symphony with the DSO and the musicians of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in May 2021. That program was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in May 2022. The DSO also captures and streams concert performances for distribution online through its Next Stage Digital Concert Series, Presented by PNC Bank. Programs are available on the DSO’s website at watch.dallassymphony.org.

The DSO has a tradition dating back to 1900 and is a cornerstone of the unique, 118-acre Arts District in Downtown Dallas that is home to multiple performing arts venues, museums and parks – the largest district of its kind in the nation. The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Arts & Culture, City of Dallas.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Denise McGovern | Vice President of Communications & Media | d.mcgovern@dalsym.com
Sidney Hopkins | Communications & Media Manager | s.hopkins@dalsym.com