History of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra:

1956-2008

As one of the early members of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra remarked just prior to the concert and gala reception in October of 2006 marking its fiftieth season, “Like an Old Testament prophet, I knew from the beginning the potential for the Orchestra was there, but,  unlike the prophets, I’ve lived long enough to see it come to fruition.”

The debut of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra in the 1956-57 season realized the dream of instrumental groups who first gathered to play together in private homes in 1956.  The instrumentalists resolved early in 1957, however, to enlarge their circle to that of a symphonic organization.  They welcomed volunteers to perform with the group, as well as to assist with producing public performances of the standard classical repertoire. 

Among the Orchestra’s charter members were Charlotte Butler, the first concertmistress; Mamie Rheam, Frances Grimes, Catherine Moneghan, Dr. Roger Jackson, Betty Jackson, Fiorello Cruze, John Taylor, Dan Currie, Jr. and John S. Butler, Jr. who officially registered t he orchestra with the American Symphony Orchestra League.  Violinist Frances Grimes served as Secretary for the organization.  Marion J. Rogers, head of the music program in the Fayetteville City Schools, conducted the first performance in late 1957 with approximately thirty musicians participating.  The concert was held at Fayetteville High School (now named Terry Sanford High School) in downtown Fayetteville.  Mr. Rogers continued as Music Director for two years, followed in succession by three permanent Music Directors:  Dr. Willis Gates (1959-71), Mr. Harlan Duenow (1972-91), Mr. Robert Gutter(1972-2002), and Dr. Fouad Fakhouri, (2003-to the present).  Each has made special contributions to the Orchestra over its long history. 

Institutional partnerships have been crucial to the development of the Fayetteville Symphony. The Orchestra is grateful to both Methodist University for its long support of the Orchestra, as well as to Fayetteville State University, a new partner.

Upon the completion of Reeves Auditorium at Methodist College in the early 1960’s, Dr. Gates, Chairman of the Fine Arts Department, offered the Orchestra use of the College’s music facilities for rehearsals and performances.  Now Methodist University, it continues to the present time to generously provide that space to the Orchestra.  In addition, with the advent of Dr. Fakhouri as Music Director, the University offered to him the position of Adjunct Professor in the Music Department.

The circle of the Orchestra’s institutional partnerships widened for the 2008-2009 season when Fayetteville State University agreed to provide use of its newly-renovated Seabrook Auditorium free of charge to the Orchestra for rehearsals and performances to be held in that venue. 

The original mission statement of the newly-minted Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra included fostering classical music education for young people as a prime component.  To that end, instrumentalists of the young orchestra visited classrooms to perform for students, beginning in 1957.  Children’s concerts continued through the tenure of subsequent Music Directors.   That aspect of the Orchestra’s work continues to the present day under Dr. Fakhouri’s leadership.  He inaugurated In 2006 free concerts for third-graders in the public schools at the Crown Center Auditorium.  These performances have been repeated each season since that time through a variety of partnerships with First Presbyterian Church, the Yanoff Foundation, the Cumberland County Education Foundation, and the Cumberland County Schools. 

To more fully meet the needs of young students within Cumberland County, the Orchestra has received funds from the Youth Growth Stock Trust to create the staff position of Education Coordinator for the 2008-2009 season in order to serve the Ft. Bragg schools, as well as parochial and private school students, and those being home-schooled.

With Dr. Fouad Fakhouri’s assumption of the baton, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has evolved from the status of ‘community orchestra’ to that of a ‘regional’ one. Many of the players, all auditioned, hail from all over North Carolina, some from South Carolina, a few from farther afield.  All are eager to join forces with Fayettevillians to perform with the young maestro directing the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.  The Orchestra is now known in professional musical circles as a regional orchestra.  

Maestro Fakhouri, however, has further introduced the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra to an international audience.  When Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan (the country in which he grew up) graciously accepted Maestro Fakhouri’s invitation to be the honored guest at the Orchestra’s fiftieth anniversary commemorative concert,  she did so on the condition that fifteen of the members of the Orchestra of the National Conservatory of Jordan accompany her to perform with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.   The bonding among the performers was reaffirmed in June of 2008 when fifteen members of the Orchestra were invited to perform with the Jordanian orchestra in Amman, Jordan, with Maestro Fouad Fakhouri conducting.

As the musical reputation of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has grown, so has its base of individual and corporate supporters.  Through that support, as well as the support of foundations such as the Cumberland Community Foundation and many others, the Orchestra has been able to achieve a rising standard of musical excellence.  Such a standard enables the Orchestra to contribute to the growing reputation of the Fayetteville area as an increasingly attractive place to live and work.

The Orchestra owes special thanks to the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County for its long and continuous support, as well as to the Fayetteville Observer for the use of its beautifully-restored Liberty Point building at 145 Person Street.  It has served since 2006 as headquarters for the Music Director, Executive Director and staff, as well as space for a music library to house properly the Orchestra’s many scores acquired over the decades.