Michelle Charles becomes the President and CEO of the Canton Symphony Orchestra
Before becoming the President and CEO of the Canton Symphony Orchestra, Michelle Charles was a volunteer, chorus member, staff member, and board trustee for the symphony. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music History and Music Theory from Hiram College and is currently pursuing an MBA in Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University. Michelle has also secured a Fundraising Certificate from Boston University in 2020 and a Leadership Certificate from Harvard University in 2021.
The Zimmermann Symphony Center Opens its Doors
With three levels, 22,000 square feet, and costing $5.4 million dollars, the Canton Symphony Orchestra can now finally house all its workers, musicians, and staff under the same roof. Before its completion, the conductor got dressed in a small cramped space, the male musicians changed in the McKinley High School band room, and the female musicians got ready in a dark basement storage room. The administrative staff worked in a windowless office at the Cultural Center for the Arts with no kitchen and a shared bathroom.
However, that reality is no more as The Zimmermann Symphony Center provides comfortable dressing rooms for musicians and guest artists. The administrative staff now have a large office space with windows, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. In the new building there is also a music library, board room, storage rooms, a reception desk, an engineering studio, an exhibition space, an elevator, a lobby, and a reception desk. Additionally, McKinley High School’s auditorium was refurbished with new seats, carpeting, lighting, and a hearing loop.
The Canton Symphony Orchestra became the first orchestra in Ohio to perform Pipa Concerto No. 2
The CSO was the first orchestra in Ohio to perform Pipa Concerto No. 2. Pipa Concerto No. 2 was written by the Chinese composer Zhao Jiping and was commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and co-commissioned by the CSO. The concert featured guest artist Wu Man as the star of the show as she played the pipa: a traditional chinese instrument sometimes referred to as the “Chinese lute.” Zhao Jiping and Wu Man were stars in the CSO’s “East Meets West” MasterWorks concert as their music weaved traditional Chinese and Western music together. Pictured is a photo of Wu Man.
Divergent Sounds is Founded
Where Classical meets the unexpected.The Canton Symphony Orchestra launches a new and unprecedented concert experience. Thanks to composer Nathan Mullaly, CSO musicians now perform with some of the region’s most popular independent artists. Mullaly composes music for orchestral instruments such as the violin, cello, and flute to play alongside pop, rock, and hip-hop singers and bands!