Fonds MS-5-14 - Symphony Nova Scotia fonds

The Nutcracker leaflet The Nutcracker leaflet The Nutcracker leaflet The Nutcracker leaflet Photograph of dancers and performers in The Nutcracker

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Symphony Nova Scotia fonds

General material designation

  • Graphic material
  • Moving images
  • Sound recording
  • Textual record

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Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

MS-5-14

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1981-2006 (Creation)

Physical description area

Physical description

20.7 m of textual records and other material

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

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Archival description area

Name of creator

Administrative history

Symphony Nova Scotia was formed in 1983 following the demise of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, with Brian Flemming leading the Board of Directors and Boris Brott as the first Music Director. The Symphony began with 13 permanent musicians and used contract players to fill out the orchestra when needed. By 1984, the number of permanent musicians had doubled and by 1987 the orchestra had grown to 39 members.

In 1987 Georg Tintner replaced Boris Brott as Music Director. During Tintner’s tenure from 1987 to 1994, the Symphony made six recordings, toured Ontario and Quebec, and initiated popular community outreach programs such as the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute concert and the annual Nutcracker production in collaboration with Halifax Dance and Mermaid Theatre.

In 1995 the Symphony had a deficit of $900,000, which led to major restructuring, fundraising and cost-cutting, avoiding bankruptcy and achieving a balanced budget for the 1995/1996 season.

The 1996/1997 season began with a new music director, Leslie Dunner, who re-established programs cut during the budget crisis, such as school visits and free concerts, and oversaw a period of great artistic and community success. Dunner’s tenure lasted until 1999, at which point the Symphony invited six candidates to lead the orchestra throughout its seventeenth season. Simon Streatfeild was hired as the artistic advisor in 2000 and in 2002 Bernhard Gueller was appointed music director.

Custodial history

The materials were donated to Dalhousie University Archives in one accession in 2006. Prior to that, the records were in the custody of Symphony Nova Scotia.

Scope and content

Fonds consists of records created by Symphony Nova Scotia in the course of its regular business activities. The majority of the records were created during the process of concert-planning, including special concerts, annual concerts, tours, and concert series. These records include artist contracts, marketing and development documents, internal memos, and correspondence with artists and sponsors.

Records also consist of internal management records, including personnel records, office management files, and the files of the Board of Directors, Executive Director, and Chief Executive Officer. The financial administration of the Symphony is documented though budgets, statements, ledgers, and tickets sales data.

The fonds also contains concert programs and promotional material such as posters, advertisements, flyers, newsletters, and other publications. The final section of the fonds consists of audiovisual and graphic material. There are audio recordings of performances and interviews of Symphony personnel as well as video recordings of advertisements and performances. The graphic material includes promotional photographs and photographs of the orchestra.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Arrangement has been imposed by the processing archivist, using the original order of the materials whenever possible. The fonds is primarily organized into series based on the title of the play. Most series are further divided into subseries. Files in each series or subseries are listed chronologically, unless otherwise noted.

Fonds is organized into series: Administration and Finance Audiovisual Material Board of Directors CEO Marketing and Development Office Manager Personnel and Productions Photographs Programs and Publications

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

The following records are closed:

-Box 6, Folders 26 to 29, 32, 33, 39, 44, 52, 55, and 57 -Box 8, Folders 1, 4, 6, 7, and 8 -Box 9, Folders 20 and 21 -Box 10, Folders 1 to 4, 6 to 10, 13, 15 to 18, 23 to 32, 35 to 42, 44 to 48, 50 to 56, and 58 to 60 -Box 11, Folders 1 to 3, 6 to 7, 9 to 11, 14, and 17 to 22 -Box 12, Folders 1 to 2, 7 to 11, and 13 to 43 -Box 13, Folders 1 to 20 and 22 to 37 -Box 14, Folder 7 -Box 17, Folders 20 and 27 -Box 19, Folders 10 to 13 and 20 -Box 20, Folders 1, 3 to 5, 9, and 17 to 18 -Box 21, Folder 1 -Box 23, Folders 10 and 16 -Box 24, Folders 2, 4 to 5, 16, 23, and 25 -Box 25, Folders 6, 13, and 14 -Box 26, Folder 9 -Box 27, Folders 7 and 9 to 10 -Box 28, Folders 18 to 22 and 24 -Box 29, Folders 8 and 11 -Box 30, Folders 3 and 6 to 15 -Box 31, Folders 2 to 9, 10 to 29, 31, 32, and 34 to 39 -Box 32, Folders 4, 8, 10 to 14, 19, and 23 -Box 33, Folders 10, 11, 15, and 16 -Box 34, Folders 1, 9, 13, and 23 -Box 35, Folders 1 to 5, 7 to 9, and 12 -Box 36, Folders 7 to 9, 15, 20, 21, 28, 29, 31, and 33 -Box 37, Folders 1, 2, 6, 8, and 19 -Box 39, Folders 1, 7, 15 to 22, 24, and 25\ -Box 40, Folders 1, 5, 9, 10, and 12 to 16 -Box 42, Folders 1 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 22, and 27 -Box 43, Folders 2, 14, 15, and 17 -Box 44, Folders 1 and 5 to 7 -Box 45, Folders 1, 8, and 11 -Box 47, Folder 12 -Box 48, Folders 5, 7, 8, 12, 15, and 24 -Box 49, Folders 1 and 8 -Box 50, Folders 3, 7, and 12 -Box 51, Folders 1, 3, 8, and 11 -Box 52, Folders 9 and 31 -Box 53, Folder 33 -Box 54, Folders 4 and 28 -Box 55, Folders 15, 16, 19, 34, and 61 -Box 56, Folder 33 -Box 59, Folders 9, 17 to 21, 24, 25, and 27 -Box 60, Folders 2 to 4 and 7 -Box 61, Folders 3, 25, 34, and 38 -Box 62, Folders 5, 7, 8, 11, and 12 -Box 63, Folders 8, 16, and 18 -Box 64, Folders 7 and 8 -Box 65, Folders 2, 4, 11, and 13 -Box 68, Folders 16 and 43 -Box 69, Folders 3 and 28 -Box 70, Folders 8, 10, and 13 to 26 -Box 84, Folders 12 and 20 to 22 -Box 85, Folders 2, 4, 20, 22 to 24, 34, 37, 38, 45, 47, and 49 -Box 86, Folders 8, 10, 13, and 16 -Box 89, Folders 14 to 17 -Box 90, Folder 2 -Box 91, Folders 4, 9, 25 to 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 35 -Box 96, Folder 27 -Box 104, Folders 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 13, 16, and 31 -Box 108, Folders 5, 8, and 14 -Box 109, Folders 1 to 6 and 8 -Box 110, Folders 1 and 6 -Box 111, Folder 35 -Box 112, Folders 1 and 8 -Box 113, Folder 10 -Box 115, Folders 5 to 33, 35, 40, 41, 44, and 45 -Box 116, Folders 28 and 35 to 37 -Box 118, Folder 4 -Box 121, Folder 7 -Box 122, Folder 16

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Materials do not circulate and must be used in the Archives and Special Collections Reading Room.

Finding aids

Associated materials

Dalhousie University Archives also holds the records of Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MS-5-11) as well as those of Dalhousie Cultural Activities (UA-29), which contains the records of the Dalhousie Arts Centre where Symphony Nova Scotia rehearses and performs.

Related materials

Accruals

Further accruals are expected.

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