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Creator
Symphony of the New World (New York, N.Y.)
Call number
Sc MIRS Symphony 1982-37
Physical description
1 video_recording. 14 audio_recordings
Language
English
Preferred Citation
Symphony of the New World audio and moving image collection, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division, The New York Public Library
Sponsor
An anonymous donor funded preliminary processing for this collection. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported a research library-wide grant for the digitization, and funded the Schomburg for the description and production of the finding aid as part of The Next Century of Black Studies Project.
Repository
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division
Access to materials
Appointment preferred: Request an in-person research appointment.

The Symphony of the New World was the first racially integrated orchestra in the United States. The collection contains fourteen audio recordings and one short film dating from 1965 to 1978.

Biographical/historical information

The Symphony of the New World was the first racially integrated orchestra in the United States. Thirty-six of its eighty-five musicians were Black when the symphony debuted.

Founded in 1965 by an interracial committee of professional musicians, the mission was to provide opportunities for non-white musicians excluded from major symphonies. They prioritized performances in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Harlem, and other majority-Black New York City neighborhoods. They also performed at traditional venues such as Lincoln Center.

From 1965 to 1971, Benjamin Steinberg was the symphony's music director and chief conductor. Everett Lee was the chief conductor from 1971 until the symphony stopped performing in 1978. James DePreist was the symphony's principal guest conductor.

Scope and arrangement

The collection contains fourteen audio recordings and one short film dating from 1965 to 1978. They are arranged chronologically, and then alphabetically by title. The original format of most of the audio recordings was open reel, with many items containing two or more parts.

The bulk of the collection is performances. The symphony performed music from the western classical repertoire, modern compositions, and works by Black composers. Many performances were recorded at Philharmonic Hall, now David Geffen Hall, at Lincoln Center.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Symphony of the New World and Friends of Symphony of the New World, 1982, 1988.

Processing information

Collection inventoried by Nathan Evans and Virginia Mullaney. Collection processed and described by Lyric Evans-Hunter, archivist; and Shola Lynch, curator. Finding aid published in 2024.

Separated material

See the Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division for the Symphony of the New World records, Sc MG 171.

See the Photographs and Prints Division for the photographs.

Using the collection

Location

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Third Floor

Access to materials

Appointment preferred: Request an in-person research appointment.