Henderson Symphony Orchestra History
The Henderson Symphony Orchestra's musicians include students, professionals, educators and retirees - people of
all ages - from all walks of life - who share a common passion for music and devote hours each week to creating
it together. It is a tradition that has continued for well over two decades with weekly rehearsals and eight to
ten concerts each season. During that time, the Henderson Symphony has certainly experienced a profound evolution.
Known as the Henderson Civic Symphony for 19 years, this dedicated group of musicians composed a new name for
itself in 2006 becoming the Henderson Symphony Orchestra. With this new name came a new direction as an
independent non-profit organization. The group continues to receive generous support from the City of Henderson's
Cultural Arts and Tourism but can now accept other donations and play in venues across the valley. Beginning in
2007, under the musical direction of its exemplary and internationally trained conductor and musical director,
Taras Krysa, the Henderson Symphony Orchestra made a renewed commitment to musical excellence and exploration
while providing educational and inspiring musical experiences for the community.
Two decades ago this musical group had a truly meager beginning. Two violinists, a flutist and a drummer met
for what would be the first rehearsal of the Henderson Civic Symphony in a tiny room at the old Civic Center
recreation complex at Lead and Basic streets, a room which also housed the small Department of Motor Vehicles
Office for the City of Henderson. Leading these four pioneer musicians was the group's founder and first
conductor Mr. Frank Irvin who was Basic High School's orchestra teacher at the time. The civic symphony had
been his idea and he hoped it would provide his students a place to continue playing their instruments once
they had graduated. Mr. Irvin brought some borrowed music to the first rehearsal and the fledgling music group
muddled through Mozart with a snare drum beat and then talked about the possibility of forming a community
orchestra.
It was a rocky and uncertain beginning for a group that would become a fixture in the musical history of Henderson.
Luckily, additional members slowly joined the three remaining musicians and the group soon outgrew the small
recreation room. Two current members of the symphony date back to those earliest rehearsals, Dr. Sheila
Sovocool, a Henderson resident and retired pediatrician, was one of the founding violinists and Eleanor
Beckert, a cellist from Boulder City and retired microbiologist, joined the tiny group at the third rehearsal.
The Henderson musical group's first attempt at performing was outdoors for what was then known as Henderson's
Industrial Days Celebration in April of 1987. With their feet holding the teetering metal stands in the wind,
and the cellist's instrument stem sunk into the damp ground, the primarily string chamber group, plus a flute,
played some light music and the Henderson Civic Symphony had its first performance. It was a far cry from the
now 65 talented musicians who grace the stage of each concert.
The repertoire, concert schedule and performance venues have varied and evolved throughout the history of this
long-standing group. Light-classics, musicals, and pops repertoire still appear in the group's outdoor performance
at the Music Under the Stars series. Now, the group's musical caliber has grown to include a plethora of
inspiring and challenging classical music genres. In the early years, the civic symphony performed regularly
at shopping malls. Since 1993, its home performance venue for concerts was the Valley View Recreation Center
in Henderson. Now, the Henderson Symphony Orchestra is proud to regularly open and close its season with
performances at the beautiful outdoor Pavilion at Liberty Pointe in Henderson and offer concerts at the Henderson
Events Plaza in addition to other venues.
Over the last twenty years, the now Henderson Symphony Orchestra has been led by several skilled conductors.
The group's current conductor and musical director, Taras Krysa holds the position of UNLV Director of
Orchestras. Mr. Krysa continues to challenge the Henderson Symphony Orchestra musicians to attain new musical
heights. He attracts high caliber guest musicians and encourages many new creative musical directions for the
longstanding community symphony. The Kids Concert has been established under his baton.
Past conductors of the symphony each helped the group to evolve. Before Mr. Krysa, Peter Aaronson added to the
group's musical growth and encouraged the symphony's new organizational direction and name. His predecessor
Brad Pfeil, dedicatedly conducted the then Henderson Civic Symphony for five years and drew many new musicians
to the group after accepting the baton from interim conductor, Glenn Cooper. Prior to Mr. Pfeil, Mark Laycock
innovatively transformed the small volunteer orchestra into a true symphonic group establishing two of the
symphony's signature yearly concerts - The Sounds of the Season winter holiday performance featuring local high
school choirs and The Young Artists Concert which features young virtuoso student musicians soloing with the
symphony. Before Mr. Laycock, David Smith and earlier JoAnn White had the podium after Mr. Irvin created the
symphony.
Over the years, numerous instrumental and vocal soloists have performed with the Henderson Symphony including
students, amateurs and professionals from around the valley and across the United States. The Henderson Symphony
Orchestra owes its growth to many lead and guest conductors who have helped shape the character and direction
of the group as well as the countless dedicated volunteer musicians who have tirelessly contributed their talents
to the symphony. In addition to all of these, the group now has a strong staff of symphony officers, the
diligent backing of an exuberant and skilled Henderson Symphony Board of Directors, and the support and talents
of the creative and hard-working staff at Henderson's Cultural Arts and Tourism Department.
The members of the Henderson Symphony Orchestra and its supporters are excited to continue their musical
exploration well into the twenty-first century.
For information regarding Henderson Symphony Orchestra events, please contact the City of Henderson Cultural
Arts Office at 702-267-2171 or visit the Henderson Symphony Orchestra's website at info@hsorch.org.
This history was synthesized from an extensive historical piece that was researched and written by founding
symphony member, Dr. Sheila Sovocool.
Founding Members: Carol Johnson, Sheila Sovocool and Eleanor Beckert