West Australian Symphony Orchestra

The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO), often known as the "Orchestra of the West", is the premier professional orchestra of the state of Western Australia.

History

In the winter of 1921, weekly concerts by a Perth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Harold Betteridge and led by Lionel Hart, were advertised in the local newspaper, but the life of this group was brief. In 1928, many professional musicians who had supported the silent movies found themselves out of work, and under the direction of Harold Newton, formed the Perth Symphony Orchestra. The first performance by this group of professional players was given in the Queens Hall of the Regent Theatre. The program included Dvorak's New World Symphony. By 1930, the orchestra not only gave concerts in the Queens Hall but also presented ten subscription concerts in the Town Hall. Many of these concerts were broadcast over the radio station 6WF.

In 1932, the Australian Broadcasting Commission was formed, and part of its charter was to establish broadcast orchestras in each state. In Western Australia, it formed the Western Studio Orchestra of fifteen players, conducted by Nelson Burton. The Perth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by George Reid, was giving regular concerts in His Majesty's Theatre.

In 1936, the ABC introduced Celebrity Subscription Concerts, and artists and conductors - many from overseas - were engaged. The concerts were performed initially in His Majesty's Theatre and then later in the Capitol...
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