Orchestrating the Metropolis the Creation of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as a Modern Cultural Institution

Abstract

In 2012 the Sydney Symphony Orchestra celebrated its 80 th birthday, dating its beginnings from the establishment of the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) on 1 July 1932. Yet a body of instrumentalists called the ‘Sydney Symphony Orchestra’ began holding regular subscription concerts as early as 1908. This article explores the early history of the orchestra and argues that it was part of a broad-based community drive to promote civic values and claim the perceived benefits of the ‘civilised’ world for a growing urban community, laying the groundwork for the development of modern musical institutions.This article has been peer-reviewed.