Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra

The Santa Barbara Symphony is a full-time professional symphony orchestra and register 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Santa Barbara, California.
The orchestra was founded in 1953. Music directors have included Erno Daniel (1960–1967), who also taught piano at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Ronald Ondrejka (1967–1979), who taught conducting at UCSB; Frank Collura (1979–1984); Varujan Kojian (1985–93); Gisele Ben-Dor (1994–2005); and Nir Kabaretti (2006- ). Nir Kabaretti was selected as the new director after a well publicized search.
In the 1990s the orchestra began making recordings with Music Director Gisele Ben-Dor conducting. The orchestra has released several acclaimed recordings, including CDs of works by Silvestre Revueltas, Astor Piazzolla, Luis Bacalov and Heitor Villa-Lobos. The Orchestra's recording of the Villa-Lobos earned international praise.
Typically the orchestra performs a series of about seven concerts during a season, plus additional concerts (for example, a pops concert on New Year's Eve). 
In 2008, the Santa Barbara Symphony moved from its long-time venue at the Arlington Theatre to the newly renovated Granada Theatre.
==References==
* History of the Santa Barbara Symphony
==External links==
*Official website
Category:Musical groups established in 1953
Category:American orchestras
Category:California culture
fi:Santa Barbaran sinfoniaorkesteri