The Santa Cruz Symphony is a symphonic orchestra in Santa Cruz, California. The symphony is led by Daniel Stewart, Music Director since 2013. The symphony performs at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville, California. Each year the Symphony performs five classical music concerts in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, a pops concert, and a family concert. The Symphony has a free youth concert program for 4th and 5th graders. History In 1958, the Santa Cruz Sentinel put out a call for musicians for a new orchestra. Thirty-eight musicians attended the organizational meeting on March 10, 1958 and a total of 70 ultimately expressed interest in playing in the new Symphony. After ten rehearsal dates, with Detlev Anders of the San Francisco Symphony leading, the Symphony held its first concert on May 27, 1958. They played to a Civic Auditorium crowd of 2000, who gave a standing ovation halfway through the program and made cash donations as they left. During this era, the Symphony membership consisted primarily of county residents, with recent additions of University of California Santa Cruz and Santa Clara County musicians. Local members included Paul Sandas on the violin, Wally Trabing on the tympani and percussion, Symphony founder Matilda Dedrick on the violin, Sister Joan Louise on the contra bass, and William Doyle on the French horn. In 1965, the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony was organized as a separate non-profit organization with cooperation from the County Office of Education. The Youth Symphony began in February 1966 with the first annual Youth Soloists Contest held in March. By January 1968 the Youth Music Program in all its aspects was articulated. The Youth Symphony continues to serve as a training ground for young local musicians, many of whom have gone on to have careers as touring professionals. Encouraged by Maestro Norman Masonson, Marian Mee organized the Symphony Guild in 1966. As its first chairman, Mee initiated symphony concert previews by the conductor and social functions for the symphony's benefit. In 1968, the Watsonville Symphony Guild was organized by Geraldine Haden and Marilyn Liddicoat. It coordinated the south county work of the symphony through social functions and concert previews. Its goal was to raise money to support the orchestra, In 1971, George Barati was appointed conductor. It was he who first attracted professional musicians who were paid for their services. “Barati worked