The San Antonio Symphony was founded in 1939 by conductor Max Reiter, a native of Trieste , Italy , who brought with him to America a background rich in symphonic and operatic repertoire. Formerly the director of the symphony orchestra of Milan , Reiter was one of few Jewish conductors working in Italy at that time. When the Italian government proclaimed an official anti-Semitic policy, Reiter was forced to sign a release renouncing all professional contracts. Seeing no future for himself with European orchestras, Reiter boarded a ship for New York carrying only a briefcase of introductory letters, a few articles of clothing, and $40 in cash.

Finding New York crowded with musicians whose circumstances mirrored his own, Reiter purchased a round-trip train ticket and began a circuit of the southern United States. Leaving the train at each major town, Reiter approached leading citizens with his dream
of creating a new American orchestra. When he made his presentation in San Antonio, civic leaders engaged Reiter to conduct a "demonstration concert" in the Sunken Garden Theater at Brackenridge Park on June 12, 1939. The performance, before an audience of
2,500, was a resounding success, and Reiter's proposal for a full-time orchestra for San Antonio received the city's support. Reiter's leadership and inspiration resulted in a November 24, 1939, inaugural concert presented by the newly incorporated Symphony
Society of San Antonio, launching the first season.

The first San Antonio Symphony season comprised four concerts. For each performance, fully one-third of the 95 musicians were brought in from other cities in the Southwest. Fueled by public enthusiasm and Reiter's vision, the fledgling orchestra enjoyed rapid growth to become a fully professional ensemble of 75 musicians performing a 16-week season in 1943. A budget of $100,000 for the 1944-45 season made the San Antonio Symphony one of America's 19 major orchestras--the only one in Texas ...more