Colorado Springs Philharmonic
The stated goal of the Ute Pass Symphony Guild is to promote music with our community and to support the work of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 1980, we have honored that commitment and, in collaboration with the Philharmonic, have succeeded in establishing a high quality musical tradition within Teller County.
We have collaborated with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic in our annual Symphony Above the Clouds as well as in our annual funding of the 4th graders in Teller County so that they can all attend the Philharmonic Kids Concert. The Symphony Above the Clouds is certainly our most visible effort and the event for which we are best known, but we regard our efforts with the Philharmonic Kids Concert as just as important because these efforts help insure future audiences for the Symphony Above the Clouds as well as for the other performances by the Colorado Springs Philharmonic.
The Philharmonic has been an amazing partner over the years, performing on July 5th in weather conditions that have been truly awful at times. Since the beginning of the association, the concert has only been cancelled because of weather twice. That record is certainly the result of the orchestra’s willingness to go above and beyond what’s required.
The orchestra has been under the leadership of only three conductors during our long association. The first was the amazing Charles Ansbacher, who was the first conductor of the Colorado Springs Symphony and who provided the leadership and vision to get the orchestra started. He also had the vision to see the value in bringing “music up the mountain”. He passed away in 2010 and as we remember him, we remember his efforts and leadership with gratitude. The second conductor was the very energetic Christopher Wilkins, who took our concert to new levels of imagination and energy. When Maestro Wilkins left to go on to conduct in larger venues, we were lucky enough to have Thomas Wilson take over. He has brought energy and innovation to our concerts and we are grateful for the constant new edge each year brings.