The La Jolla Symphony Orchestra

The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) is an American independent orchestra, established in the mid-fifties and affiliated with the University of California, San Diego. LJS&C gave six concert weekends a year at UCSD's Mandeville Auditorium, as well as special concerts at other Southern Californian venues. The ensemble is comprised of volunteer players, including community members, UC San Diego students, staff and faculty, and professional musicians. In 1954, a Bulgarian conductor Peter Nicoloff, who fled revolutionary China and settled in the United States, decided to organize an open rehearsal and assembled a group of non-professional musicians from La Jolla. Nicoloff led the Orchestra for eleven seasons. After his retirement, LJS became a part of the Music Department at the newly established University of California' campus in San Diego. Thomas Nee, the UCSD faculty member, was appointed a new conductor of La Jolla Symphony. At the same time, the orchestra acquired a vocal group, La Jolla Symphony Chorus. In 1998, Tom Nee stepped down as music director. Harvey Sollberger, a composer, conductor, virtuoso flutist and expert on new music from the USCD faculty, replaced him. The current leader, renowned percussionist Steven Schick, was appointed in 2007 after an unprecedented two-year search. LJS Music Directors Peter Nicoloff (1954–1965) Thomas Nee (1967–1998) Harvey Sollberger (1998–2005) Steven Schick (since 2007) Chorus Directors Patricia Smith (1960s – 1973) David Chase (since 1973)