New York Symphony Orchestra

The New York Symphony Society was an American Symphony Orchestra that was founded in 1878 in New York city by Leopold Damrosch. It was for many years engaged in fierce competition with the olderPhilharmonic Symphony Society of New York. The Orchestra was supported by Andrew Carnegie, which the Carnegie Hall (opened in 1891) had built expressly for this Orchestra. The Symphony Society laid the emphasis on performing orchestral works from Russia, France and while occupied with the Philharmonic Society the German repertoire. After the death of Leopold Damrosch took his son Walter Damrosch the musical director of the Orchestra.

In 1903 there was a reorganization of the Orchestra, after which the Orchestra continued under the name New York Symphony Orchestra. In 1920 it was the first American Orchestra to tour went to Europe. In1928 the Orchestra merged with the competitor Philharmonic Symphony Society to the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, later renamed New York Philharmonic.