Category: music

A 1998 graduate of Southwest Missouri State University, Christopher King has spent most of his working life in the field of automotive sales. He took a break in 2007, when he lived in Zaire as the operator of a big-game ranch. Today he serves as the owner and operator of Queen City Motors and Queen City Motors Service, one of the largest dealers of pre-owned automobiles in Springfield, Missouri. Outside the office, Christopher King is an accomplished chess player who also enjoys hiking, cooking, and attending symphony performances.

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) began in 1934 on the initiative of a group of high school students who asked their music teacher about forming a civic orchestra. The group’s first concert took place in early 1935, and in 1936 a board of directors was selected. The SSO performed in an auditorium on the campus of Drury University, and later in the auditoriums of Central High School and Evangel University. In 1992, it moved into the newly-constructed Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. In addition to its own home, the SSO enjoys the support of its own volunteer group, the SSO Guild, which was formed in 1956 and remains an integral element of the SSO family.

The history of the SSO is characterized by its continuous commitment to providing Springfield, Missouri, with the best possible music while offering the city’s musicians the opportunity to be part of a community-oriented orchestra. The late 1960s saw the establishment of Young People’s Concerts, Young Artists’ Competitions, Summer Park Concerts, and an Ensembles-in-Schools program, as well as a music camp scholarship fund. More recently, the SSO has reached out to underprivileged and underserved people in the Springfield area by performing two free concerts annually. It also offers a free showcase before each subscription event featuring the guest artist and the music that will be performed.