Joseph P. Little Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Records, 1908-2007

Joseph Pritchard Little was born in July 1919 in Central, South Carolina. Joseph's family moved to Charlotte in 1921, and after attending Duke University, he returned to stay in 1939. He played flute with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra from 1934 until his retirement in 1989. Mr. Little died in October 2012.

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1932. It is the largest and most active professional performing arts organization in the central Carolinas. The Charlotte Symphony also includes small ensembles of musicians such as the Flute Club and two Youth Orchestras, among others. Some of these small ensembles perform outreach services to local hospitals, and other organizations.

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra's current goal (as of 2019) is to do more than perform, but to also find a way to serve the community. This manuscript collection describes--through newspaper articles, concert programs, and other items--how the organization has been interwoven with the community from its beginning. Although the Armory-Auditorium was utilized by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra used local school auditoriums for their concerts before Ovens Auditorium was built. Those schools included Alexander Graham Junior High School, Myers Park High School, Mineral Springs High School, and Piedmont Junior High School.

Since the Orchestra's conception, the organization and its affiliates have performed at such community locales as Queens College's Dana Auditorium, the United States Naval Hospital, Davidson College, and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. While the full organization may not have participated, individual Orchestra conductors and orchestral players have been participants in the Brevard Music Festival Orchestra and the Transylvania Music Camp. They have also performed during local church services including those held at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Myers Park Presbyterian Church, and Providence United Methodist Church.

Beyond performing in various locations throughout the region, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra--as an organization and as individual personnel--participated in collaborative efforts that allowed them to spread music beyond a season's regularly scheduled concerts. The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra collaborated with such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, the Atlanta Ballet Company, and the Carolina Ballet Company. The Orchestra also reached out to other musicians through smaller ensembles such as the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Charlotte Flute Club, the Mint Museum Ensemble, and the Charlotte Chamber Music Players.