Its concert series is heard live by 450,000 people a year and includes a series of free educational concerts for children begun in 1926. A fine arts high school on part of the symphony's property will open in 2004.
The symphony has produced many recordings on the Victor, London, Decca, Mercury, RCA, Chandos and DSO labels. The DSO recording of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring was the first CD to win the prestigious Grand Prix du Disque Award.
The DSO's first director was Ossip Gabrilowitsch, who demanded a new auditorium be built as a condition of his accepting the position. Thus, Orchestra Hall was built. Other directors of the orchestra have included Antal Dorati, Paul Paray, and Gunther Herbig.
The current condutor is Neeme Järvi until 2005 and Itzhak Perlman is the principal guest condutor. Michael Daugherty is the composer in residence.