About
OUR VISION
TO BE RECOGNIZED IN OUR REGION AS THE PREEMINENT PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES ALL AUDIENCES
OUR MISSION
TO INSPIRE, TRANSFORM, AND CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE POWER OF ORCHESTRA MUSIC
HOW?
By enriching the cultural fabric of the community and creating a wider appreciation for and love of live symphonic music.
Listen to the WSO on Performance Today - search "Williamsburg Symphony"
WHERE WE
started
PERFORMING SINCE 1984
The Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1984 as The Williamsburg Symphonia by Carl Andersen, the late Elnore Andersen, the late Marian Harding, the late Mary Selby, and the late Rebecca “Ruby” Siegel. Their mission was to bring free concerts to children who might otherwise be denied the inspiration and joys of classical music.
And so it was that the Symphony, then a group of dedicated local musicians, brilliantly brought to life Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf at the Williamsburg Regional Library on May 6, 1984.
A vibrant and vital contributor to the performing arts of Williamsburg was born that day.
The group's initial performances were so well received that the founders planned a schedule of concerts for the general public. Since that time, the orchestra has grown in size and acclaim, now featuring some of the brightest professional talent in the region.
WHAT WE'VE
been up to
Michael Butterman was appointed Music Director of the orchestra in 2022, after an extensive national search. Janna Hymes was the previous Music Director for 15 years until her departure in May 2019.
Under the leadership of former President & CEO Carolyn Keurajian, who has been with the organization since 2013, this professional orchestra is celebrating 40 years of bringing together the brightest musicians in the region, as well as world-renowned guest artists. It presents a Masterworks subscription concert series, annual Holiday Pops concerts during Colonial Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination, and a broad range of symphonic concerts and special events that attract a wide following and regularly receive critical acclaim. The Symphony also continues to introduce young audiences to classical music in a way they can enjoy and understand.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
granting agencies
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.