Whether you're planning for your first concert experience with the Kalamazoo Symphony or you're a frequent attendee, we've compiled a list of common questions so you can relax and enjoy the performance!
Savor the sounds of captivating arias with singers from Tosca and operatic favorites by musicians from the Kalamazoo Symphony.
During this three-course, candlelit dinner, YOU will have the opportunity to choose the music of the night in the Auction of Arias: your bid determines which soaring melodies will be brought to life.
Every ticket guarantees a night of incredible music while supporting the vital role of music education and the magic of live symphonic music in our community.
23/24 Jane Rooks Ross & Barry Ross Youth Soloist Competition Winner
On Saturday, November 11, the Kalamazoo Symphony hosted the 23/24 Jane Rooks Ross & Barry Ross Youth Soloist Competition in Miller Auditorium. The competition welcomed 10 young musicians from the Kalamazoo area to the stage, playing a piece of their choice.
Isaac brought home the win after performing the third movement of Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor.
As part of the Jane Rooks Ross & Barry Ross Youth Soloist Competition, Isaac will perform with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra on March 5 at the orchestra's Magical Melodies concert!
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra musicians are the heart of our organization.
With 80 contracted musicians, and many other auxiliary players, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is made up of artists from all over Michigan and five surrounding states!
Added together, our musicians have given over 1,300 years of service providing transformational musical experiences to Kalamazoo.
Thank You Michigan Arts & Culture Council and National Endowment for the Arts
The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support provided by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Their generous funding allows the symphony to bring outstanding music to the stage and provide exciting education programs in schools and throughout the community.
Symphony Welcomes 11,000 Local Students
One every season, the Kalamazoo Symphony welcomes very different audience to the concert hall for Youth Concerts Week!
3 Days 6 Concerts 92 Schools Over 11,000 Students, Parents, & Teachers!
In 1995, as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, a commitment was made to develop four full-time positions that would both enable the orchestra to create community service and education programs and strengthen the orchestra ensemble.
To this end, the Artists in Residence program began with the KSO's Burdick-Thorne String Quartet. Since that time, the Artists in Residence program has grown to eight positions; including oboe, clarinet, trombone, and timpani, along with the original strings. As a result, the artistic level of the orchestra has soared, and the KSO's education and community programs have expanded to reach more than 26,000 students and their teachers annually with 20+ programs in more than 100 schools throughout Southwest Michigan.
Our current Artists in Residence are:
Lisa A. Williams, Violin II Nicholas Jeffrey, Viola Igor Cetkovic, Cello Gabriel Renteria, Oboe Georgiy Borisov, Clarinet Edward "Kip" Hickman, Trombone Mark Guthrie, Timpani Vacant, Violin I
KSO in your Community
We LOVE our community. You will find your KSO musicians peforming free public concerts in venues such as Bronson's Garden Atrium, Borgess' Atrium Lobby, First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo, Sarkozy Bakery, and Kalamazoo Public Library...and that is just to name a few!
We also are excited to bring our beloved Instrument Petting Zoo to many local events throughout the year. Fun for kids of all ages!
Through education programs and partnerships, KSO has unique and exciting opportunities to support school music programs through “KSO On The Go” and other in-school programs.
We bring live performances, classroom visits, artist residencies, and symphony field trips, accompanied by great curriculum materials, to provide formative learning experiences for students of all ages.
Discover the KSO
Experience the Symphony
Celebrate the healing power of music and create shared, live musical experiences with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra during our 23/24 concert season.
Join the Journey!
Welcome to a season of captivating stories and timeless tales brought to life by your Kalamazoo Symphony!
We have created a dynamic playlist to pull you into the lives, emotions, and experiences of both composers and the characters their music portrays.
The crowning jewel of musical storytelling, opera, makes a dramatic return to Kalamazoo with Giacomo Puccini's Tosca. The Symphony will give the world premiere performance of a work written by Branford Marsalis, for the Kalamazoo Symphony, and, in partnership with Ballet Arts Ensemble, we bring to life the magic of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker.
Join us for a soul-stirring season of love, triumph, and a little magic!