Now in its 46th year of operation, the Kamloops Symphony is a fully professional orchestra with an annual operating budget of over $1 million, a significant achievement for an orchestral music organization in a region of just over 100,000 residents.
The primary purpose of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra (KSO) is to engage and enrich the citizens of Kamloops and the Thompson Valley Region of Interior British Columbia through music. Considered a cornerstone of the cultural fabric of Kamloops, the Symphony’s primary activity is the presentation of high quality professional orchestral concerts. Historically, this has been accomplished through the presentation of nine to ten annual programs, and up to eighteen performances in Kamloops and the neighbouring city of Salmon Arm.
An important part of the Symphony’s mandate is to provide educational opportunities for the citizens of Kamloops. The Symphony also presents concerts for school children, and educational presentations in public and private district schools. Since 2002, the Kamloops Symphony Music School, a division under the Kamloops Symphony, has provided opportunities for music education to citizens of the region, and given further employment opportunities to local musicians. The school has extended our community connections and helped attract professional musicians to live and work in Kamloops.
The Kamloops Symphony engages, enriches and educates through the power of music.
The Kamloops Symphony will be recognized as the premier professional music provider in the BC Interior.
Pursue the development of the KSO into a highly proficient professional orchestra toward artistic excellence; present creative and bold programming that will inspire all kinds of audiences; implement outreach activities that engage, educate and enrich the quality of life of the community; expand our scope by offering performances and activities to regions located in the BC interior.
We believe in enriching the quality of life in our region through music; pursuing artistic excellence; caring for our performers and staff; responding to our stakeholders; demonstrating accountability and continuous improvement.
The Kamloops Symphony Society was formed in 1976 and presented the premiere performance of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra in December of that year.
The Kamloops Symphony presents a main series of 9 full orchestra programs (16 performances) in Kamloops and Salmon Arm, and a series of educational programs. As the major music organization in the Kamloops region, the KSO has been an active participant in community events such as performances at opening ceremonies and other celebrations.
The KSO has produced and presented several fully staged productions, beginning with the first staged ballet production of The Nutcracker in 1994, and several musical theatre productions: The Pirates of Penzance in 1998, The Sound of Music in 2001, Oliver! in 2003, and Anne of Green Gables in 2006.
An important part of the society's mandate is to provide educational opportunities for the citizens of Kamloops. In 2002, the Kamloops Symphony Music School opened its doors, providing a facility for KSO musicians who had previously been teaching private lessons in their homes. Piano and vocal instruction as well as group music lessons were soon added, and the school continues to grow and develop.
The Kamloops Symphony is recognized as one of three major local arts organizations, which form the core of a thriving arts community. In the provincial orchestral community, the Kamloops Symphony has become the most active in the interior of BC.
The KSO is governed by a Board of Directors who are committed to providing our region with classical music of the highest possible quality. Many volunteers assist the organization with its fundraising activities and special projects.
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