Since 1976, the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra has been at the heart of the cultural life of Kamloops and the Thompson-Nicola region. What began as a small community ensemble has grown into a fully professional orchestra that presents a diverse and ambitious season of classical, contemporary, and Canadian works. From intimate chamber concerts to full-scale symphonic productions, the KSO connects audiences with transformative musical experiences that inspire and unite.
In 2002, we deepened our community roots by founding the KSO Music School, providing high-quality music education to students of all ages and abilities. Each year, hundreds of students — from early learners to aspiring professionals — receive instruction from our team of dedicated teaching artists. The School also delivers early childhood programs, community outreach initiatives, and ensemble opportunities that foster lifelong engagement with music.
Together, the KSO and the KSO Music School form a vibrant hub for musical excellence, innovation, and inclusion in Kamloops. We perform not just in concert halls but in schools, parks, hospitals, and community centres — ensuring that music is accessible to all. Our programs reach thousands annually, nurturing creativity, confidence, and a sense of belonging through the power of music.
To engage, educate, and inspire through exceptional orchestral music and inclusive music education — building a vibrant cultural life that reflects and serves the diverse communities of the BC Interior, while advancing a national conversation on equity, access, and excellence in the arts.
The Kamloops Symphony Society exists to harness the transformative power of music to enrich the cultural, educational, and communal life of Kamloops and the surrounding region. We are a catalyst for musical excellence, access, and innovation — championing the vital role of the arts in rural and mid-sized communities across Canada.
The Kamloops Symphony Society creates lasting change by:
We advocate for a more equitable and representative arts ecosystem across Canada — one that values regional voices, invests in rural cultural infrastructure, and recognizes music as a public good.
At the heart of the KSO & KSO Music School is a belief in the expressive power of orchestral music — music that brings people together, tells stories, and inspires deep connection. The orchestra is our artistic foundation: a living, evolving form that enables us to explore the full range of human emotion, experience, and imagination. Through it, we honour tradition, celebrate innovation, and create moments of profound beauty.
But we also recognize that the musical needs of our community are as diverse and dynamic as the people who call this region home. Our artistic intent reaches beyond the concert hall to embrace a broader musical ecosystem — one that reflects local voices, connects across genres and cultures, and responds to the spirit of our time and place.
We commit to:
We believe that when orchestral institutions open themselves to new ways of creating and listening, they become not just keepers of tradition — but catalysts for discovery, dialogue, and belonging. In Kamloops, we are building an artistic practice that is both rooted and restless: grounded in excellence, shaped by community, and open to the world.
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