Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

A Gift to the Community

We all know that Bloomington is an amazing place to live and work. We’ve got great weather, a fine University, a vibrant community, and access to all sorts of leisure activities, but did you know that we’re also home to one of the best community orchestras in the Midwest? Now in its 55th season, the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra is one of Bloomington’s most enduring arts organizations.

“We go to your concerts for more than the great music. We go because of the human touch and artistry that takes us in more mature, more profound directions.” Audience feedback

Praised for its innovative programming, the all-volunteer Bloomington Symphony Orchestra performs ten concerts per season. From light-hearted holiday pops shows and children’s concerts to the great masterpieces of orchestral music, our programs educate, enlighten, and entertain audiences of every age and background.

Peter Jacobi of the Herald-Times called the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra “a gift to the community.”

Educational Outreach

Did you know that the Bloomington Symphony provides educational outreach to area children?

Children’s Instrument Recovery Program (ChIRP) loans instruments to at-risk families so their children can participate in their school music programs.

Meet the Instruments lets youngsters try all the instruments of the orchestra – from trombones to snare drums to cellos - and get excited about making music for the very first time.

Side-by-Side Concerts pair high school students with orchestral mentors as they prepare and perform major orchestral works.

Youth Concerto Competition provides talented high school students with scholarships and a chance to play as a soloist with the orchestra. Violinist Joshua Bell was one of our first winners!

Innovative Programming

One of the things the BSO has worked towards in recent years is to enhance the traditional concert experience, creating more of an event than what most people would envision for a typical orchestral performance. Not that there’s anything wrong with a traditional concert experience – we’ve just found that our audiences appreciate the sort of enrichment this approach can provide. We find ways to be innovative and make each concert memorable, while still maintaining high musical standards, and playing the great orchestral pieces our musicians love to work on.

A Brief History

The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1969 by Indiana University conducting graduate student Geoffrey Simon. Concerned about the lack of performance opportunities for the people of Bloomington, Simon requested permission from the Dean of the IU School of Music, Wilfred Bain, to form a community orchestra. Simon envisioned an orchestra open to all serious musicians, regardless of their vocations.

Our Mission: The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra promotes a lifelong appreciation of and enthusiasm for music through its performances as well as outreach and educational work throughout the community.