Meet Us
Building Community Through Music
Symphony Tacoma has been part of this city's cultural life since 1946. A professional orchestra, a volunteer chorus, and a set of programs that put live music in front of people who might never have heard it otherwise.
- Founded
- 194680 years in Tacoma
- Orchestra
- 80+professional musicians
- Chorus
- 70volunteer voices
- Audience
- 14,000each year
Who we are
Your Orchestra, Eight Decades in the Making
Symphony Tacoma is one of the hubs of this city's cultural sector, and we take that role seriously. We believe a community is made stronger and more vibrant when people experience great music together — not as spectators, but in the same room, at the same moment.
Today that means more than 80 professional orchestral musicians and a 70-voice volunteer chorus, performing for roughly 14,000 people a year across Pierce County and the greater Puget Sound.
Most of that happens at the historic Pantages Theater, where we've been a resident arts organization for more than 30 years.
Inspiring audiences with live musical experiences that transcend tradition.
Our history
From 30 volunteers to a professional orchestra
Three moments that shaped what Symphony Tacoma is today.
-
1946
A volunteer orchestra begins
Thirty volunteer musicians from the University of Puget Sound form what would become Symphony Tacoma.
-
1993
Going professional
Under the leadership of Harvey Felder — now Conductor Laureate — the organization professionalizes, putting paid musicians on the Pantages stage.
-
2026
Eighty years — and a new chapter
Symphony Tacoma marks its 80th year. The music director position is currently open, and guest conductors lead the orchestra while the search for our next artistic leader is underway.
On stage
What a season sounds like
Our core season runs at the Pantages Theater and includes:
- Five main-series classical concerts
- Holiday choral pops
- An annual performance of Handel's Messiah
- A spring choral concert
New to the symphony?
You don't need to know anything about classical music to enjoy a concert — and there's no dress code. We put together a short guide for anyone coming for the first time.
Tips for newcomers →Planning your visit
Parking, timing, accessibility, and what to expect when you get to the Pantages.
Plan your visit →In the community
Music beyond the concert hall
Four programs carry Symphony Tacoma beyond the concert hall — into classrooms, schools, and community spaces across Pierce County, most of them at no cost to the people they serve.
Mini Maestros
An interactive concert series for children ages 2–8 and their families, with an instrument petting zoo before every performance.
Learn more →Simply Symphonic
Free Carnegie Hall Link Up curriculum for 5th grade classrooms, ending with students performing alongside the orchestra at the Pantages.
Learn more →Symphony2U
Professional musicians coaching orchestra students in Tacoma Public Schools, from elementary through high school.
Learn more →Symphony Without Walls
Live chamber music beyond the concert hall, in the spaces where our neighbors already live — because extraordinary music belongs to everyone.
Learn more →