The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (KSO) has been serving the Kalamazoo community through outstanding listening and learning experiences for over 100 years. With a vision to make symphonic music a part of everyday life throughout our community, the KSO has been reaching out to our community to define what that means and is diligently reforming the organization to meet those goals and realize our vision now.

The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is the state’s third-largest orchestra, with more than 80 musicians, 20 professional staff, and 20 teaching artists employed full or part-time, for a total of 250 employees from Kalamazoo and surrounding areas. Serving Michigan’s fourth-largest metropolitan area, the KSO provides more than 40 concert performances each year, reaching more than 50,000 music lovers. The KSO performs high-quality symphonic music, fosters audiences of tomorrow, and elevates the careers of local musicians.

For over 100 years, the Symphony has been a part of the fabric of our community. Today, we seek to expand our reach and learn from our community so that we can be equitable and inclusive of all people. We are committed to the promises we made in our strategic plan and to our mission of serving this community through outstanding musical listening and learning experiences. Under the leadership of Jessica Mallow Gulley, Executive Director and Music Director, Julian Kuerti, what began as one woman’s dream 100 years ago has become, through the unwavering support of the Kalamazoo community, an integral part of the cultural and educational life of the region.