Discover the KSO | Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Carols By Candlelight
Join us for Carols By Candlelight!

Be Merry and Bright...in the warm glow of candlelight!

Cozy up for an evening of your seasonal favorites. Featuring a Kalamazoo Symphony String Quartet and 2,500 candles, this event illuminates the magic of live music in a truly intimate setting.

All ticket purchases include table seating and a complimentary drink voucher.

Get Your Tickets!

Double Your Impact!
Donate Today & Double Your Impact!

We are thrilled to share that an anonymous donor has pledged to match all donations of any amount made before December 31, 2023, up to $35,000!

Your support helps the 80 professional musicians of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra bring music to neighborhoods in Kalamazoo, Portage, and beyond. You are the reason we can continue deepening and broadening our relationships with local organizations throughout the greater Kalamazoo area, bolstering our dedication to redefining how a symphony can serve and reflect its community in the 21st century.

Double Your Impact Today!

Epic Stories Through Extraordinary Music
Become a Season Ticket Holder Today!

Symphony season ticket holders get the best seats, the best prices, and exclusive benefits all season long.

A ticket package is a great way to schedule time with friends, get those date nights on the calendar, or finally book that "treat yourself" time!

Ticket packages start with just 3 concerts!

  • young boy sits on piano bench, turned away from piano
    23/24 Jane Rooks Ross & Barry Ross Youth Soloist Competition Winner

    On Saturday, November 11, the Kalamazoo Symphony hosted the 23/24 Jane Rooks Ross & Barry Ross Youth Soloist Competition in Miller Auditorium. The competition welcomed 10 young musicians from the Kalamazoo area to the stage, playing a piece of their choice.

    Isaac brought home the win after performing the third movement of Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor.

    As part of the Jane Rooks Ross & Barry Ross Youth Soloist Competition, Isaac will perform with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra on March 5 at the orchestra's Magical Melodies concert!

    Learn More

  • Get to Know the Orchestra
    Get to Know the Orchestra

    Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra musicians are the heart of our organization.

    With 80 contracted musicians, and many other auxiliary players, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is made up of artists from all over Michigan and five surrounding states!

    Added together, our musicians have given over 1,300 years of service providing transformational musical experiences to Kalamazoo.

    Learn more about our talented musicians, our Music Director, Julian Kuerti, and Music Director Emeritus, Raymond Harvey.

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ In Concert
    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ In Concert

    Years ago, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone enchanted our screens and now it’s returning, for the first time ever, with the music of a live symphony orchestra. Momentous scenes from the film play on a giant screen in high-definition while John Williams’ unforgettable score is performed by Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. Experience the magic with the first installment of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series.

    Get Tickets!

  • Photo from back of concert hall. Filled with thousands of students.
    Symphony Welcomes 11,000 Local Students

    One every season, the Kalamazoo Symphony welcomes very different audience to the concert hall for Youth Concerts Week!

    3 Days
    6 Concerts
    92 Schools
    Over 11,000 Students, Parents, & Teachers!

    Read More

  • KSO Artists in Residence
    KSO Artists in Residence

    In 1995, as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, a commitment was made to develop four full-time positions that would both enable the orchestra to create community service and education programs and strengthen the orchestra ensemble.

    To this end, the Artists in Residence program began with the KSO's Burdick-Thorne String Quartet. Since that time, the Artists in Residence program has grown to eight positions; including oboe, clarinet, trombone, and timpani, along with the original strings. As a result, the artistic level of the orchestra has soared, and the KSO's education and community programs have expanded to reach more than 26,000 students and their teachers annually with 20+ programs in more than 100 schools throughout Southwest Michigan.

    Our current Artists in Residence are:

    Lisa A. Williams, Violin II
    Nicholas Jeffrey, Viola
    Igor Cetkovic, Cello
    Gabriel Renteria, Oboe
    Georgiy Borisov, Clarinet
    Edward "Kip" Hickman, Trombone
    Mark Guthrie, Timpani
    Vacant, Violin I

  • Thank You Michigan Arts & Culture Council / National Endowment for the Arts
    Thank You Michigan Arts & Culture Council and National Endowment for the Arts

    The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is grateful for the support provided by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Their generous funding allows the symphony to bring outstanding music to the stage and provide exciting education programs in schools and throughout the community.

  • Symphony Principal Trombone Kip Hickman works with young student
    KSO in your Community

    We LOVE our community. You will find your KSO musicians peforming free public concerts in venues such as Bronson's Garden Atrium, Borgess' Atrium Lobby, First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo, Sarkozy Bakery, and Kalamazoo Public Library...and that is just to name a few!

    We also are excited to bring our beloved Instrument Petting Zoo to many local events throughout the year. Fun for kids of all ages!

    Community Concerts & Events

  • KSO On The Go

    Through education programs and partnerships, KSO has unique and exciting opportunities to support school music programs through “KSO On The Go” and other in-school programs.

    We bring live performances, classroom visits, artist residencies, and symphony field trips, accompanied by great curriculum materials, to provide formative learning experiences for students of all ages.

Discover the KSO

Experience the Symphony

Celebrate the healing power of music and create shared, live musical experiences with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra during our 23/24 concert season. 

KSO100Join the Journey!

Welcome to a season of captivating stories and timeless tales brought to life by your Kalamazoo Symphony! 

We have created a dynamic playlist to pull you into the lives, emotions, and experiences of both composers and the characters their music portrays.

The crowning jewel of musical storytelling, opera, makes a dramatic return to Kalamazoo with Giacomo Puccini's Tosca. The Symphony will give the world premiere performance of a work written by Branford Marsalis, for the Kalamazoo Symphony, and, in partnership with Ballet Arts Ensemble, we bring to life the magic of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker.

Join us for a soul-stirring season of love, triumph, and a little magic!

THANK YOU, SEASON SPONSORS 

Season presented by Zhang Financial
Season sponsored by Stryker and Greenleaf Trust

Season Sponsors Zhang Financial and Stryker and Greenleaf Trust