Vermont Symphony Orchestra

About Us

Who We Are

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (est. 1934) is one of nation’s oldest state-assisted orchestras, with 54 contracted instrumentalists and around 40 annual performances statewide in concert halls, beautiful natural settings, and historic and community buildings, In addition to concert programming, SymphonyKids presentations annually reach thousands of school children statewide. The VSO serves Vermont year round with in-school educational programming, children’s concerts, commissions, as well as choral and chamber music concerts.

VSO Mission Statement

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra fosters and encourages the love of music throughout Vermont. 

 

VSO Values

  • MUSIC: We enrich lives through performances and educational programs of the highest caliber. 
  • STATEWIDE COMMUNITY: Through music, we commit to strengthening the social fabric of Vermont by meeting the needs of our communities, transcending geographic and demographic boundaries.  
  • INCLUSIVITY: We believe in actively taking part in the work toward equity, diversity, and access, in order to rebalance historic inequities. 
  • CREATIVITY: We value innovative and original ideas and their application to performing and teaching music and solving problems.  
  • STEWARDSHIP: We recognize the importance of managing and maximizing our resources honestly, prudently, and transparently. 

 

VSO Vision Statement

To be the cultural and social leader in Vermont through music.

 

VSO Strategic Plan (2025-2027)

GOAL 1: Providing meaningful, evocative, and high caliber musical experiences

    OBJECTIVES
    To put VSO’s professional musicians at the front and center of its performances, marketing
    and educational programming

    To put resources behind broad and innovative audience-building activities

    To revitalize and empower the Artistic Committee and its charter

    To ensure two-way communications with audiences and stakeholders

 

GOAL 2: Serving as a resource for statewide music education in schools, communities, and the concert hall

    OBJECTIVES
    To continually expand the number of participants engaged and the geographic reach of our educational programs

    To strengthen and establish new strategic links with youth music programs

    To offer adult education opportunities in programming

    To empower and ensure the vitality of the Education Committee and its charter

 

GOAL 3: Embedding inclusivity and equity in the work of the VSO

    OBJECTIVES
    To standardize inclusion of traditionally underrepresented artists and composers in VSO programming

    To actively seek out, develop and engage audiences in all sectors of Vermont society

    To achieve broader, more diverse representation throughout the organization’s constituencies

 

GOAL 4: Operating a sustainable non-profit business

   OBJECTIVES
   To engage exemplary people to run a best-in-class organization

   To grow and maintain a healthy financial position

   To align artistic planning with available resources

   To enhance our name recognition and build an increasingly relevant brand