Cambridge Symphony Orchestra

Cambridge Symphony Orchestra

Artistry and Community in Concert since 1975. The Cambridge Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1975 by Harriet Fierman, Gertrude Spiller, and Rachel Spiller as a community music organization (originally the “Little Orchestra of Cambridge”). Since then, the CSO has been and continues to be a home for committed and skilled musicians who believe in the importance of our mission: to make great music accessible to diverse audiences and to harness the power of music to forge lasting relationships with our community.

To do that, the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra: Offers an orchestral season that features several concerts throughout Cambridge and neighboring communities. The CSO’s orchestral season includes: Masterworks concerts. The CSO organizes and performs three Masterworks Concerts every season. These concerts highlight challenging orchestral literature. Recent repertoire ranges from masterpieces (such as Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10) to collaborations with local choirs and world-acclaimed soloists (such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Tippett’s A Child of Our Time) to collaborations showcasing live ballet (such as Stravinsky’s The Firebird and Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Family Concert. The annual Family Concert aims to introduce children to the vast world of classical music. Families are encouraged to bring children of all ages. The concert features storytelling, a sing-along, and a young soloist from the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. After the concert, children are invited to an instrument petting zoo, where they can try out string, woodwind, and brass instruments for the first time! Holiday Concert. The annual Holiday Concert welcomes families for a joyful celebration of the holiday season. The concert features seasonal favorites, traditional carols, an audience sing-along, and a very special appearance from Santa to narrate a familiar holiday story. Pops on the Lawn. The annual Pops on the Lawn concert is a free outdoor concert for families that welcomes the beginning of the summer. The program includes a variety of songs from movies, marches, and festive classical repertoire. Kids in the audience are given the chance to conduct the orchestra.