The Symphony of Rutherford County
Celebrating 23 Years of Service to Our Community
Fact Sheet
- Mission Statement: To serve the community through music and music education
- Purpose: To enhance music education both for orchestra members and audiences through weekly rehearsals and presentations of three annual public concerts, one of which is for school children
- Operates on a semester schedule– from late August through mid-January; and from mid-January through early May
- Began in 1988 as a fifteen-member string ensemble known as "The Little Symphony of Rutherford County"
- Became an incorporated non-profit organization in 1990 (EI # 56-1682758)
- Has grown into a full orchestra with over sixty volunteer members ranging in age from teenagers to octogenarians– changed name to The Symphony of Rutherford County in 2000
- Maintains a philosophy of inclusion– no auditions are required, and all musicians who play symphonic instruments are welcomed
- Provides the only local opportunity for sting players to participate in a large ensemble and gives local students and adults who play brass, woodwind, or percussion instruments an opportunity to perform symphonic music
- Is governed by a volunteer board of directors
- Provides ensembles for community events (has provided music at Lenten services in Spindale for the past several years and has participated in benefit concerts for other organizations
- Funding: Primarily private monies– individual contributions through an annual direct mail fund drive– corporate donations, and grants