The Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1932 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The Orchestra began with a few fiddlers and horn players performing light opera and Sousa marches in each other’s homes and has become today’s orchestra consisting of over 80 volunteer musicians.

The symphony is known for its ambitious yearly schedule of Five Main-stage Programs, Three Chamber Orchestra Programs, and a Family Pops Program. Additionally, PASO reaches out to the community with educational programs.

Vision

The Port Angeles Symphony will continue to strengthen and improve its positive impact on the rural communities of the North Olympic Peninsula by:

• consistently growing our artistic quality
• providing local musicians with opportunities to rehearse and perform great orchestral music together
• presenting accessible, relevant and inclusive programming in high quality concerts for all ages
• enhancing our mission through the employment of key professional musicians, including guest artists, who exemplify the orchestra’s collegial spirit and reflect its high standards of performance
• inviting guest soloists with local origins who can model artistic achievement to our area’s youth
• increasing our advocacy and fostering awareness for classical music performance and education
• reaching out to engage all segments of the community through our activities
• establishing deeper connections and meaningful collaborations with other arts and community organizations as well as supporting our local school districts, and
• innovating local music education through our Adventures in Music, Young Artist Competition, Musician Scholarship programs and opportunities for young musicians to join the orchestra

Values

The Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra embraces a family ethos, bringing together a diversity of instrumental and choral musicians, staff, board members and event volunteers, as well as audience members, students, teachers, and other partners, in an environment of mutual respect, cooperation, and support.  While we maintain our tradition of artistic and educational excellence, we strive to nurture and sustain the human relationships we have with all of our stakeholders that underlies everything we do.  Finally, in order to ensure the Symphony’s continuation as a viable and valuable resource for our community, we are committed to the sustainability of our Mission through responsible and prudent stewardship of its finances and organizational integrity.