Holyoke Civic Symphony Orchestra Inc

HOLYOKE CIVIC SYMPHONY - NEARLY A HALF CENTURY OF BEAUTIFUL MUSIC!

We at the Holyoke Civic Symphony perform most of our concerts at Holyoke Community College with musicians of all ages and all walks of life, from talented students to accomplished retirees! This is a nearly all-volunteer orchestra. We also perform at local venues including high schools, private celebrations, public space such as Wistariahurst museum and more and wherever we perform, we make sure that the facility is accessible to all.

As our maestro David Kidwell says in his welcome on the HCS website, "The Holyoke Civic Symphony offers an intriguing and eclectic mix of music. Classical and popular music are often juxtaposed in the same concert, and great masterpieces from music history coexist with works that were written just yesterday. Our concerts are always fun, accessible, and educational."

We began nearly 50 years ago in 1967: musicians with a mission to perform beautiful music that would be accessible to everyone have played on through all kinds of challenges - financial and otherwise - for decades.

We evolved into an orchestra of talented musicians that has maintained a number of about 60 players for a good while now.  Under the leadership of an excellent conductor and music director, David Kidwell - who has been with orchestra for coming up to 20 years - we perform to full or nearly full houses, standing ovations, and loyal, supportive concertgoers. We have guest soloists of all ages, a concerto competition for high school students, original compositions from living composers, community outreach, small group performances in nearby communities, performances with and for youngsters and adults, and more.

It is this growing success through the decades that now finds the Holyoke Civic Symphony excitedly looking forward to its next season when it will celebrating a half century of performances! And for this upcoming 50th season we have some big plans. While we have worked with a small, and, often tight budget, next year we will be having some expenses beyond the usual.

We have commissioned new compositions from four wonderful composers to be premiered at each of our four concerts next year. We will be paying the composers for their talents, and delight in not only hearing what they've written, but also in being able to support their talents.

One of our supporters, an orchestra member and published historian is donating her time and abilities for free and is writing a history of the first 50 years of the orchestra. Publishing the final book in quantity will require funding.

We are aiming to increase our community outreach throughout the coming decades, including our support of children's work and more, but this will also require additional funds.

The Holyoke Civic Symphony has determined as a key value and goal to be accessible both to audiences as well as musicians from all walks of life, and to this end all through the decades we have remained true. The HCS has a partnership with the community: we perform accessible and beautiful music and the community helps support us by donating money at concerts and through memberbership. Local businesses advertise in our program book and sponsor concerts and we receive grant money from regional councils and foundations. All this makes for a strong partnership.

And now we reach out through this amazing Valley Gives Day opportunity. We look to you for your support in the being the best we can be.

And we very gratefully thank you for whatever you can do.