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 Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet).

    • 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 Pops. 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 special guest appearances.

  • Invests in our community footprint through collaborations with cultural organizations, education & outreach programs, and spotlight partnerships.

    • Collaborations. Our collaborations with cultural organizations include local choirs, world-acclaimed soloists, and dynamic partnerships with ballet companies.

    • Educational & Outreach Programs. Our outreach and educational programs include performances at schools (Perkins School for the Blind), assisted living residences (Hebrew SeniorLife, Cadbury Commons at Cambridge), and venues at the center of cultural life in our area (MIT’s Kresge Auditorium, Cambridge Public Library, The Center for Arts at the Armory).

    • Spotlight Partners. At our major concerts, the CSO showcases Spotlight Partners—local organizations (musically affiliated or not) that work toward bettering the Cambridge community.

The CSO is motivated by our commitment to deep and meaningful engagement with our community. In all of these projects, our all-volunteer roster is our greatest asset, creating outstanding programming through the combined energy of dozens of dedicated and talented individuals who believe in the importance of classical music and expanding our community’s access to it.