About the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra

Celebrating the joy of orchestral music over for 80 years

Founded in 1939, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra is a significant cultural organization showcasing its professional musicians and enhancing the quality of life in Norwalk and neighboring communities in Southwestern Connecticut. Video from our 80th Anniversary celebration shares a look back at this rich history while also looking forward to our future.

Our Mission is to share the beauty and power of orchestral music for audiences of all ages through live performances and music education programs. Our annual concert seasons, the (Not) Just for Kids Program, Young Artists Concerto Competition, and new Master Class programs with local students are all part of our commitment to this Mission.

We are proud to perform our concerts at the Norwalk Concert Hall. This acoustically renowned space, designed by Jaffe Holden, is located at Norwalk City Hall 125 East Avenue, Norwalk CT 06851.

Additional auditions for the Norwalk Symphony will be held at Norwalk Concert Hall in August 2024. Please check back in late spring. Information on specific instrumental needs will be posted at that time. Applicants will pay a $50 fee in advance to hold their audition spot; this fee will be refunded upon attendance. Checks should be made to: Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. Please email the office or call us at 203.956.6771 for the required repertoire for your instrument and to schedule a time slot for your audition. In addition to the required pieces, applicant should have a concerto movement of their choice selected for this audition.

All auditions are held live; there is no recorded opportunity. The audition committee reserves the right to dismiss anyone during the audition should they not meet the desired artistic level of performance. Finalists may be asked to perform in the season with the orchestra before a winner is chosen. The first year of a seated musician’s employment are considered probationary. Substitutes will be placed on the existing sub list in order determined by the Music Director, Personnel Manager and position Principal. Audition information is subject to change.

The History of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra

The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra was founded in January 1939. From that year to approximately 1985, the Norwalk Symphony was primarily a community orchestra composed of volunteer musicians from the greater Norwalk region. In 1956, the Norwalk Youth Symphony was formed, and younger musicians from surrounding communities were frequently invited to be part of the orchestra. All rehearsals and performances were held in what is currently the Norwalk Concert Hall, formerly the WPA-era high school auditorium, and support for the organization came from the family and friends of the orchestra members.

The first Music Director of the Norwalk Symphony, Edward Kreiner, conducted the premier concert on May 9, 1939. A year later, the celebrated Quinto Maganini, a Pulitzer prize winning composer and principal flute for the New York Symphony, began his 26-year tenure as the Orchestra’s Conductor and Music Director. Maestro Maganini had an enormous influence on the Norwalk Symphony and the community of Norwalk. He presented the Symphony’s first youth concerts and premiered several new compositions, including his own, successfully developing audience interest in newer music. Programming was quite varied and at times adventurous, and the orchestra began playing larger works such as Mahler symphonies and other classic repertoire. Guest soloists with the orchestra were drawn both from the local scene, as were artists that were developing their careers including Yo Yo Ma, ltzhak Pearlman and Emanuel Ax.

Following Maestro Maganini’s retirement in 1967, Dennis Russell Davies conducted the orchestra from 1969 to 1973, and was succeeded by Gilbert Levine from 1974 to 1980. During this period, the orchestra’s artistic vision and musicianship developed greatly. The Music Director from 1980 to 2000 was Jesse Levine, who expanded the musical aspirations of the Symphony as well as demanded an increasingly rigorous standard of performance from its musicians. Pops concerts, local touring concerts and children’s concerts were established, as well as the Quinto Maganini Award in Composition, a national competition for a world premiere performed during its regular season. This period also saw the profile of the musicians shift dramatically, to a fully paid professional orchestra.

At the opening concert of the 2002-2003 season, Diane Wittry made her debut as Music Director and Conductor of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. She completed her seventh season as the Music Director and Conductor of the Orchestra. Maestro Wittry brought an enthusiasm for music and a commitment to education and outreach in the community. Her ideas for collaborating with community groups have broadened and expanded the concert experience. Her many talents will be displayed in her new endeavors.

Since the 2011-2012 season, the Norwalk Symphony has opened a new chapter under the direction of its seventh Musical Director and Conductor Jonathan Yates, an esteemed musician who possesses enormous talent and a musical resume that is enviable. His exciting programs have further expanded the symphonic art form and enhanced the experience of an orchestra concert for our existing and new patrons. Please view his Bio and you will see why we feel very fortunate that he has chosen to join us and to creatively lead Norwalk Symphony Orchestra into your hearts and into the future.