What amazes me most about SMSO is how adventurous our audience is—you’ve embraced everything from a saxophone quartet concerto to improvised solos in a dazzling light and video show. That spirit of curiosity makes southwest Michigan special. I’m so thankful for everyone who stepped up to save the symphony, from generous community foundations, corporate partners like Corewell Health, to hundreds of individual donors. Our local collaborators—Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra, Chorllennium, and incredible school music programs—are top-notch, and it’s a joy to showcase them. As we look to the future, we want to perform more often and for more people, but that only happens with your continued support: more seats filled and more gifts to keep the music alive. Together, we can make it happen.  

We know meaningful outreach is just as important as our core orchestra programs. To kick off SMSO’s next chapter, we’re excited to uplift and support mental health in our community by leaning into what we do best: sharing the transformative power of music with Radical Acts of Music. This new initiative has just launched its first two pilots and we’re eager to discover new partnerships. We look forward to bringing more memorable live concert experiences, enriching music education opportunities, and making the orchestra accessible to all through outreach programs like our free Pop Up! concerts.

Your response to last year’s “Save Our Symphony” Campaign sent a message loud and clear that our community values the SMSO. Your support erased a long-standing deficit and allowed us to open a milestone 75th season. Navigating an operational restructure and relocation is not easy, but the encouragement that poured out made the journey worth it. Together we adapted, persevered, and kept the music playing.

Every dollar, no matter the size of your gift, helps us continue creating powerful musical experiences that inspire, educate, and connect. Additionally, ticket sales made up just 9% of our income last year, and there is tremendous opportunity to grow. By inviting friends, family, and neighbors to experience our concerts, you help expand our audience, stabilize and strengthen our future, and improve and enrich lives in southwest Michigan!