Professional symphonic performances Symphonic music is a vital and evolving art form. The Symphony offers a wide range of symphonic music, not limited to the traditional classic repertoire, in order to reach a much broader audience.

We believe it is as important to feature 20th Century American composers, as well as to represent the classical standards. While the subscription concert programs are exciting in their own right, they also provide an educational experience by linking the music with pre-concert lectures and informal talks.


Artistic collaborations The Oakland East Bay Symphony brings together the talents and resources of diverse artistic groups from within the community. Whenever possible, we encourage the participation of Oakland's ballet, opera, choral and theatrical groups in collaborative performances. These organizations join together to promote a lively arts environment, and entertain a wide range of audiences.


Community service The Symphony serves a unique community, with a rich mix of racial, cultural and economic groups. We are committed to bringing music to the people, as well as bringing them into the concert hall, making the experience of music more accessible and enjoyable to new and broader audiences.


The Symphony is an important positive and vital force in the Oakland community, contributing energetically to its creativity and cultural diversity. It provides a forum for community involvement, and a way to nurture a needed atmosphere of human understanding and creativity. 

We share our perspective, experience and enthusiasm with a new generation of young people. We help to restore a sense of community ownership in the arts, making music not only relevant, but essential to our society.


Community resource Music is an international language that unifies diverse groups of people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. The Oakland East Bay Symphony strives to bring music to this audience. The Symphony improves the community's economy and quality of life, a key factor in attracting new businesses, residents, and tourists. Its events generate commerce for restaurants, galleries and stores. Recent studies indicate that for every $1 spent on an arts event, $1.50 more is spent on other events or goods.

The Symphony is also an important source of employment - not only for East Bay musicians, but for staff, subcontractors and people involved in promotions.

Education outreach The Oakland East Bay Symphony is an educational symphony, creating the audience of the future. We provide our community with a sense of the history of music, a perspective on the importance of music to community life, and an offering of diverse musical alternatives. 

The Symphony is a leader in music education for young people. We inspire and motivate youth by providing role models, standards and options they can pursue. School visits by Michael Morgan and the Symphony's guest artists bring music to institutions where there is little or no music education.

Every year, the Young Peoples Concerts bring live orchestral music to more than 5,500 children from community schools. In addition, the Symphony holds special Side By Side performances, which feature young local musicians performing on stage alongside professional musicians.

The future of symphonic music Since symphonic music is an evolving art form, we contribute to its future by commissioning and performing new works by contemporary American composers. These works will in turn be made available to other orchestras, contributing to the future of American music.

Leadership in the artistic community We are redefining the role of an orchestra in our community. One way we do this is by encouraging the community's various artistic organizations to work together. 

With dwindling government support, we and other artistic organizations cannot exist completely independently. We must work together. This collaboration - between small and large artistic entities - will enhance Oakland's future as a vital cultural center.