Our Mission
Long Beach Symphony engages audiences of all ages and cultures through exceptional orchestral performances, community partnerships and meaningful educational experiences.
About Long Beach Symphony
Featuring Southern California’s finest orchestra musicians, Long Beach Symphony marks its 89th season in 2023-2024 and the seventh season of its Music Director, Eckart Preu (Eck-art Proy).
The Symphony presents more than 100 concerts and events annually along with a rich array of education and community engagement programs that reach more than 300,000 residents from school children to senior citizens. Core to its offerings is a five-concert Classical series performed at the Beverly O’Neill Performing Arts Center’s Terrace Theater as well as a five-concert Pops series in the Long Beach Arena’s Pacific Ballroom. The Symphony has received international stature through its dedication to presenting both classical masterworks and contemporary music as well as multicultural work through unique collaborations.
For over 40 years, the Long Beach Symphony has focused on providing free education programs to youth. Elementary Ensembles present concerts to 15,000 2nd and 3rd graders in 40 schools in Long Beach and surrounding communities annually. Toyota Youth Concerts serve 12,000 4th and 5th graders each year with interactive and educational live symphony performances. The RuMBa Foundation Family Concert provides an annual youth-friendly, concert experience combined with fun and engaging activities on the plaza, all of which are designed to create lifelong memories for families to share. To date, nearly 1,000,000 children have enjoyed concerts of accessible music performed by the Symphony’s world-class musicians.
The Long Beach Symphony is committed to developing artistic alliances and unique and innovative musical performances that unite and celebrate our diverse communities. The Musical Bridges initiative embodies these important goals, allowing the Symphony to serve our community more broadly and deeply and to strengthen the orchestra’s connection and relevance with existing and new audiences.
In 2023, The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) announced Long Beach Symphony is the recipient of its Social Impact Award. ACSO’s Social Impact Award is given to an organizational member that has created positive change or addressed a challenge or injustice in its community. The Symphony was also awarded the Long Beach Heritage Preservation Award in 2012, the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Award for Outstanding Nonprofit Organization, and the City of Long Beach in 2015 and in 2017 honored by the Arts Council for Long Beach and the Long Beach NAACP for its commitment and dedication to fighting for civil rights and social justice.
