Orchestre e Teatri Lirici
Greenville Symphony Orchestra
The Greenville Symphony Orchestra (GSO) is dedicated to providing educational and cultural opportunities for the citizens of Greenville and surrounding communities through the presentation of live orchestral music. Offering excellence in live musical performance, the orchestra enriches lives, educates minds and encourages community support of the arts.
Founded in 1948, the Greenville Symphony
The Greenville Symphony Orchestra (GSO) is dedicated to providing educational and cultural opportunities for the citizens of Greenville and surrounding communities through the presentation of live orchestral music. Offering excellence in live musical performance, the orchestra enriches lives, educates minds and encourages community support of the arts.
Founded in 1948, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra has been the classical music foundation of the Greenville, South Carolina community. As a leader in orchestral artistry in the Southeast, the GSO comprises a core of 68 musicians, 11 of whom are salaried. While the GSO is not a union orchestra, the orchestra generally follows union policies. The GSO attracts highly talented professional musicians, evidenced by the growing number of auditionees each year.
The Symphony is integral to cultural life in the Upstate. Performing a series in the Peace Concert Hall, usually with guest artists, (6 programs of 2 performances each), in Gunter Theatre (more intimate instrumentation, 4 programs of 3 performances each), and specials such as Holiday at Peace (3 performances), movies in concert and other pops programming. Education engagement serves more than 28,000 children who experience a variety of education programs, including concerts. The Symphony has performed all the major orchestral works, hosted illustrious artists such as YoYo Ma, Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg, and Olga Kern, appeared at the Spoleto Arts Festival in Charleston, SC. and frequently collaborates with the Greenville Chorale and International Ballet.
The GSO performs at the Peace Center, a six-acre performing arts center on Main Street. The Peace Center has a concert hall (capacity 2,100+) where Masterworks and Pops concerts are performed. The Peace Center also has the Gunter Theatre (capacity 425+) where Chamber concerts are performed. Artists Up Close chamber music concerts are performed at venues across the community.
The GSO is a Group 4 orchestra with thirteen weeks of concerts and a budget of approximately $3.2 million. The GSO has an endowment with over $11 million. GSO offices a short walk from The Peace Center house eleven professional staff. The GSO is currently celebrating its 76th Anniversary in the 2023-24 season.