McKeesport Symphony Orchestra

Mission Statement

The mission of the McKeesport Symphony is to present orchestra concerts and other musical events of professional quality for the benefit of the public.

It promotes awareness of the arts, assists in music education, and fosters pride and a positive image of McKeesport and the surrounding area.

History

The Greater McKeesport area is proud to promote the professional symphony orchestra which has served area audiences for more than 45 years. Initially an amateur group, the MSO is now made up of 50 players, most of whom are professional musicians.

The first concert of the McKeesport Symphony took place on November 4, 1959 under the direction of Mihail Stolarevsky at one of McKeesport's beautiful and gracious old movie houses, the Memorial Theater. In the early sixties, concerts were moved to the McKeesport Senior High School auditorium, where they are currently presented.

Now in its fifth decade of service, the McKeesport Symphony Orchestra continues to enrich the cultural life of an increasingly wide area, attracting regular listeners from a four-county area: Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington and Fayette.

Following the tenure of the founding conductor, the orchestra was led by Chauncey Kelley (1975-78), James Meena (1979-88) Robin Fountain (1989-91) and Bernard Goldberg (1993-2001). Presently, the music Director is Maestro Bruce Lauffer.