Bloomington Civic Theater

The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s mission is to contribute to the artistic and cultural life of the greater Twin Cities in three ways:

1. By performing a wide variety of orchestral literature for concert-goers of all ages and backgrounds.
2. By providing an organization for qualified musicians to develop their talents.
3. By supporting music education through joint concerts with student musicians and coordination with educational groups such as BRAVO and the American String Teachers Association - MNSOTA chapter.

The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1963 by the City of Bloomington, to provide orchestral music for Bloomington's citizens and an organization where area instrumentalists could develop their musical skills. The founders were City of Bloomington Park/Rec Director Gene Kelly and nationally renowned jazz musician Paul W. "Doc" Evans, who served as music director until 1977. Notable music directors since then have included Steven Amundson (St. Olaf College), William LaRue Jones (Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies), and Akira Mori (University of Minnesota).