We are the Musicians of the Virginia Symphony, the region’s only full-time, professional orchestra.
Currently, the Musicians of the Virginia Symphony are furloughed and without pay for the rest of 2020. While other full-time professional orchestras across the country are seeing an average 25% reduction in pay, VSO Musicians are facing a 72% cut in our salaries for what would have been a celebratory 100th season.
This pandemic has created difficulties not only for our musicians, but for countless others in our community, in our country, and across the world. If you are able, we ask for your financial help during these challenging times. Our goal is to support our musicians struggling to pay medical costs and to address dire emergencies. For more information about our fundraising efforts, click on the button below.
We continue to practice our craft and cannot wait to return to the stage and perform for you. With your help, we will provide the high quality of performance and teaching that our community has come to appreciate and expect. For news, updates, and upcoming events, please follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter.
The musicians of the Virginia Symphony are members of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM), a conference of the American Federation of Musicians made up of 52 top-tier orchestras across the United States.
We come to Hampton Roads from all over the country and the world. Each member of the VSO has won an international audition to earn their position. The VSO is the only performing arts group in the region that attracts this level of talent to live and work in this community. We perform and teach year-round as members of the orchestra, and additionally provide the orchestra for the Virginia Opera and Virginia Arts Festival.
Members of the orchestra are also on faculty at local colleges and universities, perform at church services, coach youth orchestra, and teach countless lessons. Because we are resident artists, our salary stays in the community. We have a positive economic impact on the region.