A HISTORY OF COMMUNITY

The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra (LSO) was founded in 1946 as a volunteer orchestra under the direction of William A. Harrod. Harrod, a violinist, was stationed at Lubbock Army Air Field during World War II, where he led a dance band. He spent a tour in Europe directing an Army string quartet, and settled in Lubbock again after the war. He collaborated with Mrs. M.C. Butler of the Parks and Recreation Planning Committee and local preachers to establish a trial civic orchestra through the Lubbock Department of Parks and Recreation. The trial performance went well, leading to the formation of the LSO Board. The LSO’s first official concert took place on Oct. 22, 1946 at Lubbock High School.

Musicians from Texas Tech and Lubbock ISD kept the orchestra going, though string players were hard to recruit at first. Harrod credited the addition of violinist Virginia Kellog as the “biggest blessing” to the LSO. He believed that her contributions as concertmaster helped improve the overall quality of the orchestra.

The Lubbock Symphony Guild was founded in 1952 to support the symphony, and continues to do so today with its volunteer Debutantes & Beaux Program. Strong community support allowed the LSO to transition to a professional, paid orchestra in 1967. The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra now boasts a dedicated administrative office and staff in the Lubbock Cultural District’s Downtown Arts District.

The organization continues to grow, with the addition of the Lubbock Youth Orchestras in 2022 (which started as the Lubbock Youth Symphony Orchestra under the LSO in 1988) and the Lubbock Symphony Chamber Orchestra in 2023. Lubbock Symphony’s education programming reaches thousands of youth and their families each year, with free concerts and classroom outreach.

The LSO's primary performance venues over the years included the Lubbock High School Auditorium, the Lubbock Municipal Auditorium, and the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center before the opening of The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences in 2020. LSO Masterworks & Special Event concerts are performed at the state-of-the-art Helen DeVitt Jones Theater at The Buddy Holly Hall, which holds a seating capacity of 2,290.

Read more about the history of the LSO at the following links:

Lubbock Symphony founder was consummate violinist| Caprock Chronicles: Harrod instrumental in forming Lubbock Little Symphony| Lubbock Symphony 75th Anniversary Commemorative Book