world-class music on the south plains
Since 1946
Mission
Music that changes lives.
We mean it when we say music is transformative. Classical music sparks creativity, boosts memory, decreases blood pressure, and lowers stress. And that's just how it affects your body. We firmly believe that music is also transformative for the soul.
Purpose
Community enrichment.
We bring quality symphonic performances and unique educational music programming to Lubbock and the greater South Plains.
Vision
A cultural institution.
Strong community relationships, operational efficiency, and financial stability allows us to maintain a professional community-based orchestra and curate educational experiences that appeal to diverse audiences.
A HISTORY OF COMMUNITY Support
The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1946 as a volunteer orchestra under the direction of William A. Harrod. Harrod first came to Lubbock as a member of the Air Force Band. He formed a dance band for the enlisted men and women stationed in Lubbock, and was eventually asked to form a community orchestra by local preachers. It was hard at first to recruit trained string players. Harrod said "the orchestra received its biggest blessing: [violinist] Virginia Kellogg." He believed that her contributions helped improve the overall quality of the orchestra.
The orchestra gained success and community support, allowing it to transition to a professional, paid orchestra in 1967. This change brought new musical and directorial talent. Through continued support, the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra now boasts nationally-known guest artists and a dedicated administrative staff.
David cho
LSO music director
David Cho's love of music started in his childhood. His love of music and talent resulted in débuts at Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He joined Lubbock Symphony in 2012.
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Born in Seoul, Korea, David immigrated to the United States in 1985. David received a variety of music lessons during his childhood in Palos Verdes, California before focusing his energy exclusively on the piano. He later attended Oberlin College and Conservatory where he received his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance.
In 1996, David won the E. Nakamichi Concerto Competition at the Aspen Music Festival and was awarded the Arthur Dann Prize at the Oberlin Conservatory. In 1999, while acquiring his Master of Music in Piano Performance at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, David was invited by Robert Spano and Seiji Ozawa to attend the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center as a Merrill Lynch Conducting Fellow. David was then invited by Larry Rachleff to study at Rice University where he served as guest conductor for the Shepherd School Orchestras while acquiring his Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting. David was subsequently invited by the Vienna Philharmonic to serve as an Assistant Conductor. As the recipient of the Karajan Fellowship, David has enjoyed residencies at the annual Salzburg Festival in Austria. In 2003, David was invited by Leonard Slatkin to participate in the National Conducting Institute during which time he made his début with the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
During the 2003-2004 season, David was selected to spend a year as the Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony under the mentorship of Michael Tilson Thomas. While on tour with the New World Symphony in New York City, David made his Carnegie Hall début conducting works by Copland and Tchaikovsky. During the orchestra’s Rome tour, David made his début at the Academy of Santa Cecilia conducting works by Luciano Berio and John Adams. David was then invited by his mentor Larry Rachleff to serve as the Resident Conductor of the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra from 2004-2006. During the 2006-2007 season, David held the Bruno Walter Resident Conductor Chair with the ensemble.
During his tenure as the Associate Conductor of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera (2006-2011), David won First Prize at the Eduardo Mata International Conducting Competition in Mexico City which resulted in numerous conducting engagements in Europe, Asia and South America. He has conducted the symphonies of Seattle, Houston, Austin, Memphis, Fort Wayne, Baton Rouge and Shreveport. He has collaborated with such guest artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Renée Fleming, Joshua Bell, Frederica von Stade, Sarah Chang, Daniel Müller-Schott, Jennifer Koh, Leila Josefowicz, Jennifer Frautschi and Alexander Kobrin. During previous summers, David made appearances at the Aspen Music Festival and the Grand Teton Music Festival.
After heralded guest appearances with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra in 2007 and 2009, David was appointed as the orchestra’s seventh Music Director in 2011. He began his tenure with the LSO in the 2012-2013 season and is now actively involved in community engagements.
executive committee
Toni Wallingford
Chair
Jill Stangl
Chair-Elect
Brian Willcutt
Immediate Past Chair
Melissa Lewis
Treasurer
Terri Byrne
Secretary
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
+LSO Symphony Guild Representative | = LSO Musician Representative | # Texas Tech University School of Music Representative | *Ex-officio
Beth Ashmore
Dolle Barker
Dustin Baucom
Gilbert Berdine
Leen Borno
Kasi Boutwell
Maureen Chadwick
David Cho*
Covar Dabezies
Patty D’Alise
Michael Epps
Stephen Faulk
Neil Kurtzman
Melissa Lewis
Grace Lin
Paula Loveless
Mallory Miller
Mark Morton=
Brenda Parrish
Judy Poffenbarger
Melissa Pridmore
Peter Reed
Stephanie Rogers+*
Katie Salter
Patty Freier
Karen Gibson
Gurdev Gill
Brad Green
Erin Gregg
Amy Grisham
Bobbye Hrncirik
Leslie Huckabee
Alena Ilyushyna
Carla Johnson
Tiva Kasemsri
Amanda Kuhn
Tim Sampson
Phil Sizer
Andrew Stetson#*
Robin Talbert
Davor Vugrin
Darya White
Joyce White
Lola Windisch
Galen Wixson*
Meet the Team
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Galen Wixson
President & CEO
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Suzanne Rasco
Accounting Director
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Courtney Jordan
Development Director
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Molly Ramirez
Marketing Coordinator
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Nia' Threatt
Box Office Manager
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Amelia Jamieson
Graphic Designer
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Callie Watson
Graphic Design Assistant
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Gary Hudson
Personnel Manager
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Kea Beasley
Education Director
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Vaughan Hennen
Librarian
Employment Opportunities