History of the Tacoma Symphony Today’s Tacoma Symphony Orchestra can trace its roots to three performances given during the 1946-1947 season. On Sunday, December 9, 1946 an orchestra of 30 and a chorus of 160 under the direction of Clyde Keutzer packed the auditorium of Jones Hall for a performance of Handel’s Messiah. On February 16, 1947 the orchestra performed its first orchestral concert under the baton of Raymond Vaught. Billed as the Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra, but later to be called the CPS/Tacoma Symphony, the ensemble performed Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Herbert Horn, Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Square Dance by local composer Leroy Ostransky. At that time, the orchestra consisted of students from the College of Puget Sound (later to be known as the University of Puget Sound) and various players from the Tacoma area. Mr. Vaught’s tenure with the CPS/Tacoma Symphony lasted until 1956, when Melvin Sipe took the helm. Under his direction the orchestra not only continued to grow artistically, but also organizationally. In 1958 Mr. Sipe formed the CPS/Tacoma Symphony Committee, an early precursor to the present Tacoma Symphony Board of Directors. In the fall of 1959, Edward Seferian became the new conductor and music director, a position he was to hold for 35 years. Though continuing to serve on the faculty of UPS, Mr. Seferian gradually implemented a separation of the orchestra and the university. The UPS/Tacoma Symphony eventually became known simply as the Tacoma Symphony. Mr. Seferian cut out a unique niche for the Tacoma Symphony by charging no admission while bringing in high profile guest artists. More than a decade ago, the orchestra entered a new and exciting phase. After a national search, Harvey Felder was hired to lead the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra as Music Director. It is his artistic vision that has guided the Tacoma Symphony to new levels of musical excellence. Under the baton of Maestro Felder, 80 professional musicians perform in a busy, year-round concert schedule. Today, Tacoma audiences enjoy classical concerts, a pops series and a holiday presentation that has become a local musical tradition. In addition, Maestro Felder introduced Simply Symphony, the orchestra’s award-winning music education program. Poised to enter its sixth decade, the Tacoma Symphony is proud to serve as a vital community resource and a leader in the local arts community. A dedication to artistic excellence, fiscal stability and community relevance are the guiding principles that will ensure the future of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra for generations to come.