The Rockford Symphony Orchestra is one of the leading cultural institutions in Northern Illinois, performing classical and pops concerts annually. The RSO was founded in 1934 and incorporated in 1943. The RSO’s first Music Director and Manager, Arthur Zack, who led the orchestra for 27 years.  In 1970, the Board of Directors appointed Crawford Gates as its next music director, bringing renowned guest artists to perform with the orchestra including Van Cliburn (1972), Victor Borge (1973), Phyllis Diller (1974), and Benny Goodman (1975). Upon the retirement of Crawford Gates, the RSO Board named Charles Bornstein as music director in 1986. 

In 1991, the Board named Steven Larsen as the RSO’s fourth music director. Described as a “Renaissance musician,” Larsen went to work and expanded the orchestra’s repertoire, attracting musicians of the highest caliber. The RSO has hosted such notable classical and pops artists as Peter Schickele, Rick Nielsen, Dionne Warwick, Andre Watts, Eugene Fodor, Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, Rachel Barton Pine, & Alon Goldstein.  During his tenure, Larsen added a pops series, an outdoor summer performance series and youth concerts to the Symphony’s concert rosters. In December 2021, Maestro Larsen retired and was named Music Director Emeritus. Yaniv Attar was named the fifth Music Director of the RSO in January 2023.

The RSO continues its commitment to fulfilling its mission to lead in the creation of vibrant musical experiences that enlighten, educate, and entertain. The RSO offices are located in the Riverfront Museum Park. The orchestra performs in the Coronado Performing Arts Center, originally constructed as a 1927 atmospheric movie palace. This state-of-the-art facility boasts a large stage and orchestra pit, 2,200 seats, a fully restored interior, an acoustical enhancement system, and full accessibility for audience members with special needs.

Rockford Symphony Orchestra

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Offices