Columbus Symphony
The Columbus Symphony is a professional American orchestra based at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, Ohio.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Columbus Symphony, formally the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO), is a professional symphony orchestra serving Columbus and Central Ohio. It is the oldest performing arts organization in Columbus and presents orchestral concerts from its principal home, the restored Ohio Theatre. Its programming combines a core classical series with popular-music performances, family education, youth development, and outdoor summer events. The organization was established in 1951 as the Columbus Little Symphony after the earlier Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra ceased operations. Violinist and conductor George Hardesty led the first performances, which involved 28 musicians and consisted of five concerts during the inaugural year. The ensemble presented its first complete concert season in 1952 at Central High School, a building later associated with COSI Columbus. In 1955, it adopted the name Columbus Symphony Orchestra. From its foundation through 1961, the organization was governed exclusively by women who had been involved with the Women's Association of the former Columbus Philharmonic, an unusual feature in the history of American orchestras. The orchestra developed under a succession of music directors, most notably Evan Whallon, who served for 26 seasons from 1956 to 1982. It performed at the Franklin County Veterans Memorial Auditorium from 1956 until 1970, when it moved to the Ohio Theatre. The preservation and renovation of the former movie palace helped provide Columbus with a suitable concert venue and made the theatre a long-term institutional home for the orchestra. During the 1970s, the CSO broadened its role beyond symphonic concerts. With no professional opera company then operating in Columbus, it began producing opera and eventually presented fully staged productions. It also used new support to hire full-time musicians, strengthening its professional core. Demand for opera led to the creation of Opera Columbus in 1981, allowing the symphony to concentrate more fully on orchestral work while continuing to serve as Opera Columbus's orchestra. The CSO also became the resident orchestra for BalletMet and has maintained those performance relationships. The orchestra's public program now includes approximately 12 classical programs each season, generally performed in paired concerts, along with about six pops programs and two Concerts for Kids. Its outdoor summer activities include Picnic with the Pops and Popcorn Pops, presented on the lawn at Columbus Commons. The organization also sponsors a youth orchestra program with ensembles for musicians ranging from elementary-school strings through high-school-level players, and it has historically maintained extensive school and community education initiatives. The CSO marked its 50th anniversary in 2001 with a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. It later experienced a serious financial and labor crisis in 2008. A proposed reduction in full-time musicians led to a prolonged dispute, suspension of regular activities, cancellation of the summer pops season, and independent concerts by musicians. A settlement preserved 53 full-time positions but reduced salaries by approximately 27 percent and cut the annual budget by about $2.7 million to approximately $9.5 million, according to contemporary reporting. A shortened season resumed after five months, followed by restoration of a full classical and pops calendar in 2009–2010. The orchestra's music-director history includes Claude Monteux, Evan Whallon, Christian Badea, Alessandro Siciliani, Gunther Herbig, Junichi Hirokami, and Jean-Marie Zeitouni. Rossen Milanov became the seventh music director, beginning full-time duties with the 2015–2016 season. The current executive director is Maureen O'Brien. The Columbus Symphony remains a regional cultural institution whose activities span subscription concerts, popular collaborations, outdoor performances, opera and ballet partnerships, and music education.
History
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1951 as the Columbus Little Symphony, following the collapse of the Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra. George Hardesty conducted its debut, and the new ensemble began with 28 musicians and five concerts. Its first full season took place in 1952 at Central High School. The organization adopted its current name in 1955. Until 1961, it was governed exclusively by women associated with the Women's Association of the former Columbus Philharmonic. Evan Whallon became music director in 1956 and served for 26 seasons, the longest tenure in the orchestra's history. During this period the ensemble performed at Franklin County Veterans Memorial Auditorium. In 1970 it moved to the Ohio Theatre, a historic former cinema that had been saved and renovated in part to provide an appropriate concert venue. The theatre remains the orchestra's principal home. The CSO expanded its artistic activity during the 1970s. In the absence of a professional opera company in Columbus, it began producing opera, eventually staging three complete productions annually. A National Endowment for the Arts grant supported a 1974 production of The Barber of Seville. A 1978 Battelle Foundation grant helped the orchestra hire additional full-time musicians. Opera activity eventually contributed to the formation of Opera Columbus in 1981, enabling the symphony to focus more directly on orchestral programming while continuing to provide instrumental services for opera. The orchestra also developed a relationship with BalletMet. The 1980s and 1990s brought growth in personnel, concerts, guest artists, educational work, and youth programming. By 1981 the organization had a symphonic series, pops concerts, chamber and ensemble programs, more than 200 educational programs, and outdoor pops events. The Picnic with the Pops summer series began in 1983 and became one of the orchestra's most recognizable public offerings. In 1999, the orchestra performed with Luciano Pavarotti before a sold-out audience at the Schottenstein Center. The orchestra celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2001 with a Carnegie Hall appearance under Alessandro Siciliani. After Siciliani's tenure, Gunther Herbig served as music adviser while the organization searched for a successor. Junichi Hirokami was appointed music director in 2006. His tenure became entangled with the organization's financial crisis in 2008, when the board proposed reducing the number of full-time musicians from 53 to 31. The dispute led to a five-month suspension of regular activity, cancellation of the summer pops season, independent concerts by musicians, and national media attention. Hirokami supported the musicians and was dismissed by the board in November 2008. A new labor agreement ratified in September 2008 preserved the 53 full-time positions but reduced salaries by approximately 27 percent. Management reductions lowered the annual budget by approximately $2.7 million, to about $9.5 million as reported at the time. The agreement allowed a truncated season to proceed. Martin Inglis became board chair after the dispute, Tony Beadle left as executive director, and Roland Valliere began as executive director in August 2009. The orchestra returned to a full classical and pops season in 2009–2010, and Picnic with the Pops was restored. Jean-Marie Zeitouni served as music director from 2010 through 2014. Rossen Milanov was selected as the seventh music director in 2014 and began full-time duties in the 2015–2016 season. Later programming continued to combine standard orchestral repertoire, pops, family events, outdoor concerts, and collaborations. Notable examples include a 2016 appearance with rapper Nelly and a 2019 performance with the Ohio State University Marching Band. Today the Columbus Symphony operates as a regional professional orchestra, presenting classical and popular programs, supporting opera and ballet, and sponsoring a multi-level youth orchestra.
- 2009
Full season restored
[1]The orchestra returned to a full classical and pops calendar for the 2009–2010 season.
- 2008
Financial and labor crisis
[1]A dispute over staffing and finances suspended regular activity and canceled the summer pops season before a new contract was reached.
- 2001
50th anniversary Carnegie Hall appearance
[1]The orchestra and chorus performed at Carnegie Hall during the anniversary year.
- 1999
Performance with Luciano Pavarotti
[1]The orchestra performed with Luciano Pavarotti before a sold-out Schottenstein Center audience.
- 1983
Picnic with the Pops launched
[1]The orchestra inaugurated its outdoor summer pops series.
- 1981
Opera Columbus established
[1]A separate opera company was formed, allowing the symphony to refocus on orchestral work.
- 1974
Production of The Barber of Seville
[1]An NEA grant supported a staged opera production by the orchestra.
- 1970
Move to the Ohio Theatre
[1]The orchestra moved its concerts to the restored Ohio Theatre, which became its principal home.
- 1955
Organization adopts the Columbus Symphony Orchestra name
[1]The Columbus Little Symphony formally became the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
- 1951
Columbus Little Symphony founded
[1]The new orchestra debuted with 28 musicians and five concerts under founding conductor George Hardesty.
Products and positioning
A professional regional orchestra combining traditional symphonic repertoire with accessible pops, outdoor, family, educational, and collaborative programming.
Classical music
Classical Concert Series
The core subscription and ticketed offering consists of approximately 12 classical programs each season, generally presented as paired performances. The series covers the symphonic repertoire and serves as the orchestra's principal artistic platform.
Outdoor pops concert series · 1983
Picnic with the Pops
An outdoor summer concert series launched in 1983. It presents orchestral arrangements and guest performers in a casual setting and has become a signature Central Ohio tradition. Events are held on the lawn at Columbus Commons.
Outdoor family and pops concerts
Popcorn Pops
A summer outdoor pops format associated with the Columbus Symphony's accessible and family-oriented programming at Columbus Commons.
Family and education concerts
Concerts for Kids
Family concerts designed to introduce children and households to live orchestral music through accessible programming and concert experiences.
Youth music education
Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra
A four-level youth program consisting of Junior Strings, Chamber Strings, Repertory Orchestra, and Youth Orchestra. The ensembles serve students from elementary grades through high school according to age and playing ability.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Ohio State Marching Band collaboration
Columbus · Central Ohio
The Ohio State University Marching Band performed with the Columbus Symphony during a Nationwide Insurance-hosted Picnic with the Pops event.
Outcome. The collaboration connected the orchestra's outdoor pops programming with a prominent regional collegiate music institution.
- 2016Nelly with the Columbus Symphony
Columbus
The orchestra presented a cross-genre collaboration with rapper Nelly.
Outcome. The performance illustrated the orchestra's use of popular-music collaborations to reach wider audiences.
- 1983Picnic with the Pops
Columbus · Central Ohio
The orchestra created a recurring outdoor summer pops series to broaden access beyond the traditional concert hall.
Outcome. The series became a long-running signature program and later operated at Columbus Commons.
Brand decisions
2014
Appointment of Rossen MilanovOtherBackground
The orchestra sought a new music director following Jean-Marie Zeitouni's 2010–2014 tenure.
Action taken
The board appointed Bulgarian conductor Rossen Milanov as the orchestra's seventh music director.
Aftermath
Milanov began full-time duties with the 2015–2016 season and remains the listed music director.
2008
Labor and financial restructuringStrategyBackground
The orchestra faced a severe financial crisis and a dispute over a proposal to reduce full-time musicians from 53 to 31.
Action taken
A ratified contract retained 53 full-time positions while reducing salaries by about 27 percent. Management expense reductions lowered the reported annual budget by approximately $2.7 million.
Aftermath
Regular activity resumed with a truncated season, and a full classical and pops calendar returned in 2009–2010. Music director Junichi Hirokami was dismissed during the dispute.
Annual budget. approximately $9.5 million (2008 restructuring)
Recent events
- 2019
Ohio State Marching Band joins Columbus Symphony at Picnic with the Pops[1]
Campaign · Other
The Ohio State University Marching Band performed with the orchestra during an annual Nationwide Insurance-hosted Picnic with the Pops event.
- 2016
Nelly performs with the Columbus Symphony[1]
Campaign · Other
The orchestra collaborated with rapper Nelly in a cross-genre performance.
- 2015
Rossen Milanov assumes full-time music-director duties[1]
Leadership change
Rossen Milanov became the orchestra's seventh music director, beginning full-time duties with the 2015–2016 season.
- 2009
Columbus Symphony resumes full concert calendar[1]
Other
After a shortened return season, the orchestra restored a full schedule of classical and pops concerts for 2009–2010 and reinstated Picnic with the Pops.
- 2008
Columbus Symphony reaches contract settlement after financial crisis[1]
Other
Management and musicians ratified a new agreement after a prolonged labor dispute. The settlement preserved the orchestra's 53 full-time positions, reduced salaries, lowered management costs, and permitted a shortened season to resume.
- 2008
Summer pops season canceled during Columbus Symphony dispute[1]
Other
The orchestra canceled its summer pops programming amid a financial crisis and labor conflict over proposed reductions in the number of full-time musicians.
Sources2 sources
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