Virginia Symphony Orchestra
A professional symphony orchestra administratively based in Norfolk, Virginia, and serving audiences across the Hampton Roads region.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is a professional American symphony orchestra based administratively in Norfolk, Virginia. Its performances serve the wider Hampton Roads region, including Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Williamsburg, and other communities in southeastern Virginia. Rather than operating from a single concert hall, the orchestra presents programs in several prominent regional venues, including Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Regent University, and the Attucks Theatre in Norfolk. The organization was established in 1920 as the Norfolk Civic Symphony Orchestra by Walter Edward Howe, Marian Carpenter, and Robert C. Whitehead. Its first concert took place on April 21, 1921, with Howe conducting. At its creation, it was described as the only American orchestra located between Baltimore and Atlanta, giving it an important cultural role in a broad area of the eastern United States. In 1949, under music director Edgar Schenkman, the orchestra merged with the Civic Chorus and became the Norfolk Symphony and Choral Association. The organization later developed through changes in artistic leadership, institutional structure, and regional collaboration. During Russell Stanger's tenure as music director, the orchestra hired its first African-American musician and moved into Chrysler Hall after that venue opened in 1972. The VSO also began collaborating with Virginia Opera during the 1970s. In 1979, amid the economic pressures affecting cultural organizations during that decade, the Norfolk Symphony, Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, and Virginia Beach Pops Symphony merged. This consolidation produced the organization that subsequently operated as the Virginia Symphony. The orchestra's artistic identity has been shaped especially by its music directors. JoAnn Falletta became the VSO's eleventh music director in 1991 and was the first woman appointed to lead the orchestra in that role. Her tenure lasted through June 2020, after which she became music director laureate. Eric Jacobsen, who had first guest-conducted the VSO in 2018, became music director beginning with the 2021–2022 season. In 2023, the orchestra announced that his contract had been extended through the 2026–2027 season. The VSO's work extends beyond standard symphonic subscription concerts. Its activities include orchestral performances in multiple communities, collaborations with Virginia Opera and the Virginia Arts Festival, and programming presented in partnership with regional performing-arts institutions. The orchestra is therefore both a concert presenter and a regional cultural organization, using a distributed venue model to reach audiences throughout southeastern Virginia. Administratively, it is led by a president and chief executive officer; Andrea F. Warren began that role in December 2022 after Karen Philion's period as president and CEO. The VSO remains an active nonprofit-oriented performing-arts institution rather than a listed commercial company.
History
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra traces its institutional history to 1920, when Walter Edward Howe, Marian Carpenter, and Robert C. Whitehead founded the Norfolk Civic Symphony Orchestra. Its first concert was presented on April 21, 1921, with Howe conducting. At that time, the ensemble occupied a distinctive place in American musical life because it was identified as the only American orchestra operating between Baltimore and Atlanta. The orchestra changed its organizational identity in 1949. During Edgar Schenkman's tenure as music director, it merged with the Civic Chorus to form the Norfolk Symphony and Choral Association. Later decades brought further artistic and civic development. Under Russell Stanger, the ensemble hired its first African-American musician. It also established a residency at Chrysler Hall, the Norfolk performing-arts venue that opened in 1972. During the 1970s, the orchestra began working with Virginia Opera, expanding its role beyond stand-alone symphonic concerts and strengthening its position within the region's broader cultural infrastructure. The present-day Virginia Symphony took shape in 1979 through the merger of the Norfolk Symphony, Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, and Virginia Beach Pops Symphony. The consolidation occurred during a period of economic difficulty and recession in the United States, when regional arts organizations faced financial and operational pressures. Combining the three ensembles created a broader organization capable of serving multiple population centers across Hampton Roads. The orchestra's music-director succession has included Walter Edward Howe, W. Henry Baker, Bart Wirtz, Arthur Fickenscher, Frank L. Delpino, Henry Cowles Whitehead, Edgar Schenkman, Russell Stanger, Richard Williams, Winston Dan Vogel, JoAnn Falletta, and Eric Jacobsen. Falletta was appointed in May 1991 as the VSO's eleventh music director and became the first woman to hold that position. She led the orchestra through nearly three decades of artistic activity before stepping down in June 2020; she subsequently retained an association with the ensemble as music director laureate. Eric Jacobsen first appeared as a guest conductor with the VSO in 2018. In June 2021, the orchestra announced that he would become music director beginning with the 2021–2022 season. His contract was later extended through the 2026–2027 season, providing continuity for the orchestra's artistic leadership. On the administrative side, Karen Philion served as president and CEO from 2014 to 2022. Andrea F. Warren was appointed to succeed her, taking office on December 1, 2022, and becoming the first African-American woman to serve as the organization's president and CEO. Today, the VSO operates as a regional orchestra with performances distributed among venues in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Williamsburg, and nearby communities. Its principal venues and partners include Chrysler Hall, the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, the Ferguson Center for the Arts, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at William & Mary, Regent University, the Attucks Theatre, Virginia Opera, and the Virginia Arts Festival. This network allows the orchestra to function as a shared cultural resource for southeastern Virginia rather than as an institution serving only one city.
- 2023
Jacobsen contract extended
[1]The orchestra extended Eric Jacobsen's contract through the 2026–2027 season.
- 2022
Andrea F. Warren becomes president and CEO
[1]Warren assumed the executive role on December 1, 2022.
- 2021
Eric Jacobsen begins music-director tenure
[1]Eric Jacobsen became music director with the 2021–2022 season after previously guest-conducting the orchestra.
- 2020
Falletta concludes music-director tenure
[1]JoAnn Falletta stepped down as music director in June and became music director laureate.
- 1991
JoAnn Falletta becomes music director
[1]Falletta was appointed the orchestra's eleventh music director and became the first woman to hold the post.
- 1979
Regional merger creates the modern Virginia Symphony
[1]The Norfolk Symphony, Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, and Virginia Beach Pops Symphony merged, producing the organization that assumed its current form.
- 1972
Residency at Chrysler Hall
[1]The orchestra took up residency at Chrysler Hall after the Norfolk venue opened.
- 1949
Merger with the Civic Chorus
[1]The Norfolk Civic Symphony Orchestra merged with the Civic Chorus and became the Norfolk Symphony and Choral Association.
- 1921
First concert presented
[1]The orchestra gave its first concert on April 21, conducted by founding music director Walter Edward Howe.
- 1920
Orchestra founded as Norfolk Civic Symphony Orchestra
[1]Walter Edward Howe, Marian Carpenter, and Robert C. Whitehead established the ensemble in Norfolk, Virginia.
Products and positioning
A regional professional orchestra and cultural institution that presents orchestral music across Hampton Roads through a multi-venue performance model and partnerships with major Virginia arts organizations.
Live performing arts · 1921
Orchestral concert seasons
The VSO's core offering is a season of live symphonic performances presented for audiences in Hampton Roads. Programs are distributed across several venues rather than concentrated in one hall, allowing the orchestra to serve Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Williamsburg, and surrounding communities.
Concert presentation
Regional venue performances
The orchestra performs at Chrysler Hall, the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, the Ferguson Center for the Arts, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall, Regent University, the Attucks Theatre, and other regional locations. This multi-venue model is central to its role as a southeastern Virginia cultural institution.
Cultural partnership
Arts collaborations
The VSO collaborates with organizations including Virginia Opera and the Virginia Arts Festival. These relationships connect its orchestral resources with opera productions, festivals, and broader regional arts programming.
Brand decisions
2021
Appointment of Eric Jacobsen as music directorStrategyBackground
The orchestra needed a new artistic leader after JoAnn Falletta's music-director tenure ended in 2020.
Action taken
The VSO appointed Eric Jacobsen as music director beginning with the 2021–2022 season.
Aftermath
Jacobsen's leadership was subsequently extended through the 2026–2027 season.
1979
Consolidation of three regional orchestrasM&ABackground
Economic pressures during the 1970s encouraged institutional consolidation among regional performing-arts organizations.
Action taken
The Norfolk Symphony, Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, and Virginia Beach Pops Symphony merged to form the organization that became the Virginia Symphony.
Aftermath
The merger created a broader regional orchestra serving multiple Hampton Roads communities.
Recent events
- 2023
Eric Jacobsen contract extended through the 2026–2027 season[1]
Leadership change
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra announced an extension of Eric Jacobsen's music-director contract through the 2026–2027 season.
- 2022
Andrea F. Warren named president and chief executive officer[1]
Leadership change
The VSO announced Andrea F. Warren as its new president and CEO, effective December 1, 2022. She became the first African-American woman to hold the organization's top executive position.
- 2021
Eric Jacobsen appointed Virginia Symphony Orchestra music director[1]
Leadership change
Following an earlier guest-conducting appearance, Eric Jacobsen was appointed the orchestra's next music director, with his tenure beginning in the 2021–2022 season.
- 2018
JoAnn Falletta to leave the Virginia Symphony Orchestra music director position[1]
Leadership change
The orchestra announced that JoAnn Falletta would step down as music director at the end of the 2019–2020 season and subsequently serve as music director laureate.
Sources2 sources
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