Wilmington Symphony Orchestra - Wilmington POPS! 2023

First organized in 1971 as the UNC-W Community Orchestra, the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra (WSO) has evolved into a premier regional orchestra for Wilmington and the Cape Fear Region, providing value in cultural arts and entertainment, music education and economic development. WSO's mission is to provide symphonic music at the highest degree of excellence through performance opportunities for regional musicians and educational programs for our community’s youth.

Pivotal accomplishments along the way in the orchestra’s own evolution have included establishing a higher standard of performance through mandatory auditions, providing stipends for the musicians, programming a POPS series, and commissioning new orchestral works.

The WSO represents southeastern North Carolina as a leader in music education and remains committed to youth outreach as an organizational priority. The orchestra’s array of "Music For Youth" education and community outreach programs addresses an important civic need, filling a void in musical training available and developing creativity, critical-thinking, collaboration, presentation skills, and leadership:

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