Our Mission

Creating magical and memorable experiences through the power of symphonic music.

About the SBSO

The Orchestra is a fully-professional ensemble that draws its members from throughout Michigan. In addition to its classical concerts, the Orchestra has produced a wide variety of chamber, pops, educational, and historical concerts, as well as opera, ballet, and modern dance.

Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 85th Anniversary this season. 

Anniversaries are a wonderful time to take a look back…Back in the days of horse-drawn carriages through streets of mud, was the vision of people who loved music so much that they wanted to make it available to everyone.  Fifty-five men and women from Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland counties came together as the Saginaw Civic Symphony, under the direction of William Boos were created. He directed the orchestra until 1951.  In 1953 it was incorporated as a separate non-profit group; The Saginaw Symphony Association dba The Saginaw Symphony Orchestra now The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, and finds its home in the Temple Theatre.  Over the years through name changes and under the direction of ten Maestros, it has been performing ever since and has been an essential resource for orchestral performances, music entertainment, and music education for now more than 85 years.  Today, the Orchestra is a fully-professional ensemble that draws its members from throughout Michigan. 

Proudly the vision is the same, this group of people, board members, staff, and musicians, still love music so much that they want to make it available to everyone.  As we look ahead to our new season Music That Moves You under the direction of our Maestro, Fouad Fakouri, we seek and discover new ways to reach audiences and share the magic music brings through these unprecedented times. 

This summer the SBSO created their Music In The City-Pop-Up program, where small groups of SBSO musicians, popped up around Saginaw, Bay City, and Frankenmuth said thank you with music to front line workers and those community members confined to share the joy and support that music can bring. 

We open the season with our first concert Community Through Music, which was featured on QTV-Delta Colleg on Saturday, October 24 at 9:00 PM. The SBSO once again shares the love and magic music brings with our community. 

This year’s season is being reimagined to meet the constraints of social distancing restrictions, with smaller orchestras, limited live seating, as well as a virtual option.  Announcements and more information regarding our reimagined season will be available on our website: saginawbayorchestra.com. 

HISTORY OF THE SBSO

The SBSO was created as a project of the Saginaw Department of Parks and Recreation in 1935 and has performed an annual concert series ever since. It was incorporated as a separate nonprofit corporation in 1953. At this time it also became one of the 50 orchestras who were named charter members of the American Symphony Orchestra League.

MORE ABOUT THE SBSO

Musicians are selected by stringent peer review/audition process by principal players and the Music Director.

The music selections for each season — chosen by the Music Director, in consultation with the musicians, the audience, and the Board of Directors — combine and contrast challenging signature orchestral works with the best contemporary compositions. World premieres by regional composers have been featured in most seasons.

Fouad Fakhouri
Music Director – Conductor

With over two decades of international credits as a conductor and composer, Fouad Fakhouri is committed to actively engaging audiences through powerful artistic experiences. Known for his “musical accuracy” and “emotional intensity,” his performances have been celebrated for their broad, dynamic and powerful interpretations, which go beyond the score to capture both the essence and spirit of music.

In June 2016, after a year and a half long international search, Fakhouri was named Music Director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra in Michigan. From 2014 – 2016 Fakhouri served as Music Director and Conductor of Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (North Carolina). In 2009 he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra where he led the orchestra on its first international tour to Austria and Germany.

Among his many recent guest conducting appearances are the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra (Lebanon), Saginaw Bay Orchestra (Michigan), Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (New York), Cairo Symphony Orchestra (Egypt) and the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra (Sophia, Bulgaria).

In addition to conducting, Fakhouri is an active composer of a multitude of symphonic, chamber, choral and solo music. His works have been premiered and performed by the English Chamber Orchestra (UK), the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra, the Mediterranean Orchestra (Italy) and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra to name a few.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Fakhouri hails from a musical family whose roots go back four generations. He holds a doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of North Texas, and a MAster of Orchestral Conducting, as well as a Master of Music in Composition/Theory from Pennsylvania State University. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from West Texas A&M University.

In December 2014 in recognition of “his impressive career achievements, phenomenal leadership of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (FSO), and dedication to music and the community” Methodist University (NC) bestowed upon him an honorary Doctorate of Human Letters. In March 2016 he was inducted into the Fayetteville (NC) Music Hall of Fame and in April 2016, upon the completion of a highly successful 11-season tenure with the FSO, individual donors honored him with establishing “The Fouad K. Fakhouri Endowment for Artistic Excellence” – a $1.1 million fund.

Fakhouri resides in New York City with his wife Diane Lavelle, an advertising executive, and their daughter Isabella.

Our Mission

Creating magical and memorable experiences through the power of symphonic music.

About the SBSO

The Orchestra is a fully-professional ensemble that draws its members from throughout Michigan. In addition to its classical concerts, the Orchestra has produced a wide variety of chamber, pops, educational, and historical concerts, as well as opera, ballet, and modern dance.

Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 85th Anniversary this season. 

Anniversaries are a wonderful time to take a look back…Back in the days of horse-drawn carriages through streets of mud, was the vision of people who loved music so much that they wanted to make it available to everyone.  Fifty-five men and women from Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland counties came together as the Saginaw Civic Symphony, under the direction of William Boos were created. He directed the orchestra until 1951.  In 1953 it was incorporated as a separate non-profit group; The Saginaw Symphony Association dba The Saginaw Symphony Orchestra now The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, and finds its home in the Temple Theatre.  Over the years through name changes and under the direction of ten Maestros, it has been performing ever since and has been an essential resource for orchestral performances, music entertainment, and music education for now more than 85 years.  Today, the Orchestra is a fully-professional ensemble that draws its members from throughout Michigan. 

Proudly the vision is the same, this group of people, board members, staff, and musicians, still love music so much that they want to make it available to everyone.  As we look ahead to our new season Music That Moves You under the direction of our Maestro, Fouad Fakouri, we seek and discover new ways to reach audiences and share the magic music brings through these unprecedented times. 

This summer the SBSO created their Music In The City-Pop-Up program, where small groups of SBSO musicians, popped up around Saginaw, Bay City, and Frankenmuth said thank you with music to front line workers and those community members confined to share the joy and support that music can bring. 

We open the season with our first concert Community Through Music, which was featured on QTV-Delta Colleg on Saturday, October 24 at 9:00 PM. The SBSO once again shares the love and magic music brings with our community. 

This year’s season is being reimagined to meet the constraints of social distancing restrictions, with smaller orchestras, limited live seating, as well as a virtual option.  Announcements and more information regarding our reimagined season will be available on our website: saginawbayorchestra.com. 

HISTORY OF THE SBSO

The SBSO was created as a project of the Saginaw Department of Parks and Recreation in 1935 and has performed an annual concert series ever since. It was incorporated as a separate nonprofit corporation in 1953. At this time it also became one of the 50 orchestras who were named charter members of the American Symphony Orchestra League.

MORE ABOUT THE SBSO

Musicians are selected by stringent peer review/audition process by principal players and the Music Director.

The music selections for each season — chosen by the Music Director, in consultation with the musicians, the audience, and the Board of Directors — combine and contrast challenging signature orchestral works with the best contemporary compositions. World premieres by regional composers have been featured in most seasons.

Fouad Fakhouri
Music Director – Conductor

With over two decades of international credits as a conductor and composer, Fouad Fakhouri is committed to actively engaging audiences through powerful artistic experiences. Known for his “musical accuracy” and “emotional intensity,” his performances have been celebrated for their broad, dynamic and powerful interpretations, which go beyond the score to capture both the essence and spirit of music.

In June 2016, after a year and a half long international search, Fakhouri was named Music Director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra in Michigan. From 2014 – 2016 Fakhouri served as Music Director and Conductor of Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (North Carolina). In 2009 he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra where he led the orchestra on its first international tour to Austria and Germany.

Among his many recent guest conducting appearances are the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra (Lebanon), Saginaw Bay Orchestra (Michigan), Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (New York), Cairo Symphony Orchestra (Egypt) and the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra (Sophia, Bulgaria).

In addition to conducting, Fakhouri is an active composer of a multitude of symphonic, chamber, choral and solo music. His works have been premiered and performed by the English Chamber Orchestra (UK), the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra, the Mediterranean Orchestra (Italy) and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra to name a few.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Fakhouri hails from a musical family whose roots go back four generations. He holds a doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of North Texas, and a MAster of Orchestral Conducting, as well as a Master of Music in Composition/Theory from Pennsylvania State University. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from West Texas A&M University.

In December 2014 in recognition of “his impressive career achievements, phenomenal leadership of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (FSO), and dedication to music and the community” Methodist University (NC) bestowed upon him an honorary Doctorate of Human Letters. In March 2016 he was inducted into the Fayetteville (NC) Music Hall of Fame and in April 2016, upon the completion of a highly successful 11-season tenure with the FSO, individual donors honored him with establishing “The Fouad K. Fakhouri Endowment for Artistic Excellence” – a $1.1 million fund.

Fakhouri resides in New York City with his wife Diane Lavelle, an advertising executive, and their daughter Isabella.