A summer-only orchestra that plays a wide array of music.
The Wheaton Symphony was founded in 1959 by the longtime manager Donald Mattison. Besides managing the day-to-day operations of the group, Don is also a member of the board and plays in the orchestra.
Since that time, the Wheaton Symphony has performed annually each summer, getting through in three months what would normally take other semi-professional ensembles a year to perform.
That means that we can offer to our audiences a wide variety of music in a compressed time-span. No two of our concerts in a season are ever the same.
Wheaton Symphony is made up of both older and younger players. While the majority of woodwind and brass performers have played with us for many seasons, the string sections, which tend to have more fluid membership due to the larger number of available seats, are often made up of a few long-time members plus many new faces.
Altogether, the total number of performers tends to hang around eighty-five to ninety, fluctuating between performances due to differing needs.
Anyone can join the Wheaton Symphony, but there is an audition process. However, once you have made it into the Symphony, you are never required to audition again, unless you are absent one year or wish to gain a better chair position.
The Wheaton Symphony is a member of both the League of American Orchestras as well as the Illinois Council of Orchestras.
This year we are offering a new promotion; you can contact us to receive a demo CD of past years' performances.
