What Yakima Symphony Orchestra does

The Yakima Symphony Orchestra (YSO) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) performing arts organization founded in 1971 in Yakima, Washington, and the only professional symphony serving Central Washington's Yakima Valley. It presents four core concert series — Classical, Pops, Chamber Music, and Special Events — at the historic Capitol Theatre (19 S 3rd St), supplemented in 2026 by a new Summer Chamber Music Series performed at libraries, wineries, and community venues across the valley. The orchestra fields 50+ professional musicians on a per-service basis (with announced per-service rates of $94 for section violinists and $125 for Assistant Concertmaster in the 2026-2027 season) and oversees a 100-voice Yakima Symphony Chorus, the Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra (established 1965), the Yakima Ensemble for Strings, and a Young Artist Program launched in 2023-2024.

The organization's revenue model is multi-stream and characteristic of regional U.S. symphonies: season subscriptions (with 5-15% subscriber discounts), single ticket sales, individual donations and fundraising campaigns, concert and chair sponsorships with logo/recognition benefits, advertising in program books and digital channels, planned giving through a Legacy Society, and grant funding (e.g., from ArtsFund and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation). Distribution is via a Salesforce-powered online ticketing platform, the Capitol Theatre box office, mail-in order forms, and venue door sales. Marketing is conducted through the YSO website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, an iContact email newsletter, local press (Yakima Herald Republic), and pre-concert ConcerTalk educational lectures at the Yakima Valley Museum.

YSO is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Music Director Lawrence Golan (a 10-time ASCAP Award recipient and 2024 Grand Prize Winner of the St. Cecilia International Music Competition) and Executive Director Sam McClung, who joined in April 2025 from Santa Fe Pro Musica. The organization has been twice honored with ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and is recognized among the finest orchestras in the Pacific Northwest. Office and performance operations are concentrated in Yakima, with summer extension venues in Selah and Sunnyside.

Name

Yakima Symphony Orchestra

Legal name

Yakima Symphony Orchestra

Website

https://ysomusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Yakima Symphony Orchestra is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional symphony founded in 1971 in Yakima, Washington, presenting Classical, Pops, Chamber Music, and Special Event concerts at the Capitol Theatre for general public patrons, while operating an affiliated chorus, youth orchestras, and education programs across the Yakima Valley.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Yakima

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from season subscriptions (Classical and Pops Series) and single tickets to concerts and special events, with subscriber discounts of 5-15% off single ticket prices
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations and fundraising campaigns supporting orchestra operations and programming
3. Concert Sponsorships: High-visibility recognition for concert sponsors including logo placement in programs and exclusive perks
4. Chair Sponsorships: Program allowing sponsors to support specific orchestra chairs and musicians with program acknowledgment
5. Advertising: Advertising opportunities in program book and digital platforms reaching arts enthusiasts and community leaders
6. Legacy Society / Planned Giving: Estate planning and planned giving programs for long-term supporter support

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Yakima Symphony Orchestra is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) performing arts organization that presents live professional orchestral concerts across four series (Classical, Pops, Chamber Music, and Special Events) performed by 50+ professional musicians at the historic Capitol Theatre in Yakima, WA. It also operates youth music education programs including the Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra (YYSO) and Yakima Ensemble for Strings (YES!), and serves as the home orchestra for the 100-voice Yakima Symphony Chorus.

Product overview

The Yakima Symphony Orchestra operates as a single, unified performing arts organization offering live orchestral concerts. The core product consists of four concert series (Classical, Pops, Chamber Music, and Special Events) performed by professional musicians at the Capitol Theatre. Supporting programs include the Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra (YYSO) and Yakima Ensemble for Strings (YES!) for student musicians, and the Yakima Symphony Chorus for choral performances. Revenue-generating programs include concert sponsorship, chair sponsorship, and a legacy society for planned giving.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Yakima Symphony Chorus: The official 100-voice choral ensemble of the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, formed in spring 1971.
• Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra (YYSO)
• Yakima Ensemble for Strings (YES!)
• Young Artist Program

Products and services

• Classical Concert Series Full orchestra performances featuring classical symphonic repertoire performed by the YSO at the Capitol Theatre's Historic Main Stage, presented as part of the annual subscription season.
• Pops Series Popular and accessible orchestral programming featuring contemporary and familiar works alongside classical favorites, performed by the YSO at the Capitol Theatre as part of the annual subscription season.
• Chamber Music Series Intimate ensemble performances featuring smaller groupings of musicians in various configurations, presented by the YSO.
• Summer Chamber Music Series Seasonal outdoor and community venue performances including winery concerts, library concerts, and ConcerTalk lectures held May through August, expanding YSO's reach into community spaces across Yakima Valley.
• Special Events Special concert programming including holiday performances, family concerts, and themed orchestral events.
• Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra (YYSO) Student orchestra program for musicians ages 8-21, providing symphonic experience through weekly rehearsals and performances, with tuition assistance available through the Christy Baisinger Tuition Assistance Fund.
• Yakima Ensemble for Strings (YES!) Entry-level string ensemble program for younger string players providing a pathway into the Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra.
• Yakima Symphony Chorus 100-voice choral ensemble serving as the official choral arm of the symphony, with a Young Artist Program offering career-oriented singers experiences to strengthen development as soloists and professional choral singers.
• Concert Sponsorship High-visibility corporate sponsorship opportunities for specific concerts including logo placement in programs and exclusive perks for sponsors.
• Chair Sponsorship Program allowing donors to sponsor a specific orchestra chair position, connecting sponsors directly with professional musicians and receiving program acknowledgment.
• Legacy Society Planned giving program for donors who include the symphony in their estate planning, ensuring long-term financial sustainability for the organization.
• Tuition Assistance Program Need-based financial assistance for student musicians participating in the Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra, funded by the Christy Baisinger Tuition Assistance Fund.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Capitol TheatrecoreOthersThe orchestra performs all classical, pops, chamber, and special event concerts at the beautifully restored Capitol Theatre, their home since the 1980s. The historic venue at 19 S 3rd St provides the main performance stage.
• Yakima Valley Community FoundationminorOthersGrant provider supporting the Summer Chamber Music Series. Library concerts and community programming are funded in part by Yakima Valley Community Foundation grants.
• Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra (YYSO)coreOthersYYSO is an affiliate organization giving student musicians ages 8-21 an opportunity to play in a full symphony orchestra. YSO provides governance oversight and administrative support.
• Yakima Symphony ChoruscoreOthersThe 100-voice Yakima Symphony Chorus is the official choral ensemble of the symphony, formed in 1971. The symphony serves as the home orchestra for the chorus.
• Central Washington University (CWU)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic Director Lawrence Golan serves as conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra & Opera Theatre at the University of Denver. Several staff and performers have CWU connections. Dr. Jeffrey Snedeker is a CWU professor.
• Local Wineries (Gilbert Cellars, Treveri Cellars, Narratif Winery, Whitman Hill Winery)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerSummer Chamber Music Series venues include local Yakima Valley wineries, bringing orchestral performances to community spaces and expanding audience reach through existing hospitality venues.
• Local Libraries (West Valley Library, Selah Library, Sunnyside Library, Central Library)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLibrary concerts bring chamber music performances to community spaces as part of the Summer Chamber Music Series, expanding accessibility and community engagement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Spokane Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional symphony serving the Spokane, WA metropolitan area with classical, pops, and education programming. Highly comparable to YSO as a Pacific Northwest mid-sized city symphony with a similar subscription and donor-supported model.
• Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra: Community symphony serving the Wenatchee Valley in Central Washington. Comparable as a similarly sized regional orchestra operating in the same general Central Washington geography with overlapping donor and audience pools.
• Mid-Columbia Symphony: Regional orchestra based in the Tri-Cities area of southeastern Washington. Comparable as a nearby regional symphony serving a mid-sized Washington market with similar subscription and education programming.
• Boise Philharmonic: Regional professional orchestra serving Boise, Idaho and the Treasure Valley. Comparable in scale and mission to YSO as a mid-sized mountain-west city symphony with classical and pops seasons and youth education programs.
• Tacoma Symphony Orchestra: Regional symphony serving Tacoma, WA. Comparable to YSO as a Pacific Northwest regional orchestra offering classical, pops, and family programming with a similar subscription and donor funding model.
• Santa Fe Pro Musica: Smaller professional ensemble based in Santa Fe, NM. Comparable to YSO in scale and mixed chamber-orchestra programming, and notable as the prior employer of YSO's current Executive Director Sam McClung.

Broad incumbents

• Oregon Symphony: Larger professional orchestra based in Portland, OR. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest symphony occupying the broader regional arts ecosystem, but operates at significantly greater scale and budget than YSO.
• Seattle Symphony: Major metropolitan symphony based in Seattle, WA. Comparable as the dominant Pacific Northwest symphony and a regional draw that competes for touring artist availability and audience attention, though at materially larger scale than YSO.
• Pacific Northwest Ballet: Major performing arts organization in Seattle. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest cultural institution competing for the same donor, sponsor, and arts-patron pool in the broader regional cultural ecosystem.

Others

• Spokane Youth Symphony: Youth orchestra program in Spokane, WA. Comparable to YSO's YYSO and YES! programs as a regional youth symphony development pipeline, though not a direct competitor for adult symphony patrons.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@YakimaSymphonyOrchestra
• Facebookfacebook.com/yakimasymphony
• Instagraminstagram.com/yakimasymphonyorchestra
• Xx.com/SymphonyYakima
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yakima-symphony-orchestra-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yakima Symphony Orchestra