Quad City Symphony Orchestra

What Quad City Symphony Orchestra does

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional symphony orchestra founded in 1915 and headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, making it among the twenty longest-established continuously operating orchestral associations in the United States. The organization employs 101–250 staff and engages approximately 70 professional musicians to deliver a portfolio of live performance and music education programs serving a regional market of more than 450,000 residents across eastern Iowa and western Illinois, with subscribers drawn from 70+ cities and towns. Its core programming includes a six-concert Masterworks Series, Up Close chamber series, the outdoor QCBT Riverfront Pops, QCSO at the Movies film-in-concert presentations, and Holiday Brass concerts, complemented by a substantial education division encompassing four youth ensembles (serving ~270 students), a private lesson program with 50+ instructors, group lessons, Symphony Day (6,500+ fourth and fifth graders annually), Musicians in the Schools, Students @ Symphony, and the free Concert Access Pass (CAP) program delivered through 25+ community partner organizations.

QCSO's revenue model is diversified across earned and contributed income streams. Earned revenue (ticket sales, subscriptions, private lessons, program advertising) covers approximately one-third of operating expenses; the remainder is funded by individual donations across eight giving tiers ranging from Friend (up to $199) to Platinum Baton ($10,000+), corporate sponsorships from $2,500–$9,999, foundation grants (John Deere Foundation, Scott County Regional Authority, NEA, Iowa Arts Council, Doris and Victor Day Foundation, Moline Foundation, Rock Island Community Foundation), planned giving through the Conductor's Circle endowment, and ticketed fundraising events. Ticketing and donor management are operated on Salesforce-based systems with a subscriber portal; marketing uses email (Feathr), social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube), earned media via WVIK-Quad Cities NPR, and digital retargeting, with reported reach exceeding one million impressions annually.

Distribution runs through an in-person/phone box office at the Robert A. and Patricia K. Hanson Symphonic Arts Center in Davenport, an online subscription portal, group sales with tiered 10–30% volume discounts, and free access channels via CAP and school programs. The organization reports more than 27,000 concertgoers annually, more than $3 million in annual community economic impact, support for 200+ regional jobs, and engagement of over 50,000 Quad Citizens per year. Leadership is split between Music Director Mark Russell Smith and Executive Director Brian Baxter, with functional directors overseeing education/community engagement (Chelsea Sammons), development (Steve Mohr), and marketing (Caitlin Lingle / Cody Williams).

Name

Quad City Symphony Orchestra

Legal name

Quad City Symphony Orchestra Association

Website

https://qcso.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Quad City Symphony Orchestra is a 110-year-old professional nonprofit symphony orchestra based in Davenport, Iowa, delivering live concerts and music education programs to the 450,000-resident Quad Cities region across eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Symphony Orchestra / Performing Arts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

Keywords

• Symphony orchestra performances
• Music education programs
• Live concert series
• Youth music ensembles
• Community arts outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Davenport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Ticket sales cover approximately one-third of operating expenses. Revenue generated from single tickets, subscriptions (Full Masterworks, Pick-3 Masterworks, QCSO at the Movies, Pops, Up Close), and group sales with tiered discounts.
2. Individual Donations & Annual Fund: Annual fund contributions and major gifts from individuals at giving levels from Friend ($1-$199) up to Platinum Baton ($10,000+). Ticketed events, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants provide supplementary funding.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at Gold Baton ($6,000-$9,999), Silver Baton ($3,500-$5,999), Bronze Baton ($2,500-$3,499), and Supporting levels. Sponsors receive digital advertising and social media exposure reaching over 1 million people annually.
4. Planned Giving & Endowment: Conductor's Circle legacy gifts to endowment, IRA rollovers, gifts of appreciated securities, donor advised fund contributions, and in-kind professional services.
5. Program Advertising: Advertising opportunities in printed and digital program booklets, youth program books, and email newsletters reaching concertgoers and families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra is a professional symphony orchestra that presents live orchestral performances (Masterworks Series, Up Close chamber concerts, QCBT Riverfront Pops, QCSO at the Movies, Holiday Brass) and delivers music education programs (youth ensembles, private and group lessons, school programs, Symphony Day) to the Quad Cities region of eastern Iowa and western Illinois. The organization also operates the Concert Access Pass program providing free concert access to underserved populations through 25+ community partner organizations.

Product overview

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra operates as a professional symphony presenting a multi-faceted portfolio of live performance and education programs. The core performance offerings include the Masterworks Series (six main orchestral concerts), the Up Close chamber series, QCBT Riverfront Pops (outdoor summer concerts), QCSO at the Movies (film-in-concert presentations), and Holiday Brass concerts. The organization's education division encompasses the Quad City Symphony Youth Ensembles (four youth orchestras serving approximately 270 students), a Private Lesson Program with over 50 instructors across multiple instruments, Group Lesson Programs partnering with community organizations, and school-based initiatives including Symphony Day (serving 6,500+ students annually), Musicians in the Schools, and Students @ Symphony. The Concert Access Pass (CAP) program provides free concert access to underserved community members through partnerships with over 20 social service organizations. Pre-concert experiences including Inside the Music and Concert Conversations enhance audience engagement with performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Masterworks Series The main orchestral concert series featuring the full professional orchestra performing classical repertoire, contemporary works, and guest artist collaborations. Six performances per season at Adler Theatre and Centennial Hall for general audiences and music enthusiasts.
• Up Close Series Intimate chamber music performances spotlighting select QCSO musicians and visiting artists in smaller venue settings throughout the Quad Cities, offering audiences closer engagement with classical repertoire.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50,000 Quad Citizens engaged annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and supporting.

• Quad City Bank & TrustflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Riverfront Pops concert series (43rd anniversary). Mission sponsor level supporting QCSO operations.
• League of American OrchestrasflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerQCSO is one of 30 orchestras selected for Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program, a national consortium for commissioning works by women composers.
• United Way African American Leadership SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Masterworks VI: For America with $1 donation per ticket to AALS. Includes digital panel discussion on K-12 music education.
• World Relief Quad CitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to celebrate music across cultures, donating 50% of ticket proceeds to support refugees and immigrants in the local community.
• Mercado on FifthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Disney/Pixar's Coco in Concert, transforming Adler Theatre into the Land of the Dead with pre-show activities.
• Living Proof ExhibitsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to commission local composer Jacob Bancks to create 'Karkinos' dramatic oratorio providing hope for those with cancer.
• Sphinx Music (National Alliance for Audition Support)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerQCSO is member of NAAS, a national initiative to increase diversity in American orchestras, joining 100+ partner orchestras.
• Hotel BlackhawksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred hotel for QCSO musicians and guests. Hosts Inside the Music pre-concert talks and Afterglow events.
• WVIK-Quad Cities NPRsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting partner providing media coverage and promotional support for QCSO events.
• Figge Art MuseumsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Up Close concerts and special events, including pre-concert activities for Coco in Concert.
• American Festival for the ArtssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConductor's Circle sponsor supporting endowment and planned giving initiatives.
• Illinois Council of OrchestrassupportingOthersRegional orchestra industry organization that has awarded QCSO Professional Orchestra of the Year (2020-21, 2015), Community Relations of the Year (2021-22), and Youth Orchestra of the Year (2023).

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• League of American Orchestras: National service organization representing American orchestras; not a direct competitor but the consortium through which QCSO participates in the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program. Ecosystem participant.

Direct peers

• Fort Wayne Philharmonic: Mid-size American regional symphony with comparable Masterworks programming, robust youth ensembles, and education-outreach mission. Closely comparable in scale, budget tier, and program portfolio to QCSO.
• Toledo Symphony Orchestra: Mid-size regional symphony with comparable Masterworks, film-in-concert, and youth education programming. Directly comparable in scale, programming mix, and donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra: Mid-size regional American symphony of similar scale with comparable Masterworks, chamber, and youth education programming. Direct peer in size, programming, and community-engagement model.

Regional players

• Des Moines Symphony: Larger Iowa-based professional symphony also serving the broader Iowa community with Masterworks, Pops, and youth education programs. Comparable in mission and bi-state regional focus, though Des Moines is a larger single-metro market.
• Dubuque Symphony Orchestra: Iowa-based regional symphony with similar size, programming mix (Masterworks, Pops, youth education), and donor-supported funding model. Closely comparable peer in scope and operations.
• Rockford Symphony Orchestra: Illinois-based regional symphony of comparable size serving northern Illinois with similar Masterworks, Pops, and education programs. Comparable institutional mission and donor-supported funding model.
• Peoria Symphony Orchestra: Mid-size regional professional symphony in central Illinois with comparable Masterworks subscription model, youth ensembles, and education-outreach programming. Similar headcount and budget tier to QCSO.
• Springfield Symphony Orchestra (IL): Illinois-based regional symphony with comparable Masterworks, Pops, and education programming, serving a similarly-sized Midwestern market. Comparable in scale, mission, and operating model.
• Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra: Iowa-based regional symphony of comparable size serving the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor with similar Masterworks, chamber, and youth education programming. Direct geographic and scale comparable to QCSO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/login
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChf8H2JU1ax5mwQfQ4sjzFA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/QCSymphony
• Instagraminstagram.com/qcsymphony

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Quad City Symphony Orchestra