San Jose Wind Symphony

What San Jose Wind Symphony does

San Jose Wind Symphony is a 501(c)(3)-style non-profit community wind ensemble founded in September 1958 by Darrell Johnston at San Jose City College (originally as the San Jose Symphonic Band), currently operating in its 67th season (2025-2026). The organization fields an all-volunteer ensemble of approximately 55 woodwind, brass, and percussion musicians performing five to seven concerts annually across Bay Area venues including the McAfee Performing Arts Center in Saratoga (its permanent home), Hammer Theatre Center in San Jose, and Oak Meadow Park in Los Gatos for the annual free 4th of July Symphony in the Park. The repertoire spans classical, contemporary, and popular wind ensemble works, including commissioned pieces from contemporary composers, and the organization has earned national recognition including the 1998 Sudler Silver Scroll and a 2009 Midwest Clinic selection. Under the artistic direction of Dr. David Vickerman (the third Music Director in the ensemble's history, appointed 2023), SJWS also pursues educational partnerships with San Jose State University.

The business model is a hybrid ticket-plus-donation revenue structure with no external equity ownership. Individual concert tickets are priced at $25 for adults and $20 for seniors (60+), with free admission for children and students through college; season subscriptions are available for repeat attendees. Individual donations operate on a six-tier named program ranging from $10 (Percy Grainger Group) to $2,500+ (Darrell Johnston Founding Conductor Group), supplemented by corporate sponsorships (Bergeson LLP, Copacabana USA, Welton Foundation for 2025-2026). Distribution occurs through online ticketing, phone sales, in-venue sales, Mailchimp-driven concert alert newsletters, and free community concerts that funnel audiences into paid programming. The ensemble holds open auditions year-round for musicians and produces downloadable audio recordings for revenue diversification. All operations are volunteer-governed via a Board of Directors (President Caroline McIntyre for 2023-2024) with Managing Director Rayna Davis handling administration.

The technology stack is minimal and non-differentiated: the organization uses Mailchimp for email marketing, Squarespace for website hosting, Google Forms for audition submissions, and YouTube for video distribution. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, mobile applications, or APIs are disclosed. The competitive position rests on 65+ years of brand reputation, national-level artistic recognition, deep institutional partnerships (Saratoga High School, SJSU, Town of Los Gatos), and a stable of high-caliber volunteer musicians rather than on technological differentiation. No revenue figures, headcount disclosures, or formal financial statements are publicly available.

Name

San Jose Wind Symphony

Legal name

San Jose Wind Symphony

Website

https://sjws.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

San Jose Wind Symphony is a non-profit, all-volunteer community wind ensemble founded in 1958, performing five to seven concerts annually at Bay Area venues for general public audiences, with revenue from ticket sales, tiered individual donations, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts — Wind Ensemble Concerts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA), Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Wind ensemble performances
• Classical music concerts
• Symphonic band
• Community performing arts
• Live musical performances

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual concert tickets and season subscriptions. Adults $25, seniors $20, children and students free.
2. Donations: As a non-profit organization, SJWS relies on donations from individual donors at various contribution levels ranging from $10 to $2500+. Donations are listed in concert programs for annual donors of $10 or more.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors underwrite concerts or entire seasons. Sponsors include Bergeson LLP, Copacabana USA, and Welton Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

San Jose Wind Symphony is a non-profit community wind ensemble that performs five to seven live concerts annually across the San Francisco Bay Area. Its offerings include ticketed concerts at venues such as the McAfee Performing Arts Center and Hammer Theatre Center, free community events like the 4th of July Symphony in the Park, season subscriptions, audio recordings, and a tiered donation program. The organization also commissions new works, holds open auditions, and partners with local institutions to advance wind ensemble repertoire.

Product overview

San Jose Wind Symphony is an all-volunteer wind ensemble performing five to seven concerts annually, primarily at the McAfee Performing Arts Center in Saratoga. The organization operates as a non-profit offering live concert performances featuring woodwind, brass, and percussion musicians. The product portfolio includes individual concert tickets and season subscriptions for live performances, audio recordings of past concerts, and a donation program with tiered sponsorship levels. The ensemble also conducts open auditions for musicians and commissions new works to expand the wind band repertoire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Concert Performances Live wind ensemble performances held five to seven times per year at venues including the McAfee Performing Arts Center in Saratoga, Hammer Theatre Center in San Jose, and outdoor venues. Programs feature contemporary, classical, and popular works for wind ensemble or symphonic band.
• Individual Concert Tickets Single-admission tickets to individual SJWS concerts. Adults $25, seniors (age 60+) $20, and children and students through college admitted free.
• Season Subscriptions Multi-concert subscription packages granting subscribers admission to multiple McAfee Center performances during the season, such as 'Common Threads,' 'Echoes of Christmas Past,' and 'Divine Inspiration.'
• Audio Recordings Recorded albums of SJWS performances available for listening/download, including 'A Musical Potpourri' (Dr. Edward C. Harris), 'The First 40 Years' (Darrell Johnston), and 'The Colonel Conducts' (Col. Arnald Gabriel), distributed as downloadable MP3 files.
• Commissioned Works Program Program for commissioning new works from contemporary composers, expanding the wind ensemble repertoire and promoting innovation in the art form.
• Donation Program Non-profit donation program with tiered annual giving levels named after conductors and composers: Darrell Johnston Founding Conductor Group ($2500+), Frederick Fennell Group ($1000-$2499), Alfred Reed Group ($500-$999), Frank Ticheli Group ($250-$499), John Williams Group ($100-$249), and Percy Grainger Group ($10-$99). Donors are acknowledged in concert programs.
• Audition System Open auditions held throughout the year at Obi Studios for wind, brass, and percussion musicians. Applications are accepted via online Google Forms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Only the second Californian adult band accepted in 63-year history of Midwest Clinic
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Town of Los GatoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Town of Los Gatos provides continued support and partnership for the annual 4th of July Symphony in the Park at Oak Meadow Park. This is a free community event celebrating America's anniversary.
• Bill Wilson CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBill Wilson Center, supporting youth and families across Santa Clara County, is spotlighted during the Echoes of Christmas Past concert as a community partner for sharing the spirit of giving through music.
• San Jose State University Wind EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SJSU Wind Ensemble, led by Dr. David Vickerman, performs as a guest artist with SJWS during the Common Threads concert on October 5, 2025. Dr. Vickerman serves as Director of Bands at SJSU while also directing SJWS.
• Bergeson LLPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor in the Darrell Johnston Founding Conductor Group ($2500+) for the 2025-2026 season. Bergeson LLP is a law firm.
• Copacabana USAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor in the Frederick Fennell Group ($1000-$2499) for the 2025-2026 season.
• Welton FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor in the Darrell Johnston Founding Conductor Group ($2500+) for the 2025-2026 season. The Welton Foundation supports the arts in the community.
• Saratoga High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSJWS performs most concerts at the McAfee Performing Arts Center on the campus of Saratoga High School, which serves as their permanent home venue.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Symphony: Major professional symphony orchestra based in San Francisco. While SJWS operates at a far smaller scale, both compete for Bay Area classical music audiences, donor dollars, and civic visibility, and SJWS's most ambitious players sometimes flow into SF Symphony's amateur or training ensembles.

Direct peers

• Foothill Symphonic Winds: Community wind ensemble based in the San Francisco Bay Area performing ticketed concerts of wind band repertoire. Closest direct peer by instrumentation and ensemble type — both are volunteer, non-profit wind symphonies serving Bay Area audiences.
• Peninsula Symphony: Bay Area community symphony orchestra performing ticketed classical concert seasons with volunteer and semi-professional musicians. Operates a similar non-profit, ticket-and-donation revenue model serving the same regional audience as SJWS, though with string instrumentation rather than winds.
• California Wind Orchestra: California-based community wind ensemble performing classical and contemporary wind band repertoire. Direct peer in ensemble type and West Coast geographic market, sharing comparable audience demographics and non-profit operating model.
• San Jose Chamber Orchestra: San Jose-based community chamber orchestra presenting ticketed concert seasons with a mix of professional and volunteer musicians. Directly comparable as a Bay Area non-profit performing ensemble relying on subscriptions, single-ticket sales, and donor support.
• Golden Gate Park Band: Historic San Francisco community concert band that has performed free outdoor concerts in Golden Gate Park since 1882. Directly comparable as a long-running volunteer wind ensemble in the Bay Area with a similar community-outreach mission.
• San Jose Municipal Band: Long-running San Jose-based community concert band presenting free outdoor and indoor performances. Shares the same South Bay geography and volunteer wind-ensemble identity as SJWS, with overlapping audiences and donor base.
• Palo Alto Philharmonic: South Bay community orchestra performing classical concerts in the Palo Alto area with a comparable volunteer/non-profit structure. Overlaps directly with SJWS's geographic catchment and audience base on the Peninsula.
• San Jose Youth Symphony: Bay Area youth orchestral training organization presenting ticketed performances. While focused on youth rather than adult musicians, it operates in the same non-profit classical performing arts ecosystem with overlapping patrons and venues.
• Pacifica Wind Symphony: Bay Area community wind ensemble performing concert band repertoire for regional audiences. Closest analog in ensemble type and non-profit performing arts structure, though based further north on the Peninsula.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SJWindSymphony
• Facebookfacebook.com/SanJoseWindSymphony
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-jose-wind-symphony

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 San Jose Wind Symphony