What Baton Rouge Symphony does

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) is a private non-profit performing arts organization founded in 1947 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is the oldest professional orchestra in the state and the oldest performing arts institution in the region, and is currently preparing its 80th anniversary season for 2026-2027. BRSO is led by Music Director Adam Johnson and Executive Director Marshall Carby, and fields a professional ensemble of more than 80 musicians.

BRSO delivers a portfolio of live performance products including the Orchestral Series, Pops Concerts, Lamar Family Chamber Series, Candlelight Concerts, Concerts in the Cosmos (performed at the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium), Holiday Brass concerts, and the volunteer Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus. Educational offerings include the Louisiana Youth Orchestras — a wholly-owned subsidiary operating four ensemble tiers serving students ages 5-21 — and the Young People's Discovery Series reaching over 10,000 students annually.

BRSO operates on a diversified non-profit revenue model combining ticket sales (single tickets and season subscriptions priced $25-$80 for main orchestral performances), individual donations (representing two-thirds of annual revenue), corporate sponsorships from regional banks and businesses, public-sector grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Louisiana Division of the Arts, and City of Baton Rouge, plus modest tuition from youth programs and chorus dues. The organization distributes tickets through a direct box office and the ThunderTix online platform, and partners with multiple regional venues including River Center Theatre, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, LSU School of Music, and Louisiana Art & Science Museum.

Name

Baton Rouge Symphony

Legal name

Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra

Website

https://brso.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra is the oldest professional orchestra in Louisiana (founded 1947), offering classical, pops, chamber, candlelight, and planetarium concerts, plus youth education programs serving 150+ students and 10,000+ schoolchildren annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performing Arts (Symphony Orchestra)

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Symphony orchestra performances
• Classical music concerts
• Youth music education
• Chamber music series
• Live performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single concert tickets, season subscriptions, and package purchases for orchestral series, pops concerts, chamber music, and special events.
2. Individual Donations: Charitable contributions from individual donors, major supporters, and planned giving through the Encore Society. Donations represent two-thirds of annual revenue.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships providing essential financial support, business visibility, and community partnership opportunities for local companies.
4. Chorus Membership Dues: Volunteer chorus members pay $50 per season in dues, which fund the chorusmaster, accompanist, and concert production costs.
5. Education Programs: Louisiana Youth Orchestras program with tuition payments supporting youth orchestral training and education initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra is a professional performing arts non-profit that produces and presents live orchestral music performances, including classical orchestral concerts, pops, chamber music, candlelight concerts, and multi-sensory planetarium concerts. The organization also operates the Louisiana Youth Orchestras program (four ensembles for students ages 5-21), the Symphony Chorus volunteer choral ensemble, and K-12 educational outreach programs reaching over 10,000 students annually.

Product overview

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra is a performing arts organization offering a portfolio of live musical performance products and education programs. Core offerings include Orchestral Series concerts (classical symphonic repertoire at major venues), Pops Concerts (popular music with guest artists), Chamber Music performances through the Lamar Family Chamber Series, Candlelight Concerts (intimate candle-lit settings), and Concerts in the Cosmos (planetarium visual experiences). The organization also operates a comprehensive youth music education program through the Louisiana Youth Orchestras (LYO), which includes four ensemble levels serving students ages 5-21, and provides outreach programs including mentorship and classroom chamber music. The Symphony Chorus performs major choral works in partnership with the orchestra, while Holiday Concerts and special events round out the annual programming calendar.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Louisiana Youth Orchestras: Premier performing arts organization for youth in greater Baton Rouge, providing orchestral training through weekly rehearsals for students aged 5 to 21.
• Baton Rouge Symphony League

Products and services

• Orchestral Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 people engaged annually through programs and performances
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Pennington Family FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor supporter and underwriter of special concerts. The Pennington Family Foundation underwrites the Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown concert.
• City of Baton RougemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment partner providing ongoing support to BRSO operations and the Louisiana Youth Orchestras program.
• Louisiana Division of the ArtsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerState arts agency providing grant funding and support for BRSO operations and education programs.
• National Endowment for the ArtsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal arts funding agency providing grant support for BRSO programs and operations.
• Arts Council of Greater Baton RougemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal arts organization and major supporter, serving as venue partner for candlelight concerts at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge location.
• Lamar FamilycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous supporter of the Lamar Chamber Series, including Bachtoberfest, Chamber Percussion Ensemble, and Chamber String Quartet concerts.
• LSU School of MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Louisiana Youth Orchestras rehearsals and chamber percussion ensemble concerts held at LSU School of Music facilities.
• Louisiana Art & Science MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Cosmos Concerts (Space: The Final Frontier, DIVAS) held at the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium.
• Broadmoor United Methodist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus rehearsals and location of chorusmaster David Shaler's primary position.
• JPMorgan ChasemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and major supporter of the Baton Rouge Symphony.
• Lamar AdvertisingmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing advertising and promotional support for BRSO.
• Hancock Whitney BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and major supporter of the symphony.
• b1BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and major supporter of the symphony.
• Guaranty MediamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and major supporter of the symphony.
• Rotary Club of Baton RougemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCivic organization and major supporter of the Baton Rouge Symphony.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra: Louisiana's other major professional regional orchestra, based in New Orleans. Directly comparable as a Louisiana-based professional symphony with similar size, programming mix, and donor-driven funding model.
• Jacksonville Symphony: Mid-size regional professional orchestra in Jacksonville, Florida. Comparable in scope, multi-series programming (classical, pops, chamber), and youth education mission.
• Acadiana Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional orchestra based in Lafayette, Louisiana, mentioned as a peer orchestra where BRSO's Resident Conductor has guest-conducted. Comparable in scale, regional footprint, and education/outreach programming.
• Shreveport Symphony Orchestra: Another professional regional symphony in Louisiana. Comparable size and operating model as a mid-sized regional orchestra serving a single metropolitan area within the same state.
• Mobile Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional orchestra in Mobile, Alabama. Similar scale, donor-funded non-profit model, and multi-venue concert programming targeting a mid-size Gulf South metro.
• Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional orchestra serving Little Rock and Arkansas. Comparable size, mixed classical/pops programming, and youth education programs including youth orchestras.
• Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional orchestra in Knoxville, Tennessee. Comparable in size, programming mix, and donor-supported non-profit model serving a mid-size Southern metro.
• Mississippi Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional orchestra serving Jackson and the broader Mississippi market. Comparable in scope, headcount, multi-series programming, and education mission.

Broad incumbents

• Houston Symphony: Major metropolitan symphony with significantly larger budget, full-time musicians, and broader programming. Useful as an upper-bound benchmark for scale and institutional sophistication in the regional orchestra category.
• Nashville Symphony: Larger regional symphony with a self-owned concert hall and broader programming portfolio. Useful as a benchmark for what scaled regional symphony operations and earned-revenue mix can look like.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/baton-rouge-symphony-orchestra
• Instagraminstagram.com/batonrougesymphony
• Xx.com/BRSymphony
• Facebookfacebook.com/BRsymphony

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Baton Rouge Symphony