Pasadena Symphony & POPS

What Pasadena Symphony & POPS does

Pasadena Symphony & POPS is a nonprofit performing arts organization operated by the Pasadena Symphony Association, founded in 1928 and headquartered in Pasadena, California. The organization presents two core concert series: a formal classical Symphony Series at Ambassador Auditorium and an outdoor Rusnak Summer POPS Series at the LA County Arboretum, supplemented by annual Holiday Candlelight concerts at All Saints Church. It also operates the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO) education program with eight ensemble levels for student musicians, plus community engagement programs such as a Wildfire Recovery Instrument Drive, Random Acts Of Music, and a JPL Chorus.

Revenue is generated through five streams: season subscriptions and single ticket sales (up to 25% discount for subscribers); individual giving including the Conductor's Circle ($2,500+ annually for Symphony, $2,000+ for POPS); corporate partnerships anchored by title sponsor Rusnak; special events including Party at the POPS and the Holiday Look In Home Tour; and institutional support via foundation grants. Ticketing, subscriptions, and donations are processed through a Salesforce-integrated web platform.

Artistic leadership includes Music Director Brett Mitchell (classical series), Principal Pops Conductor Michael Feinstein, and Resident Pops Conductor Larry Blank. Marketing is multi-channel across website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email newsletters, and earned media, supported by a Director of Marketing and PR. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and is classified as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization with 11-50 employees.

Name

Pasadena Symphony & POPS

Legal name

Pasadena Symphony Association

Website

https://pasadenasymphony-pops.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pasadena Symphony & POPS is a nonprofit performing arts organization in Pasadena, California, presenting classical Symphony concerts at Ambassador Auditorium, outdoor Summer POPS concerts at the LA County Arboretum, Holiday Candlelight concerts, and the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras education program, funded through ticket sales, individual and corporate giving, and institutional grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE)

Keywords

• Orchestral concert series
• Live performance entertainment
• Classical music performances
• Summer pops concerts
• Youth orchestra education

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Concert Tickets: Single ticket sales and season subscriptions for Symphony and POPS concert series. Subscribers receive up to 25% discount, preferred seating, free ticket exchanges, VIP events, and complimentary tickets.
2. Individual Giving: Donations from individual patrons including Conductor's Circle membership ($2,500+ annually for Symphony, $2,000+ for POPS) with exclusive benefits.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsorship and partnership programs including logo placement, event naming rights, and VIP experiences.
4. Special Events: Revenue from special events including Party at the POPS and Holiday Look In Home Tour.
5. Institutional Support: Grants and support from institutional foundations and funding organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pasadena Symphony & POPS is a nonprofit performing arts organization that presents live orchestral concerts, including an indoor Symphony Series and the Rusnak Summer POPS Series at outdoor venues. It also operates the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO) youth music education program and produces special events such as Holiday Candlelight, Party at the POPS, and the Holiday Look In Home Tour.

Product overview

Pasadena Symphony & Pops is a performing arts organization presenting two primary concert series: the formal Symphony Series featuring classical orchestral music at Ambassador Auditorium, and the casual Summer POPS Series with popular music performances outdoors at LA County Arboretum. The organization also produces Holiday Candlelight concerts and operates the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO) education program with multiple ensemble levels for student musicians. Ticketing and donations are facilitated through Salesforce-based portals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Symphony Series
• Rusnak Summer POPS Series
• Holiday Candlelight
• Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO)
• Party at the POPS
• Season Subscriptions

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rusnakmajor sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerRusnak is the title sponsor of the Summer POPS concert series, branded as the 'Rusnak Summer POPS Series.' Named sponsor provides automotive luxury sponsorship and marketing visibility at outdoor concerts at LA County Arboretum.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Colburn Orchestra (Colburn School): LA-based conservatory orchestra featuring pre-college and collegiate musicians performing classical repertoire. Comparable youth education focus to PYSO and competes for the same young musician pipeline and family donor base in the Pasadena/LA market.

Broad incumbents

• LA Opera: Major LA-based performing arts nonprofit operating at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Competes with Pasadena Symphony for the same affluent LA donors, corporate sponsors, and subscriber households interested in live classical-performing-arts experiences.
• Los Angeles Philharmonic: Major LA-based symphony orchestra operating Walt Disney Concert Hall with extensive classical and pops programming. Direct market overlap with Pasadena Symphony in Los Angeles, competing for the same subscriber base, donors, and corporate sponsors.
• San Francisco Symphony: Large California symphony with subscription model, classical and pops programming, and youth ensembles. Comparable operating model and program structure, though materially larger scale and operating budget.
• Boston Symphony Orchestra / Tanglewood: Major US symphony with both indoor subscription season and a summer outdoor pops programming at Tanglewood. Closely comparable dual indoor-classical and outdoor-pops model to Pasadena Symphony + POPS structure.

Direct peers

• Pacific Symphony: Regional symphony orchestra serving Orange County, California with a similar season subscription model, classical and pops programming, and youth education components. Closely comparable in scale, governance structure (nonprofit), and programming strategy.
• Long Beach Symphony: Regional symphony orchestra serving the greater Long Beach/LA area with a classical season and pops programming. Closely comparable in scale, programming mix, and reliance on subscription, donations, and corporate partnerships.
• Hollywood Bowl Orchestra: Summer outdoor orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl performing popular, film, and classical repertoire in an outdoor setting. Direct analogue to Pasadena POPS in format, audience, and summer outdoor concert model, and competitor for LA outdoor classical audiences.

Others

• Segerstrom Center for the Arts: Major Orange County performing arts presenter operating multiple venues with classical, pops, and Broadway programming. Comparable in presenting a multi-genre season and competing for the same Southern California patron, donor, and corporate sponsor pool.

Regional players

• San Diego Symphony: Southern California regional symphony performing at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park (outdoor) and Copley Symphony Hall. Comparable mid-sized regional orchestra with mixed indoor/outdoor season format, subscriber base, and youth programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ThePasadenaSymphony
• Facebookfacebook.com/75798313824
• Instagraminstagram.com/passymphpops
• Xx.com/passymphpops
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pasadena-symphony-and-pops

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Pasadena Symphony & POPS