Oakland Symphony
Oakland Symphony is a nonprofit performing arts organization that presents live orchestral and choral concerts, youth music education, and community access programming for the Oakland/East Bay region at the Paramount Theatre.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Oakland Symphony does
Oakland Symphony is a 501(c)-style nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Oakland, California. It produces live orchestral and choral performances, youth music education, and community access programming for the Oakland/East Bay region. Operationally, it is a federation of four program lines: the professional Oakland Symphony Orchestra, the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Oakland Symphony Chorus, and the MUSE community education program (which includes Harmonies from Home, Lifelong Enrichment, and MUSE VIVO), supplemented by the Hall Pass Access Program for community concert access. Performances are anchored at the 3,040-seat Paramount Theatre, with select events at the Valley Center for Performing Arts.
The organization runs an event-driven business with multiple revenue streams: single concert ticket sales, six-concert season subscriptions offering up to 21% savings, individual donations (annual fund, planned giving, ticket donations), corporate sponsorships, and annual gala events (Opus Oakland). Distribution is multi-channel: a Salesforce-powered online ticketing and donation storefront, box office phone orders, in-person sales at the Paramount Theatre on concert days, and the administrative office at 1440 Broadway. Marketing relies on the website, email newsletter, and social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram). Audience-development and accessibility are emphasized through free admission for children 5-14 with an adult, $15 student pricing, and the Hall Pass Access Program.
The core technical stack is commercial rather than proprietary: Salesforce underpins subscriber login, ticket purchasing, and online giving (oaklandsymphony.my.salesforce-sites.com), and the Youth Orchestra uses a video audition submission system for remote applicant evaluation. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Music Director and Conductor Kedrick Armstrong, succeeding the late Michael Morgan (Music Director 1990–2021). Oakland Symphony is an independent nonprofit with no parent company, private equity, or institutional investor ownership.
Oakland Symphony firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Oakland Symphony
- Legal name
- Oakland Symphony
- Website
- https://oaklandsymphony.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Oakland Symphony is a nonprofit performing arts organization that presents live orchestral and choral concerts, youth music education, and community access programming for the Oakland/East Bay region at the Paramount Theatre.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Oakland Symphony industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Services
- NAICS
- Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)
Keywords
Where Oakland Symphony is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Oakland Symphony business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Concert Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets and season subscriptions to orchestral performances at the Paramount Theatre and other venues. Subscriptions offer up to 21% savings over single ticket prices.
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations through various giving programs including annual fund, legacy and estate planning, and planned giving. Ticket donations accepted with tax deduction.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Business and corporate sponsorship programs supporting the symphony's operations and specific concert programs.
- Gala Events: Annual gala events such as Opus Oakland generating revenue through ticket sales and sponsorships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Sing-In General Admission |
| Subscription | Annual | Season Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Oakland Symphony product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Oakland Symphony is a nonprofit performing arts organization that presents live orchestral and choral concerts at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, sells single tickets and season subscriptions to a six-concert Classical Series, and runs community music education programs including the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra, Oakland Symphony Chorus, and the MUSE community outreach initiative. Revenue is supported by ticket sales, individual donations and planned giving, corporate sponsorships, and annual gala events.
Product overview
Oakland Symphony is a performing arts organization comprising three main components: the Oakland Symphony Orchestra (professional ensemble performing classical and contemporary orchestral works), the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra (youth education program), and the Oakland Symphony Chorus (choral ensemble). The organization offers season subscriptions to its Classical Series concerts at the Paramount Theatre, individual concert tickets, and educational programs including the MUSE community outreach initiative. The portfolio also includes special event series such as the Summer Sing-In choral workshops.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Oakland Symphony Orchestra The main professional symphony orchestra performing classical and contemporary orchestral music at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, featuring seasonal concerts with guest soloists and conductors as part of the Classical Series season.
- Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra A youth education program providing orchestral training for young musicians, including full orchestra, string orchestra, and chamber music ensembles, with concert performances throughout the year and video audition submissions.
- Oakland Symphony Chorus A choral ensemble performing alongside the orchestra in major works, as well as independent choral concerts including the annual Summer Sing-In series for community chorus participation.
- Classical Series Season Subscriptions
Quantifiable outcome
- Free admission for children ages 5-14 with adult ticket
Companies that use Oakland Symphony
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Oakland Symphony technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature1 record
Oakland Symphony partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Paramount Theatre of the Arts, Inc.coreNon-profit organization operating the Paramount Theatre (owned by City of Oakland). The theatre is the primary performance venue for Oakland Symphony and Oakland Ballet.
- Festival OperaminorFestival Opera presents annual productions at the Valley Center for Performing Arts at Holy Names University, a venue also used for Oakland Symphony Chorus events.
- Oakland Ballet CompanyminorCo-tenant performing arts organization sharing the Paramount Theatre as primary performance venue.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Oakland Symphony competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Berkeley Symphony: East Bay–based regional professional symphony also performing a classical subscription series in the immediate Oakland/Berkeley market. Directly comparable on geography, programming mix, and audience demographic, making it the closest head-to-head peer for Oakland Symphony.
- California Symphony: Walnut Creek–based regional symphony also serving the East Bay audience with a classical season and education programming. Comparable in scale, venue model (Lesher Center), and mission-driven nonprofit structure.
Broad incumbents
- San Francisco Symphony: Major Bay Area symphony with significantly larger budget, longer season, and Davies Symphony Hall as home venue. While not a direct competitor for the same subscriber base, it sets the regional standard for programming, talent, and pricing that Oakland Symphony must differentiate against.
- LA Philharmonic: One of the largest and most prestigious U.S. orchestras, operating Walt Disney Concert Hall. Sets the upper-bound benchmark for programming, talent pricing, and donor/sponsorship economics that California regional orchestras, including Oakland Symphony, must navigate around.
- Pacific Symphony: Orange County–based regional symphony and one of the largest in the U.S. by budget. Comparable in classical season programming and education programs (Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra), though at meaningfully greater scale.
Regional players
- Modesto Symphony Orchestra: Central Valley regional symphony with a comparable classical subscription series, youth ensemble programming, and nonprofit funding model. Useful comp for benchmarking small-to-mid California regional orchestras.
- New West Symphony: Ventura/Los Angeles County regional symphony with a classical subscription series and youth programs. Comparable operating model as a California-based regional orchestra, though geographically distinct from the Bay Area.
- Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera: Combined regional orchestra and opera company serving California's capital region. Comparable on nonprofit structure, mixed classical/orchestral programming, and reliance on donations plus ticket revenue, but in a distinct geography.
- Symphony Silicon Valley: San Jose–based regional professional orchestra formed from the former San Jose Symphony. Comparable in scale and mission as a post-restructured regional symphony, but operating in a distinct South Bay geography.
Emerging players
- Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra: Bay Area period-instrument orchestra presenting historically informed performances. Comparable as a Bay Area classical ensemble competing for overlapping audiences, donors, and corporate sponsors, though with a narrower period-performance niche.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Oakland Symphony social profiles
Digital presenceOakland Symphony financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Oakland Symphony leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Oakland Symphony subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Oakland Symphony funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Oakland Symphony M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Oakland Symphony
What does Oakland Symphony do?
Oakland Symphony is a nonprofit performing arts organization that presents live orchestral and choral concerts at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, sells single tickets and season subscriptions to a six-concert Classical Series, and runs community music education programs including the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra, Oakland Symphony Chorus, and the MUSE community outreach initiative. Revenue is supported by ticket sales, individual donations and planned giving, corporate sponsorships, and annual gala events.
Is Oakland Symphony a public or private company?
Oakland Symphony is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Oakland Symphony founded?
Oakland Symphony was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Oakland Symphony based?
Oakland Symphony is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Oakland Symphony make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Concert Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising, corporate Sponsorship and gala Events.
Who are Oakland Symphony's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Berkeley Symphony and California Symphony. Broad incumbents are San Francisco Symphony, LA Philharmonic and Pacific Symphony. Regional players are Modesto Symphony Orchestra, New West Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera and Symphony Silicon Valley. Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is listed as an emerging player.
Does Oakland Symphony have an API?
No public API is recorded for Oakland Symphony.
What industry is Oakland Symphony in?
Oakland Symphony's product category is Performing Arts Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAB, Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music), with a secondary code of EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir). Its NAICS code is 711130 and its SIC code is 7900.