THE SYMPHONY OF OAK PARK & RIVER FOREST

What THE SYMPHONY OF OAK PARK & RIVER FOREST does

The Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest is a 501(c)(3) community orchestra founded in 1931 and based in Oak Park, Illinois, with a 93-year operating history. Its core product is live symphonic music — typically full-orchestra concerts performed at educational and community venues, primarily Dominican University in River Forest and, for major productions, Symphony Center in downtown Chicago — supported by a broader programming slate that includes choral-orchestral works such as Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand (2010) and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis (2012) and themed concerts spanning Bach through Vaughan Williams and Holst. The orchestra is led by Music Director Jay Friedman, who has held the post since 1965 while concurrently serving as Principal Trombone of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and is staffed by a small team of five employees, with the remaining musicians drawn from a volunteer and community-player base.

The business model is a non-profit ticket-and-donation model: revenue is generated from single-ticket and subscription sales (subscriptions priced at $80 for seniors 65+ and $100 for regular adults) combined with a tiered donor program spanning $50 Supporter contributions up to $1,000+ Benefactor gifts. No merchandise, licensing, recording, or commercial product line is indicated in the source material. Operational infrastructure is built on institutional venue partnerships — Concordia University Chicago serves as the primary rehearsal site and Dominican University as the primary performance venue — supplemented by occasional partnerships with other community organizations for choristers and large-scale productions.

No proprietary technology, software platform, or AI/ML component is part of the offering; the product is the live concert experience itself. The organization has accrued repeated recognition from the Illinois Council of Orchestras, including multiple Orchestra of the Year designations and a 2017 Conductor of the Year award to Music Director Jay Friedman, anchoring its reputation in the regional classical music ecosystem.

Name

THE SYMPHONY OF OAK PARK & RIVER FOREST

Legal name

The Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest

Website

https://symphonyoprf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest is a 501(c)(3) community orchestra founded in 1931 that performs live symphonic concerts for the Oak Park, River Forest, and greater Chicago audiences, led since 1965 by Music Director Jay Friedman.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Orchestra / Live Performing Arts

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

Keywords

• Community orchestra performances
• Live classical concerts
• Concert season subscriptions
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Tax-deductible donations

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Concert Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from single-ticket purchases and subscription packages for live orchestral performances. Subscriptions are offered at $100 USD regular and $80 USD for seniors (65+).
2. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the symphony relies on tax-deductible donations from supporters. Contribution categories include Sforzando ($1,000+), Crescendo ($500-$999), Fortissimo ($250-$499), Forte ($100-$249), Mezzo-forte ($50-$99), and Accents ($25-$49).
3. Volunteer Services: The organization operates with volunteers who contribute time and expertise to support day-to-day operations, reducing operational costs and enabling the not-for-profit model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest is a 501(c)(3) community orchestra that produces live symphonic concert performances for the Oak Park, River Forest, and greater Chicago metropolitan area. It sells individual concert tickets and annual subscriptions (priced at $100 regular / $80 seniors 65+) and is supported by tax-deductible donations across six giving tiers ranging from $25 to $1,000+. The orchestra performs classical and symphonic works by composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mahler, Vaughan Williams, Debussy, Holst, and Bizet, conducted by Music Director Jay Friedman.

Product overview

The Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest is a community orchestra founded in 1931 that offers live orchestral concert performances as its primary service. The organization provides subscription-based access to its concert season, featuring symphonic works performed by amateur and professional musicians under Music Director Jay Friedman. The symphony's offerings include individual concert tickets and season subscriptions with FlexTix benefits for patrons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Orchestral Concerts
• Concert Season Subscriptions
• Charitable Donation Program

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Concordia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcordia University in River Forest serves as the primary rehearsal venue for the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest. Wednesday evening rehearsals (7:30 PM to 10:00 PM) are held at the university, and concerts such as 'Back to Bach' have been performed at the Concordia University Chapel. This partnership provides essential facilities for the orchestra's operations.
• Dominican UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominican University serves as a performance venue host, with the Performing Arts Center hosting concerts including 'Folk Tales & Legends' and 'Variations on a Paganini Theme'. This partnership enables the symphony to present performances at a professional-quality venue.
• Chicago Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest benefits from proximity and connections to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Music Director Jay Friedman serves as Principal Trombone of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Several conductors and soloists have come from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra ranks, enriching the community orchestra's artistic leadership and talent pool.
• Illinois Council of OrchestrascoreOthersThe Illinois Council of Orchestras (ICO) is the governing body that has awarded the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest multiple awards including Community Orchestra of the Year (2004, 2011), Conductor of the Year (2001, 2011, 2017), and various other recognitions since 1998.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oprfsymphony
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSymphonyOfOakParkRiverForest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-symphony-of-oak-park-&-river-forest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 THE SYMPHONY OF OAK PARK & RIVER FOREST