Wichita Symphony Orchestra

What Wichita Symphony Orchestra does

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra is a non-profit performing arts organization headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, and recognized as one of the oldest and most active arts institutions in the state. Its core product is the Masterworks Concert Series, a flagship orchestral concert program of classical and contemporary repertoire performed by a professional symphony orchestra at Century II Concert Hall. Supporting offerings include the Youth Orchestras & Ensembles training program, Young People's Concerts that reach over 12,000 students and teachers in grades 3-8 annually, and the free summer Symphony Storytime community series, plus a Symphony Merch retail line and a Radio Kansas broadcast partnership that distributes Masterworks programs on FM radio across south-central Kansas.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model combining ticketed and subscription ticket sales (single tickets, season subscriptions, and gift certificates via website and box office), contributed income from individual donors and the business/industrial community, volunteer-led fundraising by the Wichita Symphony Ambassadors (an auxiliary of approximately 150 members with a 70+ year history), and general operational support from the City of Wichita. Marketing and distribution span the company website, email newsletter, Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, SoundCloud, and on-air radio broadcasts.

The organization is governed by a board and staff structure, employs 51-100 people, files IRS Form 990 disclosures annually (FY2017-FY2025 available), and has no disclosed parent company, subsidiaries, venture investment, or pending M&A activity. It does not develop or sell software, AI, or technology products; the "platform" surface is operational (Salesforce-based ticketing) rather than commercial.

Name

Wichita Symphony Orchestra

Legal name

Wichita Symphony Orchestra

Website

https://wichitasymphony.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra is a non-profit performing arts organization in Wichita, Kansas that presents orchestral concerts, youth training programs, and school-based music education serving community members, students, and regional audiences across south-central Kansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Orchestral Performing Arts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Music (Instruments, Voice, Music Theory) (EDAAAGAC), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Orchestral concerts
• Music education
• Youth ensembles
• Performing arts
• Community concerts

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra produces and presents live orchestral concerts, primarily the Masterworks Concert Series, at Century II Concert Hall. It also operates music education programs including Youth Orchestras & Ensembles and Young People's Concerts that serve over 12,000 K-8 students annually, along with community outreach events such as Symphony Storytime and FM radio broadcasts through a Radio Kansas partnership.

Product overview

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra operates as a performing arts organization offering a unified portfolio centered on live orchestral concerts. The core product is the Masterworks Concert Series featuring classical and contemporary orchestral performances. Supporting offerings include the Radio Kansas Broadcasts partnership for radio accessibility, Youth Orchestras & Ensembles for musical education, Young People's Concerts serving over 12,000 students annually, and Symphony Storytime free community events. The Wichita Symphony Ambassadors volunteer organization provides fundraising and community support. Additional offerings include season tickets and gift certificates. The organization does not operate a platform-plus-modules software architecture but rather a service-based model centered on live performances and educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Masterworks Concert Series The flagship orchestral concert series featuring classical and contemporary compositions performed by the full symphony orchestra, typically held at Century II Concert Hall in Wichita.
• Youth Orchestras & Ensembles Educational orchestral programs for young musicians providing training and performance opportunities in an ensemble setting.
• Young People's Concerts Educational concerts for students in grades 3-8, with over 12,000 students and teachers attending annually across two weeks of performances.
• Symphony Storytime Free community events held during summer months featuring musical storytelling and engagement activities.
• Season Tickets Subscription packages offering discounted access to multiple concerts throughout the performance season.
• Gift Certificates Digital or physical gift certificates available for purchase to give as gifts for symphony experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,000+ students and teachers reached annually through Young People's Concerts

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• Radio KansascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadio Kansas partners with the Wichita Symphony to broadcast Masterworks concert programs. Hosted by Katelyn Mattson, broadcasts air on Fridays at 7:00 PM on multiple frequencies covering Hutchinson/Wichita (90.1 FM), Salina/Manhattan (89.5 FM), and Great Bend/Hays (90.9 FM) areas.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Des Moines Symphony: Regional Midwestern symphony serving Des Moines with Masterworks concerts and youth education outreach; highly comparable in market size, organizational scale, and programming mix.
• Omaha Symphony: Regional Midwestern symphony orchestra offering Masterworks concerts and youth education initiatives in a comparable mid-sized metro market; most directly comparable peer in scale and programming mix.
• Tulsa Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional symphony serving the Tulsa metro with orchestral concerts and education programs; comparable in scale, geography (Plains/Midwest), and nonprofit operating model.
• Colorado Springs Philharmonic: Regional professional orchestra offering classical concert series and youth education programs in a comparable mid-sized U.S. metro; directly comparable in programming, education mission, and scale.
• Kansas City Symphony: Regional professional symphony orchestra in Kansas City serving a similar Midwestern metropolitan audience with a Masterworks concert series and education programs; directly comparable in repertoire, venue model, and community/education mission.
• Oklahoma City Philharmonic: Regional symphony/philharmonic in a neighboring Plains state offering classical concerts and youth education programs; directly comparable in audience size, market profile, and mission scope.

Others

• League of American Orchestras: National service organization representing symphony orchestras across the U.S., providing industry data, advocacy, and benchmarking; not a direct competitor but the relevant industry association and peer network for benchmarking operational and fundraising metrics.

Broad incumbents

• St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Larger, internationally recognized symphony in the broader Midwest with a full classical season, education programs, and recording history; comparable in core orchestral product and educational mission but operates at significantly greater scale and reputation.
• Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra: Major regional symphony with Masterworks concerts, Pops series, and extensive youth education programs; comparable in classical programming and education focus but at greater scale and broader regional footprint.
• Nashville Symphony: Major regional symphony with a large concert hall (Schermerhorn), Grammy-winning recordings, and education/community programs; comparable orchestral programming and education focus but at materially larger scale and broader reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WichitaSymph
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZJsxqg_O9xRFfp1V3xEudg
• Facebookfacebook.com/WichitaSymphony
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wichita-symphony-orchestra

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Wichita Symphony Orchestra