Our Mission

Mission Statement  |  The Nashville Symphony is dedicated to achieving the highest standard for excellence in musical performance and educational programs, while engaging the community, enriching audiences and shaping cultural life.

Artistic Vision Statement  |  Achieve recognized artistic excellence in the performance and presentation of the highest quality music, with a focus on the creation, promotion and preservation of a distinctly American repertoire.

Education Vision Statement  |  Engage and enrich people of all ages by exploring, experiencing and creating music. 

About the Nashville Symphony

Led by Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero and President and CEO Alan D. Valentine, the GRAMMY®Award-winning Nashville Symphony has a growing international reputation for its recordings and innovative programming.  With 140 performances annually, the 85-member Nashville Symphony is an arts leader in Nashville and beyond, offering a broad range of classical, pops and jazz concerts; special events; children’s concerts and community outreach programs.

The Nashville Symphony has received far-reaching acclaim for its 19 recordings on Naxos, the world’s leading classical label, making it one of the most active recording orchestras in the country. These recordings have received 17 total GRAMMY® nominations and eight GRAMMY® wins, including two for Best Orchestral Performance. The Nashville Symphony has maintained a firm commitment to commissioning, performing and recording work by America’s leading composers. This dedication to adventuresome, original programming has earned the orchestra an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall on May 12, 2012, as part of the Spring for Music festival.

Music education is a top priority for the Nashville Symphony. During the 2010/11 season, the institution reached more than 200,000 adults and children through a diverse array of education and community engagement programs. These include One Note, One Neighborhood, which provides instrument lessons, curriculum materials, professional development and other music education resources to students and teachers at underserved public schools. Working in partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools and the W.O. Smith/Nashville Community Music School, the Nashville Symphony doubled its reach through this program in the last year.

In 2003, the Nashville Symphony broke ground on the $123.5 million Schermerhorn Symphony Center, which opened on September 9, 2006. Notable for its remarkable acoustics and distinctive architecture, this 197,000-square-foot facility has become an integral part of cultural life in Music City and is regarded as one of the finest concert halls in America.