Mississippi Symphony Orchestra

As the state's largest professional performing arts organization, the MSO performs for over 75,000 Mississippians annually at more than 120 concerts statewide.

The MSO offers a variety of concert series that appeal to all audiences, from Beethoven to Broadway to Blues. During The Selby & Richard McRae Foundation Bravo and Pops Series, classical enthusiasts and newcomers alike can look forward to period pieces and well-known hits from the stage and beyond at Thalia Mara Hall. The symphony also offers its Chamber Series, intimate concerts performed throughout charming venues with excellent acoustics in the metro Jackson area. Special events and the popular Pepsi Pops at Old Trace Park on the Ross Barnett Reservoir, where beloved pops standards and fireworks shine, are also a regular part of the season.

One of the most unique, and important, aspects of the MSO is its numerous educational programs. Through the Mississippi Symphony Youth Orchestras and additional programming, more than 800 school children receive daily instruction in violin, viola, and cello. Over the years, the MSO has introduced programs such as Children’s Concerts - full orchestra concerts performed annually for over 16,000 elementary school students, and Informances by the Woodwind Quintet, Brass Quintet, and String Quartet. The MSO also supports diverse festivals, competitions, and an annual week-long summer string camp for aspiring young musicians.

As of this year, the symphony has adopted a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to increase diversity on the governing board, on its stage, and among listeners and members. Beck notes that the MSO's distinctive place and state in America should be all the more reason for the symphony should be an essential civic partner in creating meaningful and lasting change regarding diversity.