Description
The Paducah Symphony Orchestra (PSO) was founded in 1979 to provide the highest quality orchestral and choral music to area residents and employment to professional musicians in Western Kentucky (www.paducahsymphony.org). The PSO, the Orchestra-in-Residence at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center for the Performing Arts , encompasses a wide range of ensembles, including the Professional Orchestra, Paducah POPS, auditioned 65-member Symphony Chorus, multi-county 60-member Children's Chorus, and "Ensembles in the Schools" Music Education Program. Dr. Jordan Tang is the Music Director & Conductor and Dr. Brad Almquist is the Director of Choruses. The PSO will celebrate its 30th Anniversary in the 2008-09 Season. The PSO serves as the premier musical organization in Western Kentucky and the surrounding region, strengthening the area's cultural reputation through collaborations with organizational partners. The mission of the PSO is to bring the enjoyment and rewards of great music to increasing and diverse numbers of citizens of the region. The Paducah Symphony, the region's professional symphony orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Jordan Tang, is a cultural resource for the entire Western Kentucky region. Orchestra members, all professionals compensated on a per service basis, are drawn from 27 communities in Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, and Tennessee. The PSO has also performed several times for the Paducah Summer Festival, attracting audiences of 10,000 to 12,000 people. The PSO had the distinction of backing up the Moody Blues band in a concert at Cape Girardeau in 1994 and for vocalist Amy Grant at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center in 2007. The PSO added the Paducah Pops during the 1992-93 season--a pops concert series featuring the light classics and music from Broadway shows. The Paducah Pops has performed at Kentucky Dam Village State Park, Fohs Hall in Marion, Hopkinsville, Marshall County High School, Winchester, Murray, Southeast Missouri State University and Southeast Illinois Community College.
