UPDATE - The San Antonio Symphony is now the San Antonio Philharmonic!

For more information, visit - https://www.mosas.org

Bring back the San Antonio Symphony!

Due to the prolonged disputes over financial negotiations, the symphony is having difficulties sharing music to the culturally-enriched city of San Antonio. Members of the San Antonio Symphony have been on strike since September 27, 2021, making live performance impossible. While occasional musician-led performances still endure, it is not a sustainable long term solution. The lack of a symphony is troublesome to the substantial audience of both music appreciators and students alike. Future generations who are passionate about music will no longer have the San Antonio Symphony to listen to, something especially important in a world in which many speculate that the audience for classical music is already waning. Moreover, since all popular music today stems from classical music, there’s a strong necessity for a symphony to continue a line of great music writers and appreciators in the future. 

Founded in 1939 by Max Reiter, the San Antonio Symphony has invariably played an integral part in the rich tapestry of San Antonio culture. According to the official webpage of the San Antonio Symphony, the 1944–1945 season alone marked the symphony as not only one of America’s 19 major orchestras but also the only one in Texas. The amount of outreach the symphony has garnered over its 82-year history, from its glistening productions in the heart of the city to sold-out performances with mass audience approval, has left an astounding mark on San Antonio. 

Students passionate about music have started traveling to Austin to hear professional performances that were once much closer to home. Many students who are in either school orchestras or other organizations such as the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA), would no longer have a source of symphonic music as accessible and as masterful as the San Antonio Symphony. Furthermore, future professional musicians from YOSA would no longer have a symphony at home to play for. Even students who don’t decide to pursue music as a profession but still have an appreciation for music would have nowhere to turn in San Antonio.

The perceived lack of priority in the arts is misplaced. The city of San Antonio needs the San Antonio Symphony. Not only will it continue to provide depth to the culture, but generations young and old still appreciate it. The livelihood of classical music performances by the San Antonio Symphony depends on the strong support of the people. 

For more information, visit - https://www.mosas.org