Our Story

Francesco Lecce-Chong began his tenure as Music Director and Conductor in July of 2018 at age 31. While establishing a presence and lasting bonds in Sonoma County, he also serves as Music Director of the Eugene Symphony Orchestra in Eugene, Oregon, and continues to guest conduct across the nation. A Solti Foundation Award winner, the Boulder, Colorado, native began conducting at the age of sixteen and graduated from the Mannes College of Music and Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. He has worked closely with many internationally celebrated conductors, including Bernard Haitink, David Zinman, Edo de Waart, and Manfred Honeck.

The 80+ musicians in the orchestra are professional members of Musician’s Union Local 6. Many play with other symphony orchestras, including Marin, Berkeley, Monterey, Modesto, and the San Francisco Opera and Ballet.

The Orchestra performs seven triple sets of its classical concerts from October through May on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Other popular programs that reach a diversified audience include a Symphony Pops series, a Saturday afternoon dress rehearsal series, a choral concert and the Family Series.

Santa Rosa Symphony’s audience continues to expand across Sonoma County. Based on ticket sales relative to population, Sonoma County residents far exceed the national average for attendance at classical concerts. More than 50,000 people attend concerts or music education programs each year.

An ambitious commitment to education defines the Santa Rosa Symphony. Five Youth Ensembles and an instructional Summer Music Academy continue to grow in scope and influence. Free concerts for youth at the SRS concert venue are augmented by in-school music appreciation programs offered by musicians and docents. Scholarship assistance is provided for youth whose talents would otherwise go unserved.

The orchestra is run by the Santa Rosa Symphony Association, under the auspices of a 36-member volunteer Board of Directors and 14 professionals led by President and CEO J. Andrew Bradford.

Additional support is provided by the Santa Rosa Symphony League, a group of dedicated volunteers who support the Santa Rosa Symphony Institute for Music Education, five programs for young and aspiring musicians. Get involved with the League!

Santa Rosa Symphony is the Resident Orchestra performing in Weill Hall at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center. This superb venue offers the opportunity to develop a true campus for the Symphony’s music education programs, and is building our region’s reputation as a premier cultural destination. Click here to learn about SRS through a concise timeline.

The Santa Rosa Symphony is a member of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) and The League of American Orchestras (LAO, formerly the Association of Symphony Orchestras).