Photo by Allen Aycock

Orchestra Profiles

Anchorage / Fairbanks / Des Moines / Duluth / Great Falls, Montana / New Mexico & Albuquerque / South Dakota / Vermont / Winston-Salem

Great Falls Symphony and Youth Orchestra
ORP: March 2007

The Great Falls Symphony Association was founded by a group of six dedicated musicians in 1959. The first concert consisted of 45 musicians performing for 150 friends and family at a local high school. Today the Great Falls Symphony Association is comprised of a 75-member orchestra, an 80-voice symphonic choir, a 75-member regional Youth Orchestra, and two resident chamber ensembles, a professional string quartet and a professional wind quintet. The Great Falls Symphony Association presents seven orchestra subscription concerts each year as well as two Youth Orchestra concerts, two Youth Matinee concerts for local and area school children, two Symphonic Choir concerts, and a series of seven double concerts performed by the Association's two resident chamber ensembles.

Established in 1997, the Great Falls Youth Orchestra is comprised of students from public, private, and home schools from throughout north-central Montana. During 2006–2007 Youth Orchestra members represented 11 schools and 9 different communities forming an orchestra of 72 members. In addition to their two public performances each year, the Youth Orchestra performs Youth Matinee concerts for area school children designed to introduce students to symphonic music.

Since 1981 the Great Falls Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra has been under the leadership of Gordon J. Johnson, Music Director and Conductor.

Great Falls Symphony Association

Profile by Jessie Knowles, Education & Outreach Coordinator of GFSA