Reno Philharmonic Orchestra

The Reno Phil is northern Nevada’s largest performing arts organization with something for all tastes from Classical to Pop. In its 53rd season, the orchestra, led by music director Laura Jackson, is a part-time, per-service orchestra comprised of over 60 professional musicians who perform more than 30 concerts annually throughout the Reno, Carson Valley and Lake Tahoe region. The Reno Phil oversees and operates the professional orchestra, a symphonic chorus, four youth orchestras and numerous educational and outreach programs. Musicians of the professional orchestra, youth orchestras, various ensembles and education programs offer more than 60 performances each year, playing to over 50,000 people, half of them school-aged children. As a federally registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the state of Nevada, the Reno Phil engages an active Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers, patrons, donors, sponsors, partner organizations and the community to ensure that it will thrive through future generations. The Reno Phil is a resident company of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno, Nevada. The flagship of the Reno Phil concert offering is a six-concert classical music series, Classix, performed on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons at the Pioneer Center. Music director and conductor Laura Jackson invites guest soloists of local and international acclaim. She thoughtfully selects programming that will inspire and challenge both the audience and the orchestra, balancing traditional with contemporary. The Reno Phil also offers four performances of Spirit of the Season, a variety-show-style holiday concert conducted by Dr. Jason Altieri in December, a free and open-to-the-public Family Concert in September, two general admission Youth Orchestra showcases, various recitals and ensemble performances, and a summer season that includes a variety of concerts and events including the ever-popular Salute to 4th of July, Pops on the River, and Bravo on the Beach, and others at both indoor and outdoor venues. An award-winning and diverse education department gained national recognition with its three youth orchestras, a series of Young People’s Concerts performed throughout the school year, the Reno Philharmonic Association Kids (RPA Kids) after-school music instruction program and the Discover Music program which brings music ensembles into schools. The Reno Phil began in 1969, with the first public performance on August 3rd at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. The fourth conductor in the orchestra’s history, Laura Jackson joined the Reno Phil for the 2009-2010 Season. Since then, she continues to captivate audiences, win praise and gain local and national recognition for her inspiring leadership, innovative programming and passionate community engagement. Recent highlights include the Reno Philharmonic’s world premiere of Chesapeake: Summer of 1814, an unforgettable commission to celebrate the 200th anniversary of The Star-Spangled Banner, as well as the commission and recording of the first-ever full orchestral and choral arrangements of Nevada’s state song Home Means Nevada as a gift to the state in honor of its sesquicentennial. As music director of the Reno Phil, Laura Jackson continues to win praise for her inspiring leadership, innovative programming and passionate community engagement. With the help of first-rate musicians, staff, board members and community supporters, Laura continues to captivate audiences and gain local and national recognition for Reno’s premier orchestra. She was responsible for establishing the organization’s first-ever Composer-in-Residence program resulting in new compositions and educational opportunities by Sean Shepherd and Michael Gandolfi. In addition, she was recently hand-picked to travel to Africa to be the first American ever to conduct the Algerian National Orchestra and represent the United States in a musical gift to the Algerian people. Laura spent her early childhood in Virginia and Pennsylvania before moving at age 11 to Plattsburgh, NY where she grew up waterskiing, swimming, and sailing on Lake Champlain.