Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra marks 80 years with community gala

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra is inviting the community to celebrate a milestone 80th season with an evening that looks both backward and forward, honoring the volunteer musicians who founded the orchestra in 1947 while unveiling plans for the ensemble’s future in North Central Washington.

The WVSO’s “Eight Decades One Orchestra” gala is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Wenatchee Golf & Country Club. Tickets are $110 per person and must be purchased by June 16. Groups purchasing four or more tickets will receive one complimentary drink per guest.

Information and ticket registration are available at www.wenatcheesymphony.com/80th-gala.

The celebration will feature live performances, dinner, fundraising activities and the official reveal of the orchestra’s 2026-27 season lineup. Organizers say the evening is intended both as a thank you to longtime supporters and as a launch point for the orchestra’s next chapter.

Founded in 1947 by a small group of volunteer musicians from Wenatchee, Chelan, Cashmere and Peshastin, the orchestra began as what organizers describe as a “civic orchestra,” rehearsing in a high school music room with borrowed sheet music. Over the decades, the ensemble has grown into a regional cultural institution that now hosts guest artists, educational programming and large-scale collaborations while remaining rooted in local community participation.

The gala’s entertainment lineup includes live music by the Jazz Jam Quintet led by Tom McNair, recipient of the 2023 Stanley Lifetime Achievement Award in the volunteer division. Guests will also hear performances from WVSO musicians and the winner of the orchestra’s Young Musicians Competition, along with a special appearance by guest artist and acclaimed cellist John Michel.

Dinner options include Chilean sea bass with garlic prawns and lobster sauce, slow-roasted prime rib with au jus and creamy horseradish, or a vegetarian cremini mushroom risotto.

The evening will be hosted by Executive Director Dr. Anton Zotov, Music Director and Conductor Dr. Nikolas Caoile, Board Director Tom McNair and KOHO 101.1 host Peter K. Nyblom.

In a letter accompanying the gala invitation, Caoile and Zotov reflected on the orchestra’s beginnings and its continued role in the region’s cultural life.

“From those humble beginnings, the Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra has grown into a vibrant ensemble that now attracts renowned guest artists, ambitious multi-genre collaborations, outstanding talents and musicians from our local communities and beyond, while remaining deeply rooted in the heart of North Central Washington,” the pair wrote.

The gala will also include a silent auction, fundraising games and a paddle raise supporting the orchestra’s 2026-27 season and education initiatives. Sponsorship opportunities and volunteer roles remain available.

For more information, visit the WVSO website, email symphony@wenatcheesymphony.org or call 509-433-7468.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media