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The Tupelo Symphony was founded in 1971 by attorney Wade Lagrone, who believed it was possible for a city as small as Tupelo to support an all-professional symphony orchestra. The Tupelo Symphony draws musicians from Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee and has become an important regional orchestra in Mississippi.
Music Directors for the Tupelo Symphony have included such distinguished conductors as Arthur Kreutz and Kurt Klipstatter. Eric Knight was Music Director for fifteen years when he retired and became Music Director Emeritus.Louis Lane succeeded him and continued to lead the TSO on its journey to new heights. In 2006, Mr. Lane became Music Director Laureate and handed the baton to Steven Byess who was well known to audiences for he had served as Principle Guest Conductor for several years.
An alliance was made between the Cliburn Foundation and the Tupelo Symphony in 1997 making it possible for TSO to present winners of this prestigious piano competition. These world class artists have performed regularly with the Tupelo Symphony giving our citizens and young people the opportunity to hear thrilling and unbelievable music here in North Mississippi. Having these outstanding pianists in Tupelo, made it obvious that a suitable piano was needed. In 2005 another impossible dream came true when the Tupelo Symphony purchased a Steinway Concert Grand piano . This was made possible by a very generous grant from the Carpenter Foundation and the generosity of many TSO patrons. In April of 2009, TSO presented for the first time a winner of the Cleveland International Piano competition. These two competitions draw the very best of the young artists of the world.
In the upcoming season, TSO will continue its ambitious Outreach Program under the leadership of Steven Byess. The Tupelo Symphony will be taken to Amory, Columbus, Fulton, and New Albany. The concerts in these communities of North Mississippi will be partially funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Tupelo Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to providing quality classical music for the citizens of North Mississippi, as well as strengthening community outreach and increasing music education for all levels. Performance excellence is a must along with presenting programming with diversity and wide appeal.
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