This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the esteemed Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. During its tenure, the RSO has made an impressive turn from a small community orchestra to a world-class professional organization showcasing talented orchestra and chamber musicians and remarkable solo artists. The RSO is a cultural mainstay for both Ridgefield and the surrounding towns, and a community favorite for performances of timeless masterpieces and contemporary compositions.
Founded in 1964 by five local residents who recognized the area’s need for access to the arts at a time when the town had very few options close to home, the group was initially called the Ridgefield Symphonette. Co-founder Marcus Fischer became the first music director and conductor. In the early 1970s, Beatrice Brown was hired as the third conductor of the orchestra, significant in an era during which there were few female music directors. Leading the orchestra for twenty-five years, Brown transformed the group into a professional symphony by holding auditions and hiring exceptional musicians. Among other early milestones, the RSO performed at Lincoln Center in 1977, earning high praise from the New York Times. In 1986 the organization’s name was changed to the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra.
Laurie Kenagy, the current executive director of the RSO, came on in 2016 with the goal of sustaining an artistically excellent symphony orchestra while expanding the number and diversity of performances. As shared in its mission statement, the RSO focuses on “enrich[ing] the cultural lives of the citizens of Ridgefield and surrounding communities by presenting musical performances of the highest artistic quality.”
The organization currently performs several types of concerts with an array of formats, music, and venues. Orchestra concerts, with as many as seventy musicians and featuring renowned guest soloists, are held at the Ridgefield and Wilton High School auditoriums and The Ridgefield Playhouse. Chamber music concerts, highlighting smaller groups of musicians, are held in a variety of venues throughout Fairfield County. Concert repertoire ranges from “warhorse” staples by composers such as Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky to more contemporary classical pieces written in the last hundred years and other genres such as jazz and popular music. “Our mission is simple and straightforward: to provide access to great live music through performances and outreach, locally and accessibly,”
says Kenagy.
During the 2024-2025 season, under the direction of Maestro Eric Mahl, the RSO will be joined in concert by highly acclaimed artist Michelle Cann performing a Beethoven piano concerto and virtuoso violinist Jennifer Koh playing Tchaikovsky’s iconic violin concerto. The orchestra will also present symphonies by Sibelius and Rachmaninoff, among others, along with more contemporary pieces by Margaret Bonds and Michael Abels. “We offer repertoire familiar to fans of classical music as well as newer works,” says Kenagy. “Performing contemporary compositions in addition to the older favorites allows classical music to grow and evolve.”
Chamber music concerts during the 60th anniversary season include the “Music at the Mansion” series, which takes place in collaboration with Lounsbury House, and recently featured the RSO Steel Drum Trio, a violin and piano duo from the Charles Ives Music Festival, and a quartet of musicians led by the RSO’s own associate concertmaster and first oboist. Additionally, the RSO Quartet, featuring the orchestra’s principal string players, will perform concerts at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, with music inspired by the museum’s exhibition “Layo Bright: Dawn and Dusk,” and at MoCA CT. The RSO is also bringing back its popular Holiday Concert & Fundraiser in December with the Pete Wikul Band playing jazz favorites and festive tunes.
The Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra actively engages with the community through educational initiatives and outreach programs. Throughout the year, RSO musicians provide innovative in-school learning opportunities by working with student musicians and playing for school groups. The RSO also provides interactive experiences and performances in senior centers, health facilities, and for the underserved. By partnering with other community organizations, the RSO strives to expose new and diverse audiences to the beauty and benefits of classical music.
Whether you are a longtime enthusiast of classical music or a novice eager to explore, the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra offers a variety of concerts and performances each year to enrich and enchant. The arts are an integral part of the human experience, and our community is fortunate to have access to a world-class symphony orchestra so close to home.
