History

The Long Bay Symphonic Society was founded in 1987 by Dr. Diana Swanner-Scroggins, a local music storeowner. She determined the need for a local symphony orchestra after many customers, both music lovers and musicians, related their interests in such an organization. The first auditions for the Long Bay Symphony produced a core of 36 musicians who performed together for the first time in April of 1988 in Wheelwright Auditorium on the campus of Coastal Carolina College.

Dr. Charles Jones Evans has served as Music Director/Conductor since the 1996-97 season. Now in his fourteenth season, Dr. Evans has been the creative force behind the Symphony. A small staff and dedicated volunteer board and Guild members have helped to build a strong administrative, financial and social base from which the orchestra's success has grown.

The Long Bay Symphony has, during its entire history, considered educational programming for both young people and adults as part of its mission. To that end, the Long Bay Symphony Youth Orchestra was founded in 1990 with teacher, conductor, performer, Nan Hudson, chosen as its first Music Director. The Symphony has initiated other educational programs for the region including Young People's Concerts and a "Musicians in the Schools" program.

The moniker "Long Bay" was chosen as the name of the symphony because of the geographical region that it covers, a 60 mile coastal area of North and South Carolina, roughly Brunswick County, North Carolina and Horry and Georgetown counties, South Carolina. The Long Bay Symphony considers this the area to be served by its many performances, events and educational programs.

The Long Bay Symphony offers diverse and comprehensive programming to the eastern Carolinas region through various entertainment and education opportunities. During each season, the professional orchestra, Youth Orchestra and various ensembles perform 25-30 concerts for over 30,000 people. The Symphony and its education programs serve a diverse audience including minority populations and the disabled. Of the total 30,000 served during the year, approximately one-third are young people, ages pre-school through high school.