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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 thirteenth 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, NC and Horry and Georgetown
counties, SC. 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 the 2008-09 season, the professional orchestra, Youth
Orchestra and various ensembles will 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.
The current season marks the Symphony's 21st anniversary! Please visit the news page to learn more about how you can help through our "20th Anniversary Community Campaign."
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