The Virginia Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1920 as the Norfolk Civic Symphony Orchestra by Walter Edward Howe, Marian Carpenter, and Robert C. Whitehead in Norfolk, Virginia, and gave its first concert on 21 April 1921 under Howe’s direction. The ensemble evolved through mergers, becoming the Norfolk Symphony and Choral Association in 1949, then the Virginia Symphony in 1979 after absorbing the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra and the Virginia Beach Pops Symphony. JoAnn Falletta became the first female music director in 1991, serving until 2020, when Eric Jacobsen assumed the post; Jacobsen’s contract was extended through 2026‑2027. The orchestra has released albums such as The American Cello (2004) and An American Port of Call (2012) and has maintained regular performances across Virginia venues, collaborating with Virginia Opera and the Virginia Arts Festival.
