Peter Stafford Wilson, Springfield Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor, responded to the award: “I am so very proud that our Orchestra has achieved this national honor! But the real reward has been the enthusiasm with which our audience has embraced this adventurous project. Anyone who doubts the relevance of a symphony orchestra in today's fast paced electronic world need only spend a few moments with our orchestra and its fabulous audience!”

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra has served Springfield, Clark County and the region since 1943 through the performance and promotion of live symphonic music. The Springfield Symphony performs a six-concert subscription series, a concert for the Summer Arts Festival, a Young People’s Concert, and special outreach concerts for the community. The orchestra manages a Youth Symphony educational program that includes three orchestras and a student small ensemble program, and operates a students-at-the-symphony program for area elementary school students.  The 2009-2010 Season included residencies of four composers who made presentations in area schools and at the Symphony concerts.  The work of a contemporary composer was featured on each subscription concert.

ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 380,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members.   ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances.  ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists.  Visit ascap.com to learn more.

For further information please call 937-325-8100 or visit the Symphony website at www.springfieldsym.org.   The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Symphony with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.