Festival City Symphony is Milwaukee's oldest symphony orchestra, created over 75 years ago as the Milwaukee Civic Symphony Orchestra by the Civic Music Association. Its mission is to extend the reach of classical music in the community with reasonable pricing, interesting themes, and informative formats that embrace people of all ages. Its goal is to encourage the enjoyment and understanding of classical music and build public appreciation for fine arts programming.

In 1993, the Civic Music Association and the Milwaukee Civic Symphony Orchestra mutually agreed the orchestra should reorganize as a separate nonprofit organization. Under its new name, Festival City Symphony, the orchestra performed its premier concert on February 27, 1994, in the historic Pabst Theater.
Today, Festival City Symphony continues to fulfill its original mission to provide low-cost access to quality classical music.

Festival City Symphony is a nonprofit organization and provides free concerts through its Pajama Jamboree concert series. The symphony also provides discounted and free tickets to support service organizations.

Symphony Sundays - Subscription concerts at the Pabst Theater

Pajama Jamborees - Free concerts for young children and their families

FCS on the Road - With funding secured, this program brings music to other venues in the community.

Monte Perkins has served as conductor and artistic director of Festival City Symphony for nearly 20 years. Under his leadership, the orchestra has performed summer concerts in the park, accompanied national performing acts, sustained its two concert series, and performed school concerts.

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