Southwest Florida Symphony to Close Permanently

The Southwest Florida Symphony has announced that it will permanently close.The orchestra announced that after six decades of performances for the enrichment, entertainment and education of the community, the ensemble will say goodbye after June 30, 2025.In a statement, Tom Uhler, president of the board of trustees for the Southwest Florida Symphony said, “We are so proud of the countless joyous experiences and treasured memories that the Southwest Florida Symphony has provided to residents, visitors and music lovers across our community over 64 years.

We are honored to have the longtime support of many donors, supporters and concert goers who have shared our love for orchestral music over the years. While we bid farewell to this chapter, the Southwest Florida Symphony team remains committed to preserving the rich legacy of orchestral music and its impact on the community.”Established as the Fort Myers Symphony in 1961 as a community orchestra consisting of 24 volunteer musicians, the Symphony spent its early years performing a handful of concerts in community centers, schools and churches, growing a following throughout the region.



In 1981, it merged with a chorus and became the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Association.The Symphony eventually grew to a roster of 70 world-class musicians and each season would present Masterworks Concerts, Pops Concerts, and Holiday Pops Concerts.However, as classical music struggles, the orchestra said that despite financial prudence and tireless efforts to persevere, repeated annual deficits that the Symphony experiences due to operational restrictions, increased performance costs, and loss of state funding, it is no longer viable to continue.

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