Cape Ann Symphony
July 14, 2026
Who are you, and what is your business?
We are the Cape Ann Symphony, the North Shore’s own professional orchestra, based in Gloucester. Founded in 1952, we’re a 72-musician ensemble led by Music Director Yoichi Udagawa and supported by a small administrative staff, a dedicated Board of Directors, and a passionate community of volunteers. This season marks a special milestone: our 75th anniversary.
Please provide a brief description of your company.
The Cape Ann Symphony is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to bringing world-class live orchestral music to Cape Ann and the North Shore. Each season features our classical subscription series, a festive holiday Pops, our Musicians Unleashed chamber series in intimate venues throughout the region, and youth education programming that puts live music directly into local schools.
What inspired you to start your business, and what keeps you going?
The Symphony was born in 1952, when a group of music-loving neighbors gathered in a Gloucester living room to play together. Seventy-five years later, that same spirit drives everything we do: the belief that this community deserves great live music close to home. Our audiences, who fill the hall season after season, keep proving us right.
What aspect of your business are you most passionate about?
That electric moment when the house lights dim and 72 musicians breathe as one. No recording can capture what a live orchestra does to a room and watching someone experience it for the first time, especially a young person, is what we live for.
Is there something unique about your business that you’d like to share that most people wouldn’t know about?
Many people are surprised to learn there’s a fully professional orchestra right here on Cape Ann, no drive into Boston required. Over 75 seasons, we’ve given more than 540 performances, and our Young Artists program has introduced over 28,000 students to the magic of live orchestral music.
What sets your business apart from other similar businesses?
We’re truly your orchestra. Our musicians perform for their neighbors, our programming is crafted for this community, and every season of great music is matched by a deep commitment to music education across North Shore schools. Great music isn’t something we import. It’s something we make, together, right here.
Do you have a recent accomplishment or achievement you’d like to highlight and share with others?
Our 75th anniversary season! We open September 27 with 75th Fantastique! and close in May with a specially commissioned world premiere paired with Beethoven’s monumental Ninth Symphony. It’s a diamond jubilee worthy of three-quarters of a century of music-making on Cape Ann.
Do you have a goal you want your business to achieve in the next one, 5, or 10 years?
This year marks a historic milestone for the Cape Ann Symphony as we celebrate our 75th anniversary season! In tandem with our annual goal of a sold-out concert series, we are looking ahead to ensure the Symphony thrives for the next 75 years. To secure this future, we have set an inspiring $350,000 anniversary fundraising goal. To streamline and elevate how local businesses can champion the arts, we are introducing a new tiered system of corporate support, offering tailored partnership benefits. The celebration will culminate at the end of our season with an unforgettable anniversary gala.
Keep an eye on your inbox—detailed sponsorship packets and gala information will be heading your way in the coming weeks.
Why do you love the Greater Cape Ann region and doing business locally?
Cape Ann has drawn artists for generations, from painters and writers to musicians, and that creative spirit is as alive today as ever. This is a community with a genuine appetite for the arts and a wonderful habit of showing up for its cultural institutions. There’s simply no better place to make music.
As someone doing business in this area, how has or how can the Chamber help your business?
Visibility and connection. Every ticket sold begins with someone discovering we exist, and the Chamber’s network helps us reach new audiences, collaborate with fellow member businesses, and contribute to the larger story of Cape Ann as a cultural destination. When the arts thrive here, everyone benefits, and we’re proud to be part of that.
Contact Info
Cape Ann Symphony
PO Box 1343, Gloucester, MA 01930
978) 281-0543
info@capeannsymphony.org
https://capeannsymphony.org/
Social Media
- Facebook: @cape.ann.symphony
- Instagram: @capeannsymphony
- Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cape-ann-symphony/
