Founded in 1995 by its current music director and conductor, Dr. Andrew Kurtz, the Gulf Coast Symphony is the premier community orchestra of Southwest Florida and one of the most dynamic orchestras in the United States. Now the third-largest non-profit performing arts organization in Lee county, we are the largest community orchestra in the country. We are recognized for our high-quality symphonic performances as well as our active community engagement and commitment to arts education. The Mission The Gulf Coast Symphony exists to contribute to the cultural enrichment of Southwest Florida by producing and performing a broad variety of concerts and creating a diverse, innovative, and balanced program of performances, events, and community and education projects that reaches the widest possible public. The primary goals of the Gulf Coast Symphony are: To help build general arts awareness in Southwest Florida To develop new audiences for the arts in our community To assist in the development of potential future performers