Symphony of New Orleans

Symphony of New Orleans SONO is a fun, fast paced community orchestra based in Uptown New Orleans. We love what we do. Music Director: Chris Bergeron
Co-Director: Joseph Cieslak

Originally a small chamber ensemble, NOVO has exploded over the years to become the largest community orchestra in the region. Here at NOVO, our musicians are all treated like one big family - and everyone is welcome to come to a rehearsal to see what we are all about. NOVO lives by a dedicated code of three points:
Accessible concerts for everyone; free, inclusive membership and music education and arts outreach.

See y’all tonight! We have an amazing program that features over 50 very talented musicians in both full orchestra and c...
06/04/2026

See y’all tonight! We have an amazing program that features over 50 very talented musicians in both full orchestra and chamber works 🎶🎻🎺

Don’t miss our last concert of the season! Mark your calendars for next Thursday June 4 at 7:30 PM. Start the summer off right with Mozart, Wagner, Passereau, Forrest and others featuring soloists and chamber ensembles.

Don’t miss our last concert of the season! Mark your calendars for next Thursday June 4 at 7:30 PM. Start the summer off...
05/29/2026

Don’t miss our last concert of the season! Mark your calendars for next Thursday June 4 at 7:30 PM. Start the summer off right with Mozart, Wagner, Passereau, Forrest and others featuring soloists and chamber ensembles.

As you may have heard, tomorrow, May 5th, is  ! For 24 hours, all donations will be amplified by a “lagniappe fund” and ...
05/04/2026

As you may have heard, tomorrow, May 5th, is ! For 24 hours, all donations will be amplified by a “lagniappe fund” and will enter our organization into hourly drawings for cash prizes. We need YOUR help to be in the running for these prizes, and as little as $10 means the world to us!

What we really need assistance with is timed donations - the goal is to have someone donate each hour during May 5th to maximize our chances of winning hourly drawings that amplify our funding. So far we do NOT have enough people signed up for these slots, so we need YOUR help filling out these timed donations!

To sign up, copy the link to THIS FORM:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AA9A929A5F8C34-63825761-givenola #/
and choose an hour during which you can make a donation. As little as $10 will make us eligible for that hour’s drawing. We will send you a notification via text and email when it’s your time to donate, so keep your eyes peeled!

Thank you to everyone who attended our concert on April 21!

Photos from Patricia Taylor Folz

Our final soloist for this evening’s performance is our own Sofia Riggio ( ).Sofia Riggio is a New Orleans–based conduct...
04/21/2026

Our final soloist for this evening’s performance is our own Sofia Riggio ( ).

Sofia Riggio is a New Orleans–based conductor and soprano specializing in opera. She serves as co-director and choirmaster of the Symphony of New Orleans, where she most recently conducted Stravinsky’s The Firebird and premiered her original work, In Bocca al Lupo. She has also appeared previously as a soprano soloist with the Symphony. Riggio holds a master’s degree in orchestral conducting and operatic voice from Loyola University New Orleans.

With a strong foundation in both classical and contemporary repertoire, she has trained extensively with acclaimed artists Andrea DelGiudice, Luretta Bybee, and Dr. Tyler Smith, and studied conducting with Dr. Carol Rausch and Dr. Meg Frazier. Her experience spans both performance and direction, including appearances in and leadership of world premieres and established operatic works. Since relocating to New Orleans, she has performed with New Orleans Opera and Loyola Opera Theatre.

Next up on our amazing list of soloists for tomorrow’s concert at Christ Church Cathedral on St. Charles at 7:30pm is Bo...
04/21/2026

Next up on our amazing list of soloists for tomorrow’s concert at Christ Church Cathedral on St. Charles at 7:30pm is Bogdan Mynka!

is a performer, director, and producer of opera in New Orleans. Originally from Kharkiv, Ukraine, Mynka graduated from the University of Illinois with a Masters in Vocal Performance and Literature, after which he moved to New Orleans and founded Verismo Opera. After the acclaimed premieres of Tomorrow and Tomorrow in 2025 and Maid of Orleans in 2026 at the Marigny Opera House, Mynka was invited to serve as Artistic Director of Marigny Opera Ballet.

In anticipation of our   this Tuesday, we are putting the spotlight on our amazing vocal soloists. First up is Cleona To...
04/19/2026

In anticipation of our this Tuesday, we are putting the spotlight on our amazing vocal soloists.

First up is Cleona Torres, a versatile soprano whose work spans opera, musical theatre, and concert repertoire. A native of New Orleans, she earned her Bachelor of Music from Loyola University New Orleans College of Music (2006) and her Master of Music at Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts (2009). She was a 2007 Gulf South Regional Winner and National Semi-Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Her operatic roles and scenework include Lakmé in Lakmé, First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Cunegonde in Candide, and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, with additional performances with the New Orleans Opera Association in Carmen, La Bohème, and Madame Butterfly. Ms. Torres has performed with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in solo and choral works. Her musical theatre credits include TiMoune in Once on This Island, Soprano in Songs for a New World, the Narrator in Joseph... and Lucy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. She has studied with Dreux Montegut and Judith Haddon and participated in masterclasses with artists including Jane Bunnell, Malena Malas, Ruth Golden, and Armen Guzelimian. Ms. Torres has been an elementary humanities teacher since 2014, and has been a member of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir since 2005.

Stay tuned for more features and announcements!

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Join the Symphony Of New Orleans and Voices Of New Orleans for our spring concert, featuring works by Copland, Holst and...
04/10/2026

Join the Symphony Of New Orleans and Voices Of New Orleans for our spring concert, featuring works by Copland, Holst and Mendelssohn! We’ve worked hard on this collaboration and want to celebrate with you!

The concert is at Christ Church Cathedral on St. Charles Ave and is open to the public with a suggested $20 donation. 🎻🎼🎶

The Symphony Of New Orleans strives to provide meaningful educational and professional opportunities to the collegiate and post-collegiate community in New Orleans through musical excellence, while revitalizing symphonic music’s role in the community.

Address

2919 St Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA
70115

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