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A Century of Harmony:
The Story of the Amarillo Symphony

The Amarillo Symphony, the largest and most active performing arts organization in the Texas Panhandle, stands as a testament to a century of community vision and artistic excellence. From its origins in a local women’s music club, the Symphony has blossomed into a cornerstone of the region’s cultural life, a story of shared dreams and an unyielding commitment to the transformative power of music.

The seeds of the Symphony were sown in the thriving network of women’s music clubs active in 1920s Amarillo. In the fall of 1924, the Amarillo Philharmonic Club presented its first “Twilight Musicale,” featuring the debut of the Amarillo Philharmonic Orchestra. This performance, led by local piano teacher and the orchestra’s first conductor, Grace Hamilton, marked the formal beginning of a cherished musical legacy. As the orchestra grew, the community formed the Amarillo Philharmonic Orchestral Association in 1932 to formally sponsor the ensemble. Led by conductors like Ellis B. Hall, the organization persevered through the Great Depression, embodying a “grit and progressive spirit” that would become its hallmark.

The post-World War II era marked a pivotal turning point. By 1948, the orchestra was saddled with significant debt and faced low morale among its players. A new board, led by President C.S. Lambie and Vice President Lee Bivins, took on the challenge with ambition. They hired A. Clyde Roller as the new music director, a move that revitalized the organization and set it on a professional course. Roller, who served until 1962, is widely credited with transforming the ensemble into a key orchestra in the Southwest. During the 1950–51 season, the organization officially became the Amarillo Symphony, Inc. This era saw the creation of a vital support system that remains crucial today.

Amarillo Symphony Guild

In 1955, Becky Reeder Arnold and Mrs. Jack SoRelle founded the Amarillo Symphony Guild, a group of dedicated women who became the orchestra’s fundraising powerhouse. When the Symphony faced financial collapse in 1970, the Guild’s legendary “Opus ’70” auction raised the equivalent of over half a million dollars today, saving the institution. The orchestra also hired its first full-time employee, Executive Director Jim Alfonte, in 1968. Under the batons of conductors Thomas Hohstadt (1963-1974) and Thomas Conlin (1975-1983), the Symphony expanded its educational programs and began its beloved annual collaboration with the Lone Star Ballet for Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.

The late 20th and early 21st centuries were defined by artistic growth and stability, particularly under the long and successful tenure of Music Director Jim Setapen (1988–2006). A monumental achievement came in 2006 with the opening of the Symphony’s new home, the acoustically superb Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts. This era saw the creation of a vital support system that remains crucial today.

A Thriving Symphony for
the Next Century

Today, under the leadership of Music Director George Jackson and Executive Director Larry Lang, the Symphony continues to thrive. Its commitment to education remains a core part of its mission, serving thousands of students annually through the Amarillo Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO), Kinderkonzerts, the Class Act program, and its management of the prestigious Greater Southwest Music Festival. In 2020, the Symphony’s artistic footprint expanded further with the merger of Chamber Music Amarillo, enriching the region’s cultural landscape.

The momentous 2023–2024 centennial season celebrated this rich history with world-premiere commissions and collaborations that honored the region’s diverse heritage. A century after its founding, the Amarillo Symphony stands as what its inaugural president, Wes Izzard, called “one of the city’s most valuable assets,” a legacy built on the passion and perseverance of generations of musicians and patrons.