For a community of its size, it is remarkable that Greater Binghamton has a professional symphony orchestra. It is even more remarkable that the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra was recently named winner of the 2024 American Prize in Orchestral Performance, distinguishing it from other professional orchestras around the country.

Each season, the Philharmonic performs eight symphonic concerts at the Broome County Forum Theatre and presents four chamber music concerts at the Phelps Mansion Museum. About a third of our musicians come from the Southern Tier; another third drive in from New York City; and another third come from even farther away, such as our Principal Trombonist, Felix Regalado, who joins us from Minnesota. Those traveling musicians stay in the homes of our patrons, developing relationships that last a lifetime while also establishing deep personal ties to our community.

With an economic impact of over $1 million, the Philharmonic brings 10,000 patrons to downtown Binghamton each year, primarily to hear a world-class orchestra of 60-plus musicians under the direction of Maestro Daniel Hege … but also to enjoy so much more. Indeed, the exciting programs that the Philharmonic offers spans education, outreach, and community engagement — including our annual Mac & Cheese Fest, which has become a beloved tradition. These patrons, who hail from all walks of life, don’t just buy our tickets. They also contribute to the city’s economic development by visiting restaurants and other businesses, seeing downtown as an increasingly vibrant city for arts, culture, and entertainment.

To be sure, we work incredibly hard to build new audiences. Each year, we host children from the Binghamton City School District for dinner and a concert. In February, we are bringing over 2,000 regional schoolchildren to the Forum Theatre for “Classically Black: Great Music of African American Composers.” Best yet, by offering free youth tickets to all of our Forum Theatre performances, we are making regular concertgoers out of children, teenagers, parents, and grandparents. Plus with outreach programs, such as our Kilmer Lecture Series, we create community conversations about classical music culture.

And the results are in. Just halfway through the season, concert attendance is exceeding our expectations by 14%, and our Phelps Mansion Museum concerts have consistently sold out. Our subscription sales have reached a five-year goal three years early. We continue to see hundreds of new patrons each year, and these patrons are returning to experience more and more of the Philharmonic’s artistic excellence.

If you haven’t heard the Binghamton Philharmonic yet or even if it’s been a few years, I invite you to come hear Binghamton’s award-winning symphony orchestra, along with our equally talented guest artists. Just as the Philharmonic is an important part of Binghamton’s economic and cultural success, you are, too. Join us as we share Binghamton’s legacy of great music culture … and don’t forget to bring the kids for free.

Dr. Paul Cienniwa is the Executive Director of the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra.

This article originally appeared on pressconnects.com.