Our Mission
To deliver a world-class chamber orchestra experience through innovative programming, audience intimacy, exceptional talent, and artistic excellence.
Our Vision
By experiencing the joy of ProMusica, people will become more engaged, inspired, and more connected to the world around them.
We are a creative collective of 37 musicians united by our love for music and committed to sharing it with the world. Our concerts honor the classics and champion the contemporary, with 73 commissions to date and a verve for risk taking collaborations. Our music bends the boundaries of imagination, curiosity and discovery.
We are committed to the next generation of music lovers, providing free programs to all ages—empowering young minds and ensuring access. Because music is for all.
Founded in 1979, ProMusica is known for its exceptional artistry, audience intimacy, and community engagement. Led by Music Director David Danzmayr and Creative Partner, renowned violinist Vadim Gluzman, ProMusica reaches a broad audience across the city—as the resident orchestra at the intimate Southern Theatre in downtown Columbus, at notable venues beyond the city limits, and in non-traditional spaces such as Natalie’s Grandview and The Fives. With innovative initiatives such as our “Composer/Performer Project,” “Naked Classics,” and “Neighborhood Series,” ProMusica aspires to present live music in reimagined and meaningful ways for people to connect and experience with each other.
Committed to sharing a diverse array of musical eras and influences, ProMusica’s performances are time-tested and modern, presented in ways that few orchestras can. Dedicated to shaping the future of orchestral music, we are widely recognized as a national leader in promoting contemporary repertoire—with 73 commissions and more than 130 world and regional premieres by composers including Pulitzer Prize winners Kevin Puts and Aaron Jay Kernis, Gabriela Lena Frank, Andy Akiho, Gabriela Montero, Lera Auerbach, Conrad Tao, and Joshua Roman. In addition, ProMusica has an active recording program with 13 CDs released to date. This is a testament to the world-class musicians on stage who thrive on artistic exploration and risk-taking—performing with the highest skill, emotion, and humanity for our audiences.
In 2017, ProMusica made its Chicago debut performing for a sold-out crowd at the North Shore Chamber Music Festival. Chicago Classical Review noted the ensemble’s “robust unified string timbre [was] most impressive, having an abundant Mozartean grace.” The orchestra has joined forces with crossover artists such as Sutton Foster, Rhiannon Giddens, and Leslie Odom, Jr. Most recently, in May 2024, the orchestra collaborated with the award-winning artist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and visionary Jon Batiste for a two-day musical residency, which included the world premiere of this first piano concerto.
Beyond the stage, ProMusica is deeply rooted in our city’s cultural fabric, serving approximately 20,000 individuals each season through outreach and education programs, provided at no cost to the participants. Designed to reach people of all ages, our musicians travel to area schools, we invite senior citizens to attend live, working rehearsals, and we put string instruments and musical instruction directly into the hands of middle schoolers.
Family-friendly concerts and pre-K Storytimes are presented city-wide, in partnership with the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and our “Play Us Forward” program offers urban charter schools an integrated, in-school music curriculum, inspiring self-confidence, creative expression, and overall academic achievement for each student involved. “Coda: Post-Concert Conversations” gives the opportunity for a direct dialogue between audiences and guest artists—deepening engagement with the music and performers. Our annual Summer Music Series welcomes thousands of guests to Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens—free and open to the public, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to provide accessible and transformative performances to all residents in our community. Consistently demonstrating forward- and future-thinking ways to serve Columbus, the orchestra continues to develop new initiatives such as its “Infant and Toddler Program.” Collaborating with Columbus Early Learning Centers, ProMusica is now playing a role in early childhood development by bringing music to the region’s youngest learners.
ProMusica has won eight ASCAP awards for Adventurous Programming and has received additional honors, including from the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Jewish Foundation. In 2015, 2016, and 2018, and 2024, the orchestra was selected as a recipient of The Columbus Performing Arts Prize, designated to celebrate and support the exceptional artistic directors of Columbus’ performing arts organizations and their aspirations for creative growth. Most recently, ProMusica is honored to be the recipient of The 2025 Columbus Foundation Award, presented to a selected nonprofit organization that demonstrates a strong commitment to making a positive impact.
ProMusica is intimate in size, but we are big in impact. We continue to bring you a truly personal arts experience, one that is full of surprise, delight, and belonging.
ProMusica is funded in part through the work of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, The Columbus Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, Nationwide, the Reinberger Foundation, and the ProMusica Sustaining Board.
ProMusica is a proud partner of the National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS), which is comprised of The Sphinx Organization, the New World Symphony, and the League of American Orchestras. A national initiative to increase diversity in American Orchestras, NAAS offers Black and Latinx musicians a combination of mentoring, audition preparation, financial support, and audition previews.
