Summer 2026
A LETTER FROM THE CEO
Dear Friends of the Phil,
As one of our valued donors, you help make every Reno Phil performance, education program, and community connection possible. Because of your generosity, we are able to share the power of music with thousands of people across Northern Nevada — both in the concert hall and throughout our community.
Our 58th season, Make Space, is already underway, bringing audiences together for inspiring performances and new opportunities to experience music in meaningful ways. From the energy of our pops concerts to the artistry of our Classix Series, each performance reflects the extraordinary musicianship and creativity that make the Reno Phil a vital part of our community.
Our impact extends far beyond the stage. This fall, students across our region are learning, creating, and discovering the joy of music through our education programs. From young musicians receiving sustained instrumental instruction through RPA Kids and Youth Orchestra to students experiencing the orchestra for the first time through our Young People’s Concerts, these programs create meaningful opportunities for young people to build confidence, creativity, and a lasting connection to the arts.
These moments are possible because of you. Your support helps ensure that music education remains accessible, exceptional performances reach our community, and the Reno Phil continues creating opportunities for people of all ages to experience the transformative power of music.
As we look ahead to the rest of the season, we are excited about what is still to come. We remain committed to expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and creating more opportunities for Northern Nevada to come together through music.
Thank you for being an essential part of the Reno Phil. Your generosity is an investment not only in an orchestra, but in the students, families, musicians, educators, and audiences who make our community vibrant. We are grateful to share this season with you and look forward to bringing you more stories of impact throughout the year.
We hope to see you at a concert soon!
Sincerely,
Aaron Doty
President & CEO
P.S. Thank you for being part of the Reno Phil family and for helping bring the power of music to our community. If you’re inspired by the impact you’ve seen, we invite you to make an additional gift online today to help more people across Northern Nevada experience the joy, connection, and inspiration of music.
A Fourth of July to Remember
On July 4, the Reno Phil joined the community at UNR’s Mackay Stadium for Red, White and Flight, a free Fourth of July celebration honoring America’s 250th birthday. With more than 10,000 people in attendance, the evening brought together families, friends, and community members for a memorable night of music, live activities, and a spectacular drone show.
Led by Music Director and Conductor Laura Jackson, the Reno Phil Orchestra & Chorus performed a vibrant concert featuring patriotic favorites, iconic film scores, Broadway selections, and beloved symphonic works. Guest vocalist Hugh Panaro, known for his acclaimed performances in The Phantom of the Opera, joined the orchestra for selections from the American songbook and musical theater.
The celebration culminated in a spectacular drone show, with hundreds of synchronized drones illuminating the night sky above the stadium. Paired with the Reno Phil’s live performance, the finale created a memorable shared experience for thousands of attendees.
The performance offered families, longtime supporters, and new audiences an opportunity to experience the excitement of live music together in a setting beyond the traditional concert hall. Events like Red, White and Flight reflect the Reno Phil’s ongoing commitment to making music accessible, strengthening community connections, and creating shared experiences that enrich Northern Nevada. We are grateful to the partners and supporters who helped make this extraordinary evening possible, especially the George W. Gillemot Foundation and Bean Space Foundation who hosted the event.
Your support helps make these community connections possible, allowing the Reno Phil to reach new audiences, participate in meaningful community celebrations, and bring people together through the power of music.
Looking Ahead
A Five-Year Vision for the Reno Phil
On July 6, 2026, the Reno Phil unveiled our new five-year Strategic Plan. Shaped by data, community input, and conversations with our staff, musicians, and Board, the plan builds on the Reno Phil’s strengths while identifying new opportunities to deepen our impact across Northern Nevada.
The plan is centered around three pillars that will guide the Reno Phil’s work through 2031:
Expand Our Community Reach
We will build on the Reno Phil’s strong foundation in performance and education by reaching more audiences, expanding the impact of programs like RPA Kids, and strengthening our connections with the broader Northern Nevada community.
Invest in Our People
Our musicians, staff, and Board are essential to the Reno Phil’s continued growth. We will invest in professional development, strengthen Board leadership and engagement, and create new opportunities for musicians to grow as artists and community leaders.
Secure Our Future
We are taking steps today to strengthen the Reno Phil for the years ahead. This includes growing legacy giving, evaluating our administrative space, and exploring the long-term facilities needed to support our performance, education, and community engagement work.
Together, these priorities create a coordinated path for sustainable growth—expanding who we reach, strengthening the people who make our work possible, and building the foundation needed to sustain the Reno Phil’s impact for generations to come.
Your support is an important part of this future. The progress we hope to make through this plan, from reaching more students and audiences to strengthening our organization for the long term, depends on the continued partnership of donors who believe in the power of music to enrich and connect our community.
We are excited to share this next chapter with you and grateful for your role in helping shape the Reno Phil’s future. Learn more about our 2026–2031 Strategic Plan at renophil.com/strategicplan .
A Roaring Night at the Movies
More than 1,700 people joined us on September 30 for a night of music, movies, and a little prehistoric fun at Jurassic Park In Concert at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino’s Grand Theatre.
As the full film played on the big screen, the Reno Phil performed John Williams’s iconic score live, bringing the suspense, excitement, and unforgettable moments of Jurassic Park to life in an entirely new way. From the first familiar notes of the score to the film’s most thrilling scenes, the orchestra added an immersive new dimension to a movie beloved by generations.
From innovative concert experiences to beloved classics, programming like Jurassic Park In Concert gives audiences new ways to experience the orchestra and demonstrates the Reno Phil’s commitment to creating engaging, memorable experiences for our entire community.
And, of course, no Jurassic Park experience would be complete without a dinosaur! A special guest greeted audiences in the lobby before the performance, adding a little extra prehistoric excitement to the evening.
Bringing Music to Pride
This September, the Reno Phil joined the Northern Nevada Pride Festival for a celebration of community, inclusion, and belonging. For the first time ever, the Reno Phil was not only represented at the festival but also took part in the Pride Parade, bringing live music directly into the celebration.
A string quartet of Reno Phil Orchestra musicians performed popular songs by queer icons from atop a vehicle decorated with a rainbow balloon arch as they traveled along the parade route. The performance brought the energy of live orchestral music into the heart of the celebration, and many festival attendees stopped by our booth afterward to share how meaningful it was to see the Reno Phil represented in the parade.
As Nevada’s largest nonprofit performing arts organization, the Reno Phil believes our role in the community extends beyond the concert hall. Inclusion is one of our core values, and showing up for community celebrations like Pride is one way we put that value into action. By sharing music in spaces where people gather and celebrate, we can build connections with new audiences and help create a cultural community where everyone feels welcome.
Moving Forward After a Storm
In July, severe weather forced us to cancel our Decades: Back to the 80’s performance in Lake Tahoe. While the safety of our musicians, staff, and audience came first, the cancellation resulted in a $75,000 shortfall after committed production costs and returned ticket revenue.
But the Reno Phil community continues to move forward together. Your belief in the Reno Phil helps us weather the unexpected and keep creating meaningful experiences for our community.
BACK TO SCHOOL
As a new school year gets underway, so does another season of music education across Northern Nevada. This September, thousands of students engaged with the Reno Phil’s education programs. Youth Orchestra and RPAK students began rehearsals, building musicianship, confidence, and creativity.
On September 10 and 11, nearly 5,000 students experienced the orchestra through four Young People’s Concerts featuring Tchaikovsky Discovers America at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. The following day, more than 1,000 children and families attended our free Fall Family Concert—the largest Family Concert attendance since before COVID-19.
From the classroom to the concert hall, these programs help the next generation discover the joy of music and build lasting connections to the arts.
