special projects
The mission of the Reno Phil is to produce inspirational symphonic performances of the highest quality for diverse audiences and support exceptional education, outreach, and engagement programs.
The Reno Phil’s Strategic Plan serves as a coherent foundation and a spirited catalyst toward attaining strategic success that will enable the Phil to fulfill its mission and reach bold new levels of orchestral success in alignment with its vision. In this plan, the RPA identified several key projects that will enrich the community, the region, and ultimately achieve national significance. We encourage donors and funders to join us in making these projects a reality.
Major funding opportunities are available for those who believe strongly in the power of music to transform a region both culturally and economically. Each special project brings its own unique way of achieving national recognition and instilling a sense of pride in our own community. By investing in the arts, you will be enhancing the quality of life and contributing to the economic well-being of our region.
Altered landscapes
In 2019, the Reno Phil commissioned an important new symphonic work from composer Jimmy López Bellido. Informed and inspired by the Nevada Museum of Art’s “Altered Landscape, Carol Franc Buck Collection” of photography, his “Symphony No. 3: Altered Landscape” engages themes of humanity’s accelerated consumption of the Earth’s resources, the pandemic-imposed pause we have withstood, and the quest for a future of harmony and sustainable balance on Earth.
Transcontinental railroad commission project
Connection our nation: A musical celebration of the Transcontinental Railroad. This piece composed by Zhou Tian, Grammy-nominated composer, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the First Transcontinental Railroad’s completion in May 2019.
gershwin project
The George and Ira Gershwin Critical Edition is a project of the American Music Institute at the University of Michigan in partnership with the families of George and Ira Gershwin and is part of the U-M Gershwin Initiative. Laura Jackson is a member of the Advisory Board of the Gershwin Critical Edition along with such musicians as Michael Feinstein, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Jessye Norman. Laura also contributed substantively to the Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris editions.
home means nevada
The Reno Philharmonic participated in the Nevada Sesquicentennial Celebration by commissioning and making available new arrangements of the state song Home Means Nevada for choirs and orchestras throughout the state.
Thanks to a significant grant from the E. L. Wiegand Foundation, the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus has recorded seven different orchestral and choral versions of the state song suitable for all levels of ensemble.