Profile of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra

Catchphrase

“Music for Peace” – seeking peace through music

The Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra (HSO) sends prayers and wishes for peace through music as the only professional orchestra in Hiroshima, an International City of Peace and Culture.

Logo

The orchestra’s logo features the motif of a pigeon, a symbol of peace. The color theme of the logo is the same vermilion as the large torii (a gateway to a Shinto shrine) of the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine on Miyajima Island, a World Heritage site, and the orange of the autumn leaves of maple trees, which are a symbol of Hiroshima Prefecture. The wings of the pigeon are formed from the shapes of “HSO”, which stands for the “H”iroshima “S”ymphony “O”rchestra.

Logo design: Kazuhiro Yamasaki, Loco Grafix Department

Vision

Philosophies (Aims of HSO)

Contribution to Peace
As the only professional orchestra nurtured in Hiroshima, the first city to have suffered an atomic bomb attack, the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra bearing the city’s name, contributes to the world peace by continuing to send a message of peace through performances.

Community-based Orchestra
The goal of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra is to become an orchestra loved and honored by people in the local community by promoting music culture, contributing to developing regional culture, and making a social contribution.

World-class Orchestra
The Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra aims to become an orchestra with a distinctive individuality by delivering a world-class level of performances and performing music with a message of peace.

Policy (course of action to realize the philosophies)

Contribution to Peace
The Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra contributes to world peace by sending a message of peace through its performances.

Major Activities

Subscription Concerts / Regional Subscription Concerts / Discovery Series Concerts / Evening of Peace Concerts / Overseas performances / Request-based performances / CD creation

Community-based Orchestra
The Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra continues community-based performance activities to contribute to promoting music culture in the local community. We also deliver performances targeting children, thereby contributing to the development of the next generation. Moreover, we work to establish a stable financial base through establishing a wide range of support from people in the local community, aiming to ensure to remain a self-sustaining business.

Major Activities

Subscription Concerts / Regional Subscription Concerts / Discovery Series Concerts / Masterpiece Concerts / Music appreciation classes / My Town Orchestra Concerts / Request-based performances / P3 HIROSHIMA project / CD creation / Seminars / Workshops / Small-orchestra concerts / Donation / Expansion of corporate and individual members / Increase in corporate and individual donations

World-class Orchestra
The Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra seeks to attain a world-class level of performances by recruiting high-quality orchestra members through rigorous auditions and intensive rehearsals. We also provide a challenging concert program. We aim to strengthen the HSO brand and to increase the number of orchestra members after our financial base becomes more secure.

Major Activities

Subscription Concerts / Regional Subscription Concerts / Discovery Series Concerts / Evening of Peace Concerts / Overseas performances / CD creation / Auditions