The Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra (NaBSCO) is an all-volunteer orchestra of musicians brought together by a shared love of classical music. Our musicians come from almost every town and city in Rhode Island (as well as a few from MA and CT), and include individuals from different occupational fields and walks of life, with some members here since our founding in 2006, and others in their very first season.
How it Started
NaBSCO was founded as the Rhode Island Philharmonic Community Orchestra (RIPCO) in 2006. Our founding Music Director, John Eells, worked with interested Providence-area musicians and gained support from the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School to create an all-volunteer orchestra for adults who love to play symphonic music at a high level of musicianship.
In 2013, as John prepared to move to California, we began our transition to an independent nonprofit organization with our new name, Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra.
How it’s Going
Over the past several concert seasons, NaBSCO’s members and our volunteer Board have been hard at work to realize our organization’s mission of classical-music-for-all by sharing live classical music with our communities at little to no cost, promoting lifelong music education, and enriching the cultural life of our region.
Starting in 2021 we have:
Moved to a pay-what-you-think-is-fair ticket model. We believe classical music is for everyone, and make our concerts open to all regardless of financial situation.
Showcased instruments and music outside of the “traditional”, classical canon, performing concertos for mandolin, guitar, and djembe, and this spring we will be performing a concerto for alto saxophone.
Supported contemporary, living composers and debuted new music reflective of the rich musical heritages all around us. We have performed world premieres of Avner Dorman’s Concerto for Mandolin, Guitar, and Orchestra and Kari Juusela and Sidy Maiga’s Concerto Mali, as well as the United States premiere of Eduardo Morales-Caso’s Concierto de la Herradura for Guitar and Orchestra.
Collaborated with fellow, local arts and music organizations. Over the past few seasons we have worked with Rhode Island Latino Arts, the Community College of Rhode Island Choir, Coro Amante, and been part of the University of Rhode Island Guitar Festival.
We are so proud of everything we have accomplished and look forward to continuing to bring music to our community! We welcome all to say hello and to join us—in the orchestra, or in the audience—at an upcoming concert!
Our Mission
Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra (NaBSCO) strives to share live classical music with our communities at little or no cost, to promote music education, enrich the cultural life of our region, and to provide the opportunity for participants to continue a life-long study of music.
Our musicians come from all walks of life and are passionate about performing high-quality music.
Our Vision
To develop a dynamic presence in our communities through superb performances of classical music.
To achieve this vision, we will:
Constantly search for new and effective ways to reach the communities we serve, including educational programming;
Work to perform with the highest level of musicianship we can achieve; and
Maintain a spirit of friendship, acceptance and support within the orchestra.