The Binghamton Philharmonic is the Southern Tier's largest and longest-serving symphony orchestra (as well as Broome County’s only professional symphony orchestra). Founded by cellist/conductor Fritz Wallenberg and his wife, violinist Marianne Wallenberg in 1955 as the Binghamton Symphony and Choral Society, its purpose was to provide the Southern Tier of New York with live, full-scale orchestral works. Following Fritz Wallenberg’s 1976 retirement, the orchestra unionized, becoming fully professional.. After its 1996 merger with the BC Pops (an orchestra formed in 1974 by Russell Hawkes and violinist/conductor David Agard), it expanded its audience and became the Binghamton Philharmonic. By 2017, the Binghamton Philharmonic updated its mission to “building community through the power of live music,” adding social outreach to its artistic, cultural, and educational output. Fritz Wallenberg led the organization artistically until 1976, when he was succeeded as Music Director by David Loebel. From 1982 to 2003, John Covelli was appointed Music Director of the Binghamton Symphony. From 2003 to 2016, José-Luis Novo served as Music Director of the Philharmonic. Since 2016, Maestro Daniel Hege has led the Binghamton Philharmonic (as Principal Guest Conductor for his first two seasons, and as Music Director since 2018). The Binghamton Philharmonic serves 10,000+ people annually through innovative, engaging, and affordable programming—connecting professional musicians with audiences to stimulate the economy and expand music’s possibilities for a broad listenership— both within and beyond the concert hall.