What Makes SCO Unique?
Three Musical Communities. One Orchestra
Seattle Collaborative Orchestra brings together three musical communities:
Students – Emerging musicians developing professional-level artistry
Community Musicians – Dedicated performers who sustain Seattle’s musical life
Professional Musicians – Artists from leading regional ensembles who mentor and perform alongside the orchestra
Together they create a collaborative orchestral environment where mentorship, excellence, and innovation thrive.
Our Mission
The Seattle Collaborative Orchestra (SCO) is a diverse, multigenerational performing arts organization dedicated to expanding opportunity and representation in symphonic music.
SCO musicians — students, community members, and professionals — perform side by side in a collaborative artistic environment that combines traditional orchestral repertoire with works by historically underrepresented composers.
Through mentorship, education, and innovative programming, SCO works to shape a more inclusive future for orchestral music.
OUR VISION
Seattle Collaborative Orchestra seeks to be a leader in the evolving culture of symphonic music.
Through innovative programming and a multigenerational mentorship model, SCO strives to create orchestral experiences that reflect diversity both in the music performed and in the musicians who perform it.
The story of SCO
Seattle Collaborative Orchestra began as a grassroots ensemble in 2012, founded by Dr. Anna Edwards.
The orchestra grew out of Dr. Edwards’ research on gender, leadership, and the underrepresentation of women conductors and composers in professional symphonies.
She envisioned an orchestra that could combine:
mentorship
artistic excellence
diverse repertoire
meaningful educational opportunity
Inspired by programs like the Seattle Symphony Side-by-Side model, SCO created an environment where students, community musicians, and professionals collaborate in performance while expanding representation in symphonic repertoire.
Over time, this mission has expanded beyond gender equity to include broader representation of underrepresented composers and musicians across the classical music field.
WHY THIS WORK MATTERS
Recent research highlights the continued lack of diversity in orchestral programming.
Studies including:
Donne Women in Music – Equality & Diversity in Global Repertoire Report
Sarah Baer’s “By the Numbers: Repertoire Report”
demonstrate that works by women and composers from underrepresented backgrounds remain dramatically underrepresented on concert stages worldwide.
SCO believes meaningful change begins at the educational level.
By supporting diverse young musicians and providing access to high-level orchestral experiences, SCO works to cultivate the next generation of artists, educators, composers, and audiences who will shape the future of classical music.
Learn more about our SCORE program →
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY
Seattle Collaborative Orchestra is committed to advancing racial and gender equity in classical music.
Through programming, mentorship, and leadership development, SCO actively promotes diverse voices in orchestral music while creating musical spaces that challenge traditional barriers and expand opportunity for future generations.
photo by Bob Young Photography
“The Seattle Collaborative Orchestra under Dr. Anna Edwards’ excellent musicianship, inspired vision and creative leadership, is doing everything a modern orchestra should be doing to ensure the future of the art of symphonic music. The spirit of collaboration among these professional, gifted amateur and excellent student musicians fosters innovation, diversity and new possibilities in the life of the 21st century symphony orchestra. SCO is showing the way forward like no other orchestra in our region. ”
we are thankful to our supporters!
