The Symphony of the Hills (SOH) brings superb classical orchestral music to audiences in the Hill Country of Texas. Partnered with Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, the orchestra is comprised  of skilled and professional musicians from the Hill Country, including faculty and advanced music students from the University.  The 2007-2008 Season marked the beginning of two performances for each concert--one on Thursday at 7:30 pm and the other on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm. This schedule  was carried over in the 2009 - 2010 Season but will revert to one Thursday-evening concert in the 2010-2011 Season.

In this past Season, which ended on May 2, 2010, we added two Pops Concerts featuring artists of renown, accompanied by the Symphony of the Hills. The first of these, featuring Don Braswell, was a sell-out. The second concert in January 2010, spotlighting an all-time international favorite, the New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band, was also sold out.

The Symphony of the Hills Association is a non-profit Texas corporation with a two-fold mission: Bringing superb classical music to audiences in the Hill Country of Texas and improving the musical skills of its instrumentalists, especially the  Schreiner University students. It is the conviction of the Officers and Directors of the Association, and of the conductor and musicians of the orchestra, that the orchestra performs a valuable service through providing fine music to area residents, thus enhancing the quality of life to all who embrace classical symphonic music.

The SOH is an outgrowth of a community orchestra begun in the late-1990s by retired Schreiner University professor Dr. Charlotte Marrow. The original volunteer orchestra presented two concerts a year. In appreciation for her vision and efforts, in 2000 the SOH board named her to the honorary post of Conductor Emeritus.

In 2001, under the leadership of Schreiner University President Dr. Tim Summerlin, the orchestra was reorganized into a professional group with a separate board of directors comprising various community leaders. The Symphony of the Hills Association was born. The original board voted to establish a four concert season, charge admission to the concerts and pay the musicians. This certainly set the bar much higher than it had been previously, since paying audiences expect professional performances and musicians who are paid for their services definitely demonstrate a higher level of commitment to the orchestra.

Ed Wallace was the first president; Joe Herring, Jr. was one of the founding board members and served as President of the Association following Ed Wallace's tenure.  Concerts in the first two seasons (2001-2002 and 2002-2003) were held in Dietert Auditorium on the campus of Schreiner University while the community awaited the completion of renovations to the 834-seat Cailloux Theater.

Since the 2003 move to the Cailloux Theater, the Symphony has enjoyed remarkable success. Beginning with 2007-2008 season, the Board  doubled the number of offerings of each concert, providing an additional presentation of the same concert on Sunday afternoons. For the 2010/2011 Concert Season, the Orchestra is returning to the practice of performing one performance of each classical concert on Thursday evenings, while offering two programs of Children's Concerts in the Third Concert as well as additional pops presentations. There are tentative plans for a pops concert November, 2010  along with a special concert on New Year's Eve. An additional pops concert in June, 2011 is under consideration. All details on the 2010/2011 Season will be provided here in a timely way.

Presidents of the Association
Warren Ferguson 2010 - Present
H. D. Maxwell 2009 - 2010
Dr. Jim Adams 2007 - 2009
Joseph Benham 2005 - 2007
Joe Herring 2003 -2005
Ed Wallace 2001 - 2003