Nationally recognized conductor Stefan Sanders led the Central Texas Philharmonic through the works of Jacques Offenbach, Igor Stravinsky and Ludwig van Beethoven as part of the Central Texas Philharmonic’s inaugural concert Sept. 8.

The performance was so moving, audience members were reduced to tears, said Charlotte Barbini, board president of the organization.

“Art and culture plays a predominant role in the health of a community,” Barbini said. “It provides a component that I believe humankind needs and requires.”

The Central Texas Philharmonic formed in September 2018 as a merger of two nonprofit organizations—the Georgetown Symphony Society and the Round Rock Symphony.

The Georgetown Symphony Society worked to bring classical concerts to town but did not have musicians of its own, while the Round Rock Symphony had musicians but lacked for performance opportunities.

“With the combination of the Georgetown Symphony Society and the Round Rock Symphony, we have joined the strengths of both nonprofits into this more robust environment,” Barbini said.

The merger, Barbini said, has ended the duplication of services and allowed for more extensive programming.

The Central Texas Philharmonic has performances set up through June, including a Van Cliburn Finalist Recital featuring pianist Rachel Cheung in October and a holiday program in December.  The group is also the orchestra in residence for the Butler Opera International at The University of Texas at Austin and the Georgetown Festival of the Arts.

Julia Taylor, vice president of the Central Texas Philharmonic board of directors, said the organization works to provide access to classical music for all ages within the Central Texas area. This includes the Philharmonic’s Musical Enrichment Program, which provides hands-on and interactive teaching for Georgetown and Round Rock ISD students.

Taylor said the organization is dedicated to ensuring everyone in the area has the opportunity to experience live, professional classical music performances. Programs are generally held at the Klett Performing Arts Center in Georgetown, and ticket costs range from $25-$30. The price is $5 for students.

“One of the wonderful things about where we perform and the price is that people have access to an incredibly high-quality orchestra at a very reasonable price without having to go down to Austin,” Taylor said.