Columbus Indiana Philharmonic

Columbus Pro Musica was incorporated in 1970 to promote and encourage an active interest in music in the community. It received its nonprofit status in 1971. In 1987 the Board of Directors changed the name of the organization to Pro Musica Orchestra and hired Alice Curry as Executive Director and David Bowden as Artistic Director. 1987 also saw the formation of the Philharmonic Chorus with David Bowden as the Choral Director. The name of the organization was changed to the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic in 1995.

The Philharmonic orchestra continues to thrive on a partnership of the best musicians from Columbus and the surrounding region and talented students from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. The Philharmonic orchestra and David Bowden have received local, state, national and international recognition winning five ASCAP awards and consistently receiving rave reviews for its performances.

The first Salute! concert was performed during the Memorial Day 2000 weekend as a free community concert honoring our Veterans, armed forces personnel and their families. The idea, introduced to the Philharmonic by Harry McCawley, Associate Editor of The Republic, has become an annual gift to the community from the Philharmonic and generous sponsors.

An endowment fund, established by Paul and Karen Berman in 1992 and managed by The Heritage Fund, has surpassed $1.0 million. In 2003, thanks to the generosity of Bob and Helen Haddad, the Philharmonic moved to its current facility at 315 Franklin Street.

With a full complement of concerts and music education programs, the Philharmonic is proud to be one of the arts organizations that contribute to the rich quality of life enjoyed by Columbus residents.