The Phoenix Symphony began its 75th anniversary season after a year of canceled performances and surviving the pandemic.

Their first concert of the season was “An Evening with the Romantic” on Oct. 22.

The Phoenix Symphony is Arizona’s only full-time orchestra, founded in 1947.

“Phoenix is not an old city. And so the Phoenix Symphony being 75 years is one of the oldest things in Phoenix, which is really kind of astounding to think about,” said Tito Muñoz, the Phoenix Symphony’s musical director.

This is Muñoz’s eighth season with the Phoenix Symphony. He said the symphony shut down in March 2020 with the rest of the nation and had to lay off many musicians and administration.

“It was heartbreaking and it was just something that I think a lot of people were going through all over the world,” Muñoz said.

Jeffery Meyer is the director of orchestras at Arizona State University. He said COVID-19 was like a “huge pause button for everyone.” Meyer said the pandemic was hard for musicians everywhere.

With help from the Paycheck Protection Program and the community, the Phoenix Symphony was able to hire them back. Now, the musicians are ready to start their 75th season.

Meyer said he believes the community missed live music. “There’s definitely a feeling in both the people on stage and the audience’s offstage, that they are very grateful,” Meyer explained.

Most of the Phoenix Symphony’s concerts will be performed at Symphony Hall. Suzanne Wilson is the President and CEO of the Phoenix Symphony.

She explained that the symphony’s musicians are excited to bring music back to the Arizona community.

“The fact that we are back on stage every single night and none of us will take that for granted, and especially coming out of COVID and not being able to perform,” Wilson said.

This season will be a blend of pop and classical music. The musicians are excited to get back to doing what they love, Wilson said.

“To not play for 18 months and come back together with our musicians and our community and our audience, that is going to be special, every single night, that we perform,” Wilson said.

Some of the musicians were nervous after not being together for so long. However, Muñoz said he was not nervous.

“I think it’s a little like riding a bike, you know once we come together, it’s sort of, I mean we’re all professionals so we all like once we sit down to the chair like we know what to do,” Muñoz said.

The Phoenix Symphony is once again ready and excited to perform for the community.

“Any nervousness is just completely superseded by their excitement to be back, and to be able to see an audience and perform once again in public,” Wilson said.

Reach the reporter at astanbri@asu.edu.