Mission

Community Women’s Orchestra creates a welcoming environment to engage, inspire, and celebrate women in classical music.

History

The Community Women’s Orchestra (CWO) was founded as a community adjunct to the professional Women’s Philharmonic. Although the Women’s Philharmonic disbanded in 2004, the CWO continues to grow and flourish as an independent organization. In the past 34 years, it has grown from the original six-member ensemble to more than sixty members. 

CWO has collaborated with the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, including multiple performances at Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, Brava Theater, touring to Santa Rosa and Miami, Florida, and CD and DVD recordings.

CWO has been responsible for numerous regional, national, and world premieres of works by female composers, including Juliette Folville, Ethel Smyth, Martha Stoddard, Hilary Tann, and Mary Watkins. Other composers featured on CWO concerts include Jennifer Higdon, Gwyneth Walker, Cyndi McTee, Dione Tan, Clara Wieck Schumann, and Fanny Mendelssohn, to name but a few.

Musicians

Current members of CWO are: business owners, grad students, physicians, retirees, college professors, artists, stay-at-home moms, engineers, attorneys, music teachers, and more! We all share a passion for promoting women in music.