Introduction

Passionate, Electrifying Music-Making for over 45 Years

Whether you prefer Beethoven or the Beatles, the Galveston Symphony Orchestra has something for everyone. See below for information on our upcoming events, and we hope to see you at our next concert.

The Galveston Symphony Orchestra is one of the island’s leading providers of classical and orchestral music. As a community-supported non-profit organization, we are deeply committed to artistic excellence, community involvement, and providing educational outreach and opportunities. Dedicated musicians from the island and the greater Houston metropolitan area bring unforgettable live concert experiences to the Galveston community.

With our “Sundays at the Symphony” series at The Grand 1894 Opera House, the orchestra performs a vast repertoire of music ranging from the classics of J.S. Bach and Tchaikovsky to the jazz sounds of Louis Armstrong and the film scores of John Williams. The season culminates in our annual “Juneteenth Celebration” concert, celebrating Black and African-American composers and music in the original birthplace of Juneteenth.

Most of our Masterworks concerts feature internationally renowned soloists- these virtuoso musicians also perform a recital at the intimate and gorgeous Moody Mansion in our “Moody Mansion Music” series.

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An elderly man with white hair and beard dressed in a black tuxedo with a bow tie, standing outdoors next to an ornate carved stone wall, with the city street and building in the background during sunset.

  • Trond Saeverud joined the Galveston Symphony Orchestra in 2013 as conductor and music director after conducting in Denmark, Norway, and the United States.

    Trond has been a violin soloist with major orchestras in Europe and in the United States, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at the Lincoln Center, New York. He has produced CDs as a soloist with orchestras in Norway and Denmark and regularly premieres new works that are written for him. Trond’s solo CD “Ghosts” received the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy Award (1997). His recital CD “Hika” was the editor’s choice, Strad Magazine (2002).

    Trond studied conducting with Brian Priestman at the University of Kansas (DMA, 2002) while serving as frequent guest conductor for the “Kansas City Camerata” and producing, as a doctoral thesis, a new critical edition of the Second Symphony of his grandfather, Harald Saeverud.

    In addition to his GSO duties, Trond is also the music director for the UTMB – Galveston Healing Arts Orchestra.

  • Executive Director- Andrea M. Skarupski

    Personnel Manager- Olivia Sears

    Librarian- Debbie Valdez



2026-2027

Galveston Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors

Lori Laird, President
Dr. Charles Mouton, President Elect
Chris McMurray, Past President
Harla Kaplan, Secretary
Norma Lowrey, Treasurer
Dr. Bernd U. Budelmann, President Emeritus
Kathleen Bucher
Liz Cook
Liz Cryder
Kelly DeVany
Rick Erickson
Dr. Andy Grant
Mike Hughes
Mary Lou King
Morton Tito Leonard, Jr.
Linda Marroquin
Randy Meyer
June Pulliam

Trond Saeverud, Music Director (ex-officio)
AndrEA M. Skarupski, Executive Director (ex-officio)
Olivia Sears, Personnel Manager (ex-officio)