General Information
For 75 years, the Rio Hondo Symphony has thrilled Southern California audiences. Founded by Ruth Haroldson, a violin instructor at Whittier College, the orchestra has provided music, free of admission fees, to visitors from various communities. First called the Whittier Symphony, in 1964 the orchestra acknowledged the wider audience by renaming itself the Rio Hondo Symphony. Today the symphony is sponsored by Whitter, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, and by Rio Hondo College. It is also supported by hundreds of individuals and businesses.The mission of the Rio Hondo Symphony Association is to enrich the cultural life of the community it serves, to expand the musical knowledge of youth and adults, and to provide an outlet for the talents of musicians in the greater Southern California area through the performance of symphonic music.
Four concerts are performed yearly at the Vic Lopez Auditorium at Whittier High School in Whittier.