arts culture

Sounds of the Symphony: NEA, ASU, Vet Tix & Your Phoenix Symphony Build Community Through Music

by Phoenix Symphony

This past season, The Phoenix Symphony had the privilege of doing something new: spending meaningful time with the veterans, active service members, and families who joined us for concerts throughout the year. Through Sounds of the Symphony, a project supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, veterans and their

This past season, The Phoenix Symphony had the privilege of doing something new: spending meaningful time with the veterans, active service members, and families who joined us for concerts throughout the year.

Through Sounds of the Symphony, a project supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, veterans and their families were invited to experience more than a performance. They were invited into a community.

This innovative partnership was made possible through the leadership of Dr. David Coon and the Center for Innovation in Healthy and Resilient Aging at Arizona State University, Tamara Underiner and ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and the incredible support of Savannah and Sean from Vet Tix. Together, we created opportunities for veterans and Symphony musicians to connect in meaningful ways before and after select performances.

Musicians with The Phoenix Symphony meet and speak with participants in the Sounds of the Symphony program before a concert.

Throughout the season, Portal 9 at Symphony Hall became a hub of conversation, curiosity, and connection. These gatherings weren’t formal presentations—they were genuine conversations. Musicians shared what they were rehearsing, what excited them about the evening’s program, and insights into their artistic process. Veterans shared their own stories, their relationship with music, and what brought them to the Symphony.

After each performance, the conversations continued. Participants returned to reflect on what they had experienced together, creating a space where music served as a catalyst for dialogue, understanding, and community.

What emerged from these gatherings was something special: friendships, shared experiences, and lasting relationships between veterans, musicians, and fellow audience members. The project reinforced something we have long believed—that live music has the power not only to inspire, but also to bring people together.

We are deeply grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts, Arizona State University, Vet Tix, and everyone who helped bring Sounds of the Symphony to life. Their partnership enabled us to explore how music can strengthen community connections and create spaces where people feel seen, welcomed, and valued.

Musicians with The Phoenix Symphony and researchers from Arizona State University, in photo, have worked together for years on health-related initiatives.

As we look ahead to next season, we are committed to continuing these conversations and building on the relationships formed this year. Veterans and military families remain an important part of our Symphony community, and we look forward to sharing what comes next.

To every veteran, service member, family member, musician, researcher, and partner who participated in Sounds of the Symphony: thank you for making this season unforgettable. Together, we discovered that some of the most powerful moments happen not only on stage, but in the connections we create with one another.

This collaboration was featured in The League of American Orchestras Symphony Magazine. READ HERE [hyperlink to PDF]

Learn more about Sounds of the Symphony, ASU News “Building a community through live music” – Blog Link HERE.

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