SoNA Music Director Paul Haas to Depart Role at End of Upcoming Season
Symphony Board to Conduct National Search for New Music Director
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. (August 15, 2024) — Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) Music Director Paul Haas will depart the organization at the conclusion of the 2024-25 concert season, in April 2025. Haas joined SoNA in 2010 and has served as Music Director for 15 seasons. SoNA’s Board of Directors has begun a national search process for a new Music Director and will share further updates about such in due course.
During Haas’ tenure, SoNA has grown to become the region’s premier orchestral ensemble and solidified its position in the cultural landscape of Northwest Arkansas. Haas has overseen the evolution of the SoNA mainstage concert series at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, and has helped extend SoNA’s reach with annual performances at the Walmart AMP in Rogers and at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.
Haas’ final season with SoNA will consist of an exciting array of programming at Walton Arts Center beginning in September. The season’s first concert features a world premiere of the newly commissioned Oceans to Cross by Aldo López-Gavilán on September 21. Next, the orchestra will perform a science-fiction themed concert on November 9, followed by the community-favorite holiday program A Very SoNA Christmas on December 7. In 2025, the season continues with a special Sunday matinee concert on February 16 featuring Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony and SoNA Principal Trombonist Cory Mixdorf performing a concerto. The season will culminate with a performance of Gershwin’s classic Rhapsody in Blue, alongside works by Arkansas-based composers William Grant Still and Florence Price.
Reflecting on his time with SoNA, Paul Haas said, “The people of Northwest Arkansas have been uncommonly kind to me, welcoming me with open arms and giving me the unconditional support I needed to do my job and do it well. I want to take this opportunity first and foremost to thank the musicians of the orchestra, the board, the staff, and especially SoNA’s wonderful audience for giving me the most incredible professional opportunity of my life thus far. I know this orchestra will continue to grow and flourish well into the future, and I will be wishing all of you the very best from afar.
Reflecting on his decision to step down as Music Director at the conclusion of the upcoming season, Haas continues, “I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished here, and by any measure these 15 years have to be judged a resounding success. I’m blessed to have a wide array of skills and passions, and this is the perfect time for me to pour myself more fully into those. I’ve been planning this transition for a few years now, and I am excited finally to have the time and space to turn my secret dreams into reality.”
SoNA’s Executive Director, Ben Harris, said, “When I began working as SoNA’s Production Manager 12 years ago, the organization looked very different. With Paul Haas on the podium, we’ve gone from a fledgling orchestra to an arts powerhouse in Northwest Arkansas. As we embark on Paul’s last season as Music Director of SoNA, I look forward to celebrating our shared history with the community of musicians that make up our beloved orchestra. We will be forever grateful to Paul for his years of service and helping to position SoNA as an important cultural touchstone in the region. I look forward to the upcoming season and beyond as we continue to bring great music to life in Northwest Arkansas for many years to come!”
SoNA’s Board Chair, Marti Sudduth, adds, “I look forward to highlighting Paul’s many accomplishments with us. He is revered by our audience, and we will all be celebrating where he has helped bring us. It is my sincere wish that everyone will take time to thank him for the past 15 years and wish him success in his upcoming endeavors.”
About SoNA
The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) is the region’s leading professional orchestra. Under the musical direction of Maestro Paul Haas, SoNA presents dynamic and diverse symphonic performances to an audience of more than 25,000 people annually. Established in 1954 (originally as the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra), the nonprofit organization is a resident company of Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville where it presents an annual mainstage series of orchestra concerts. In addition to its mainstage concerts, SoNA presents community outreach programs through its SoNA Beyond concert series and educational initiatives in coordination with area schools. Through its partnerships across the region, SoNA musicians also frequently appear at locations such as the Walmart AMP and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. For more information about the upcoming season, click here.