South Dakota Symphony Orchestra Case Study

Orchestra members playing
Orchestra members playing

Through a partnership with Pollen Midwest, we created a case study to learn how South Dakota Symphony Orchestra is moving the regional orchestra experience toward a model that shares the power of music with the entire community.

Excerpt from the Case Study

While regional orchestras across the country are struggling to remain relevant and financially sustainable, the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) is thriving. It thinks differently about how regional orchestras can engage in problem-solving work and asks itself, "How do we use the orchestra to make our community better?"

Illustration of two people looking at a heart-shaped light bulb

Welcome Ideas

“Bridges go both ways”: It’s a phrase commonly heard among SDSO staff, and points to the value they place upon learning from other cultures.

community illustration

Represent Community

Now, as it enters its 13th year, the Lakota Music Project is transitioning from breadth to depth, with a new phase that values spending more time in fewer communities — starting with only two: the area around the Black Hills in the western half of the state, and Sisseton, a small town in the northeastern corner of South Dakota.


Orchestra Members Rehearsing

Featured Video

See how South Dakota Symphony Orchestra is transforming the traditional, transactional orchestra model into one that is focused on service to the community.