Founded in 2007, the New Albany Symphony Orchestra has grown to more than 120 professional, community, and student musicians who perform to sold-out crowds at the McCoy Community Center for the Arts, as well as in schools and throughout the community. The brainchild of New Albany resident and violist Heather Garner and founding conductor Luis Biava, NASO was designed to be a true community orchestra in which students are mentored by professional musicians, talented community musicians have a stage on which to perform, and professional musicians have an additional outlet for their craft. As part of its music education mission, the orchestra offers free master classes, a sensory-friendly series for individuals with autism and dementia/Alzheimer’s, and a student concerto competition, giving young people from throughout the state the opportunity to compete to perform a concerto on stage in front of a live audience.