About Us
From the centre of Perth to the furthest corners of the state, we have provided the soundtrack to life in WA since 1928.
As the State Orchestra, Perth’s first and finest, WASO is the largest employer of performing artists in Western Australia and reaches two million people with musical experiences each year on stage, in our community, and online.
From concert stages to classrooms, hospitals to aged care, we bring joy, inspire learning, and nurture participation in our community, because everybody deserves the opportunity to experience live music. Every year, through community and leading industry partnerships, we engage a new generation of young and emerging artists to help secure a bright future for music in Australia.
We celebrate our rich classical music heritage with great artists from all over the world and commission and perform new repertoire to renew and expand it. The Orchestra collaborates widely with major arts companies and independent artists, performing opera to ballet, movies to musicals, jazz to rock.
Asher Fisch is Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser of our Orchestra. We champion the diversity of music in all its forms, with a team of talented and passionate people who create unforgettable experiences for all West Australians to enjoy.
It all began on 16 September 1928, with a performance at The Queens Hall on William Street, under the leadership of charismatic conductor Harold Newton.
32 professional musicians presented a concert that included Perth’s first ever performance of Dvořák’s Symphony No.9 From the New World. According to a review the following day in The West Australian, “the performance proved a surprisingly good one”, and so this was the conception for what would later become known as the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
From small beginnings over 90 years ago, WASO has steadily evolved to become a trailblazing arts organisation, employing 82 full-time musicians dedicated to enriching the lives of West Australians.
The Capitol Theatre played an important part in WASO’s history as a regular venue for the Orchestra from 1953 until 1966, after which it was demolished and replaced by an office building. Left with no permanent performance space, concerts were shifted to Winthrop Hall at the University of WA in 1967 and remained there until Perth Concert Hall was opened on 27 January 1973.
Today, Asher Fisch is Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser of our Orchestra and we are proud to call Perth Concert Hall home.
Harold T. Newton (1928-1932)
George Reid (1932)
Nelson Burton (1933-1935)
Ernest J.Roberts (1936-1947)
Henri Krips (1948-1949)
Rudolf Pekarek (1950-1954)
John Farnsworth Hall (1955-1965)
Thomas Mayer (1965-1971)
Tibor Paul (1971-1973)
David Measham (1974-1981)
Albert Rosen (1982-1985)
Jorge Mester (1990-1993)
Vernon (Tod) Handley (1995-1998)
Vladimir Verbitsky (1999-Conductor Laureate)
Matthias Bamert (2003-2006)
Paul Daniel (2009-2013)
Asher Fisch (2014-current)
Meet the Orchestra
From strings and woodwinds, to brass and percussion - find out more about the talent behind WASO's sound.
Board & Management
Behind our extraordinary orchestra is an extraordinary team of people who help the music reach you, our audience.
Work With Us
From management to musicianship, explore career opportunities at WASO.
A New Home for WASO
Perth Concert Hall is now closed for redevelopment, with the new look venue set to re-open early 2028.
Annual Reports
Our Annual Reports provide a snapshot of our activities as we strive to achieve our vision to enrich lives through music.
Reconciliation
We are privileged to share music on Country with exceptional First Nations artists and Elders. We have made an organisation-wide commitment to advance reconciliation with our ‘Reflect’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Creative Partnerships
WASO is proud to bring the music for many creative partners in WA.
West Australian Ballet
West Australian Opera
Perth Festival
Western Australian Youth Orchestra
