The Women's Orchestra of Arizona
The Women's Orchestra of Arizona (WOA) was founded in 2016 to provide musical opportunities that empower women musicians and benefit the greater community. As the second all-women's orchestra to be established in the United States (after the Cleveland Women's Orchestra), we are growing a community of connection for aspiring and virtuoso female musicians in the Phoenix metro area.
The orchestra honors the classical traditions and champions the contemporary, with a deep commitment to performing works by female composers. As of fall 2024, WOA is rehearsing and performing at North Scottsdale United Methodist Church, in Scottsdale, only a few miles from its former location at Ascension Lutheran Church in Paradise Valley.
The orchestra welcomes auditions from teen and adult women from all walks of life who are looking to play in a musically stimulating yet supportive environment.
Guest artists and soloists who perform during our concert series also represent a similarly wide demographic range and experience level. Any given WOA performance might include works that feature a particular soloist from within the orchestra, or guest performances from talented teens who have mastered challenging pieces, or visiting guest artists from around the country and abroad, to showcase the talents of female musicians and often composers as well.