Forty years ago, a group of musicians formed the nonprofit Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra to “provide the community with opportunities to perform in and attend orchestral and chamber concerts of the highest quality,” according to its website.

WPO leaders and members said the orchestra has lived up to that lofty objective.

“Not every town in Massachusetts has an orchestra,” said WPO music director Michael Korn.

And few have one that has been thriving for four decades.

“[The WPO has] been through … a recession and it survived COVID. Those are pretty serious punches to an orchestra like this and we have stayed,” he said. “I would like the orchestra to go to the next 40 years.”

Accolade and celebration

To mark the orchestra’s 40th anniversary, the Waltham City Council honored the WPO on April 28 with a resolution introduced by Ward 7 Councilor Paul S. Katz.

In addition, the civic symphony will hold its 40th Anniversary Celebration Concert on Saturday, May 10, at 7 p.m., at the American Legion, 215 Waverly Oaks Road. Attendees will dine on dishes from Waltham restaurants and enjoy a tribute slideshow about the orchestra.

The evening’s program includes Aaron Copland’s Outdoor Overture; arias and duets from Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus and The Gypsy Baron and from Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow operettas; Jacques Offenbach’s Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffman; and spirited Strauss waltzes, polkas and marches.

For the love of music

“One of the most attractive … qualities in the orchestra is that people really love playing. They do it for fun,” said Korn, who has been director since 2009.

The group began in 1985 under the direction of local musicians David J. Tierney and Harold W. McSwain Jr. and comprised almost 50 professional, semiprofessional and amateur musicians.

Today, WPO instrumentalists range in age from their 20s to almost 80 and hail from Waltham as well as from other communities, said WPO board president David Salstein.

Members said they appreciate the orchestra’s sense of community.

“It’s a really welcoming environment,” said flute and piccolo player Sara Belisle. Belisle said she was glad there was no audition process when she joined in 2016, noting that WPO feels less competitive than other orchestras.

Belisle said the WPO’s environment is a big draw for her, noting that she wanted to remain with the WPO after moving from Waltham to Marlborough (where she is director of the Marlborough Public Library).

“I enjoyed it so much … I make the once-a-week trip out there,” she said.

Others offered similar praise.

“It’s a very collegial place … people enjoy being there. They’re not judged,” said Salstein, a Newton resident.

“It is a great group of people,” added Arnold Rots, who has played cello for 67 years and joined the WPO after moving to Waltham in 1998. “Enthusiasm and love of music has been a common and constant element. But the greatest joy always was when the hard work of the rehearsals culminated in a performance where we can enjoy the beauty of the music we make there.”

Diverse repertoire

Weston resident Richard Yospin, a clarinetist in the WPO who plays other instruments, joined at least 25 years ago.

The longtime musician complimented Korn’s leadership, saying “he picks music consistently from composers who have not been given enough exposure here [in the U.S.].”

Belisle and Rots echoed Yospin by praising Korn for including more women and diverse composers.

“Michael Korn has been incredible as a leader, a musician, a teacher and a challenger exploring exciting new additions to the repertoire,” said Rots.

Korn said while it would have been easier for the WPO to only play well-known works, he’s glad that the group offers a good balance and has exposed listeners to unfamiliar, high-quality music.

Building the future

Saying he wished the WPO was “less of a hidden treasure” in Waltham, Korn and other members know it is essential to include more members of the next generation of musicians and improve awareness of the veteran group.

“We need more younger people to come in,” said Korn. In addition, “we really want more connections with schools in town” to encourage younger musicians to join and younger audience members to attend.

Each year one of the group’s concerts “features the winner of the annual Student Concerto Competition, which provides opportunities for young musicians to perform solo works with the WPO,” according to the orchestra’s website.

It further states, “Students from a local elementary school have participated by writing program notes, contributing artwork and performing in a choral group at one of our concerts during the season. We always offer the opportunity for young musicians to play in the orchestra during any rehearsal cycle for a scheduled concert.”

Korn said some of the orchestra’s musicians will participate in an upcoming Waltham High School concert, and he is hopeful that some of those students will play with the WPO.

As for reaching a wider audience, Rots said for some a WPO performance “may be their only — or maybe first — concert they attend.”

WPO members embrace that.

“I think having access to music is important,” said Belisle, who added that the orchestra keeps ticket prices low to be inclusive.

“An orchestra like this brings people together,” she said. For more information on the WPO, visit wphil.org.