For a town of its size, Eugene has a large music scene with a variety of concert options. The area is an ideal community for musicians because it embraces all forms of the arts and is home to a surprising number of performance art companies and venues. Here's a sampling.

Eugene Symphony

The Eugene Symphony, which was founded in 1966 and performs most of its concerts at the 2,500-seat Hult Center for the Performing Arts. The orchestra plays in front of 27,000 classical music fans each year, and the Hult Center enjoys attendances of more than 91 percent capacity whenever the symphony takes the stage.

Oregon Mozart Players

The Oregon Mozart Players perform six concerts each year during its season that runs from October-May, performing in the more intimate 500-seat Soreng Theater inside the Hult Center.

The group features a broad spectrum of music, playing everything from baroque to 20th century. Most of the group’s concerts also feature soloists who travel to Eugene from throughout the United States.

Oregon Bach Festival, Festival of American Music

The city is also home to the Oregon Bach Festival, an annual celebration of 18th century composer Johann Sebastian Bach. The event takes place 17 days each summer, on the University of Oregon campus and at the Hult Center.

Another specific celebration is the Oregon Festival of American Music that occurs each August. The festival takes place in a former Baptist church that has an 800-seat concert hall, a 175-seat recital hall and two dance studios.

Live Music

A college town can be expected to have its share of local bands and the venues to showcase them, but Eugene shines by producing a growing list of successful musicians and routinely drawing national acts to perform in halls both small and large.

Rolling Stone named Eugene one of “America's Top 10 College Music Scenes that Rock,” and students can watch the scene come to life at venues like WOW Hall, McDonald Theatre and other venues reeling in top-name artists.

And then there are the many local clubs near campus, downtown and throughout the city, which provide an outlet for established bands and also serve as a breeding ground for new talent.

Check out more on music in Eugene, OR.