The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra’s music director isn’t going anywhere. The LSO announced Friday that David Cho has accepted a three-year contract extension that keeps him leading the orchestra through the 2029-30 season. KCBD also reported the news.
The extension comes in Cho’s 15th season with the LSO, which means Lubbock audiences have watched him lead the orchestra for a big stretch of its history.
Why the board said yes
According to the orchestra, Cho’s tenure has brought broader programming, a deeper presence in Lubbock and in regional schools, and this year’s 80th anniversary performance of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem at Buddy Holly Hall.
“David has brought a level of artistic leadership that has elevated this orchestra and our great city of Lubbock and the surrounding communities,” LSO CEO Heather Hocker said in the release. She added that he connects with musicians, audiences, educators and students. “Extending his contract was an easy decision for our board.”
The LSO also credits Cho with building its collaborations with Ballet Lubbock and The Lubbock Chorale, and with growing its education programs as a resource for teachers and students across the South Plains.
What Cho said
“I am grateful for the trust this organization and the region has placed in me,” Cho said in the release. “Lubbock is a city that shows up for its arts, and this orchestra reflects that. We have built something real here, and I am committed to seeing how much further we can take it together.”
Why it matters
For a mid-size orchestra, a stable music director makes it easier to plan seasons years ahead, recruit musicians and keep school partnerships going. A three-year commitment gives the LSO that runway as it plays its 80th season.
When to hear the LSO next
- Home for the Holidays: Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at The Buddy Holly Hall, conducted by LSO artistic director Eric Allen. Come at 6 p.m. for pictures with Santa and a pre-concert performance by the LYO Tango Strings Ensemble. It’s a natural pick for your holiday calendar. See our Lubbock holiday events guide for more.
- Masterworks 3, Brahms: Double Concerto: Friday, Jan. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at The Buddy Holly Hall, with Cho back on the podium. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a pre-concert performance in the lobby.
Season schedules and single tickets are at lubbocksymphony.org or 806-762-1688. The LSO office is at 601 Ave. K and is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Have an LSO memory, or a kid who caught the music bug at a school concert? Tell us. We love sharing those stories.
Sources
- Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, 'LSO Extends Contract with Cho' (Oct. 30, 2026): https://www.lubbocksymphony.org/news/lso-extends-contract-with-cho
- KCBD, 'Lubbock Symphony Orchestra extends director Cho's contract' (Oct. 31, 2026): https://www.kcbd.com/2026/10/31/lubbock-symphony-orchestra-extends-director-chos-contract/
- Lubbock Symphony Orchestra concert pages, Home for the Holidays and Brahms: Double Concerto: https://www.lubbocksymphony.org/holiday and https://www.lubbocksymphony.org/mw3
- Featured image: IndyMayorsOffice, “Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra,” Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (public domain): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indianapolis_Symphony_Orchestra.jpg
