The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera was the first combined professional resident symhony and opera company in the nation, merging in 1985. World-class Soviet director Vakhtang Jordania was recruited to become the conductor and artistic director. He was succeeded in 1992 by Robert Bernhardt. Bernhardt left the CSO directorship in April 2011. His successor is Kayoko Dan, who made her debut with the CSO in September 2011. Bernhardt has remained at the CSO as music director emeritus and continues to reside in Chattanooga. ("Chattanooga Symphony and Opera", 2024)

Bernstein: Overture to Candide
Dvorak: Symphony No. 6