Founded in 1963, the critically acclaimed, community-based Camellia Symphony Orchestra has won seven ASCAP awards for adventuresome programming and is the longest continuously performing symphony orchestra in the Sacramento Area. The Orchestra often performs world, national, and Sacramento premieres. The artistic mission of the organization is to present concerts and programs of high artistic merit, integrating new works of diverse composers, unique classical compositions that are rarely performed, and selections from the standard repertoire in a way which reaches the broadest possible audience.

The Orchestra has received high critical praise from the media in Sacramento for its programming and dynamic performances. The organization has been awarded grants from the the California Arts Council, the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, the Sacramento Bee Performing Arts Fund, the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, the Sacramento Symphony Foundation, the Sacramento Regional Foundation, and the American Composers Forum with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Hewlett Foundation. The Sacramento Arts & Business Council awarded Camellia Symphony Orchestra with its Arts Excellence Award in 2001. The Camellia Symphony Orchestra is presented by the Camellia Symphony Association, a non-profit organization.