Co-founders: Stewart Kershaw, music director, Pacific Northwest Ballet; Josie Emmons Turner, then cultural program manager for the City of Auburn; Herman Ansingh, Mark Johnson, Ted Leonard, Tom McCloskey, Stephannie Snow, Gertrude Sprenger and Lee Valenta

Purpose: To provide professional musicians from the PNB’s orchestra and related organizations an opportunity to give symphone concerts on stage. It is also to present world-class classical music to residents of Auburn and South King County. 

Mission: Professional musicians fostering the joy of music in South King County through performances of unsurpassed quality.

Description: The ASO is a 501C3 not-for-profit corporation, founded in 1996. It is a fully professional orchestra, now comprised of more than 60 musicians from Seattle's Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB), and other Northwest orchestras. Its music director is internationally recognized conductor Stewart Kershaw, PNB's music director, and it is managed by a Board of committed music lovers.

The ASO currently presents three symphony programs a season, with two in collaboration with the City of Auburn’s Arts Commission’s BRAVO Series*.  Performances are held at the Auburn Performing Arts Center, where parking is easily available.  Free educational lectures are provided before the concerts.  Each year the ASO invites aspiring young musicians from local schools to audition for the chance to play with the orchestra. 
 
In January 2006, ASO launched a Chamber Ensemble with the intention of presenting at least two Chamber concerts a year.  Performances are held at the Theatre at Auburn Mountainview High School.