Borne out of a benefit concert organized by Joey Galvin and other local musicians in response to the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016, Symphony Viva is now in its fifth season of music-making. A hybrid ballet and concert orchestra comprised of local professional, semi-professional, and amateur musicians, Viva strives to bring high-quality music and music-making to the San Antonio community and to provide educational and performance opportunities for its musicians. An affiliate of the Alamo City Performing Arts Association since 2018, the orchestra collaborates with the Alamo City Dance Company (ACDC) in two fully-staged productions every year, including ACDC’s annual performance of The Nutcracker.
 
Following the tenures of conductors Richard Castillo and Dr. Guadalupe Rivera Jr., Dr. Joseph Kneer was appointed Music Director and Conductor of Symphony Viva in July of 2020.