The 70-member Symphony Orchestra from Azusa Pacific University, a Christian university 30 miles east of Los Angeles, performs under the direction of Christopher Russell, M.M. With a variety of repertoire spanning great symphonic literature to the provocative music of contemporary composers, the orchestra provides pre-professional orchestral training to the talented instrumentalists of the APU School of Music.

Previous season performances included works by Shostakovich, Beethoven, Stravinsky, Lutoslawski, and Dvorak's Stabat Mater with the APU Oratorio Choir. In the academic year, the orchestra also performs with the Opera Workshop and the numerous choral groups in the annual Celebrate Christmas performances. The Symphony performed the US premiere of Stockholm Diary by conductor/composer, Esa-Pekka Salonen of the LA Philharmonic as well as the West Coast Premiere of Jeu de Timbres by Pulitzer-prize winning composer Steven Stucky!