Omaha’s Intergeneration Orchestra Celebrates 40 Years of Bridging Generations Through Music

April 9th, 2025

Imagine a concert where a high school violinist performs alongside a retired trumpet player — where decades of experience blend with youthful ambition. That’s the heart of the Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha, which celebrates its 40th season this year.

The community ensemble is composed exclusively of musicians 25 and younger and 50 and older, skipping the in-between years entirely. Music Director Mark Benson says the unusual age bracket is by design.

“The idea was to have mentorship — older musicians with younger student musicians,” Benson said. “That mix really creates something special.”

Founded in 1985 by Chuck Pennington, the orchestra was created to bring generations together onstage and to expand access to live music throughout the Omaha area. For Benson, a retired middle school band teacher in Bellevue, leading the ensemble has been a meaningful way to remain active in the music community.

“I started in 2019, after retiring from teaching,” he said. “I was looking for new ways to stay involved in music, and this just felt right.”

Rehearsals run weekly from August through April, culminating in five to six concerts each season. In addition to public performances, the orchestra plays regularly at nursing homes and senior centers, supported by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

“Part of our mission is to bring music to people who can’t get to a concert hall,” Benson said.

The final concert of the season — a free event — will take place Sunday, April 13, at 3 p.m. at the Omaha Conservatory of Music. The performance will feature alumni returning to the stage alongside current members, including guest soloists violinist Melissa Teatro Holtmeyer and bassist Tom Miller. Vocalists Rebecca Teeter and Ann Tiemann, as well as university students Parker Wolf and Spencer Feldman, will also perform.

Benson says audiences can expect a wide-ranging program, including movie themes, swing tunes, and pop hits from the 1970s — all delivered with what he calls a “big band with strings” sound.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” Benson said. “Fun, familiar music that really connects with audiences of all ages.”

More information is available at igoomaha.org.