Under the direction of Dr. Kevin F. E. Sütterlin, The Concordia Orchestra is the winner of the prestigious American Prize for Orchestral Performance in 2018-19, the American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial award for performance of American Music and has received two EMMY awards for its nationally broadcast Concordia Christmas Concerts. The Orchestra’s prestige has also secured invitations to the Sydney Opera House (2016) and Carnegie Hall (2017). The Concordia Orchestra is recognized as the premier 21st century orchestral program in the Upper Midwest among liberal arts colleges. The Orchestra is hailed for its rich, mature, string sound, inspiring performances, and diverse programming. It was founded in 1967 by Concordia alumnus J. Robert Hanson, '51.

The Orchestra engages in both international and domestic tours. In 2022 the Orchestra experienced an international tour of Spain, where they visited and performed in Madrid, Oviedo, Salamanca, A Coruña, and Valladolid. Prior tours have included Greece (2018), The Holy Land (2014), and others. Annual domestic tours feature faculty soloists as the Orchestra travels across the country.

The Concordia Orchestra’s concert season runs October through April. Fall semester highlights include the Honors String Orchestra performance as well as the Fall Tour Concert, which concludes the Orchestra’s domestic tour. Spring highlights include the Senior Honors concert, featuring selected soloists from Concordia’s senior class, as well as the Masterworks Concert — a collaborative concert between The Concordia Orchestra and Masterworks Chorale to bring to life great choral-orchestral works.

The Concordia Orchestra rehearses Mondays from 5-6:30 p.m. (strings), and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-6:30 p.m. (full orchestra).