Our Mission
Kendall Square Orchestra creates exhilarating concert experiences, bringing together exceptional musicians from science, technology, and related professions who are deeply committed to artistic excellence, sharing their love of music, and being catalysts for good.
Our Purpose
Founded in 2018, K²O brings together nearly one hundred musicians from more than 70 institutions across Greater Boston, including scientists, engineers, physicians, educators, entrepreneurs, and other professionals united by a shared commitment to artistic excellence. What began as an experiment in community has become one of the region’s most distinctive orchestras, known for ambitious programming, electrifying performances, and a concert experience that feels as welcoming as it is inspiring.
We believe something extraordinary happens when people whose daily work is shaping the future come together to create art.
In a world increasingly defined by specialization and separation, K²O offers a rare shared cultural space where curiosity, creativity, and human connection flourish. Our musicians choose music alongside demanding careers because they believe a life without beauty, wonder, and collaboration is incomplete.
What happens on stage is only part of our story. Through Symphony for Science and other community initiatives, we use music to support causes that strengthen our region, raising awareness, resources, and hope for organizations working in healthcare, homelessness, STEM education, and beyond. We believe great music can do more than move people. It can bring people together, deepen understanding, and inspire action.
K²O exists to create extraordinary musical experiences and to demonstrate what is possible when talented people unite in service of something larger than themselves. We are not simply performing concerts. We are building a community, advancing the common good, and reimagining what an orchestra can be.
Our Story
Kendall Square Orchestra was founded in 2018 on a simple but powerful belief: that people accomplish extraordinary things when they create together.
The idea began with scientists Kelly Clark and Elena Spencer, who had experienced firsthand how music could bring colleagues together in ways that work alone could not. After reconnecting years later while leading teams at separate biopharmaceutical companies in Kendall Square, they envisioned an orchestra that would unite Boston’s scientific, technological, and professional communities through a shared pursuit of artistic excellence.
That vision took shape when they invited conductor Kristo Kondakçi to serve as Music Director, assembled a dedicated leadership team, and opened auditions to musicians across the region. What began as a small gathering of passionate musicians quickly grew into something larger: a vibrant community of scientists, engineers, physicians, educators, entrepreneurs, and other professionals committed to creating music at the highest level.
Today, K²O brings together nearly one hundred musicians from more than seventy institutions across Greater Boston. Its performances have attracted thousands of audience members, inspired a rapidly growing community of supporters, and demonstrated that an orchestra can be more than a performing arts organization. Through initiatives such as Symphony for Science, K²O uses music to strengthen communities, support charitable causes, and create meaningful connections across disciplines and backgrounds.
As the orchestra continues to grow, its purpose remains unchanged: to create extraordinary musical experiences, foster human connection, and show what becomes possible when talented people unite in service of something larger than themselves.
