The Fresno Philharmonic, now in its 54th season, is the cultural flagship of Fresno, and one of the leading cultural organizations in the central San Joaquin Valley, one of the fastest growing regions in California. The population of Fresno is approaching 500,000, with an equal number living in surrounding communities. The rapid growth of Fresno's cultural community in recent years speaks well of Fresno's potential as an emerging center of cultural activity in the western United States.

The orchestra performs eight concert pairs throughout the season (approximately one weekend per month) in the 2370-seat Saroyan Theatre in downtown Fresno. The Philharmonic is also the contracted orchestra for the Fresno Grand Opera and the Central California Ballet. In addition, its small ensembles provide over fifty educational outreach services to local schools, and the orchestra performs a week of youth concerts concluding with the annual Family Concert. In June 2007, the Philharmonic introduced a new mini-festival, Basically Beethoven, that was held over several days and included two orchestra concerts and a chamber music concert. Leading guest soloists, such as Itzhak Perlman, Lang Lang, Lynn Harrell, Sarah Chang, and Andre Watts have appeared with the Philharmonic.

Theodore Kuchar is the Music Director and entering his sixth season. He is also Music Director of the Janacek Philharmonic in the Czech Republic, and the Reno Chamber Orchestra in Nevada. He previously served as Music Director of the Ukrainian National Orchestra in Kiev and the Boulder Philharmonic in Colorado. With many recordings on both the Naxos and Brilliant labels, he is one of the most recorded conductors on the scene today. Many of his recordings have received critical acclaim.

The Fresno Philharmonic operates on an annual budget of approximately $2.4 million. There is an endowment of about $2 million. The Philharmonic is managed by a full-time staff of nine and seven part-time employees. It has a 25-member Board of Directors who are fully engaged with generous financial contributions and their commitment to service on various committees. An ancillary Symphony League has 115 members and provides over $20,000 in annual support.