The North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1954 through financial and program support from the University of Arkansas and performs within the Northwest Arkansas region, Oklahoma, and Southwest Missouri. The Symphony became an independent non-profit organization in 1988 keeping its ties to the University of Arkansas. Performances have been enjoyed at Baum Walker Hall in partnership with the Walton Arts Center since the spring of 2003. The North Arkansas Symphony Society’s records begin with the 1984 season, as the symphony was under the direction of conductor Carlton Woods who was a professor at the University of Arkansas. Carlton left the symphony in 1997 and was not replaced until 1999. Jeannine Wagar was the Music Director for a number of years until the end of the 2008 season when the symphony fell short of fundraising goals. Due to lack of sponsorship, the symphony had to cut the remaining scheduled performances that season. After two years of debt-elimination and reorganization, during which North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (NASO) changed its name to The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA), they hired Paul Haas as the new Music Director and has resumed scheduling concerts as of 2011.