Amongst craft coffee and beer gardens, the Starkville-MSU symphony lends a hand to Starkville’s cultural revolution. 
This year marks the Starkville-MSU symphony’s 45th concert season. 
The symphony was founded on March 2, 1969 and performed its first concert in November 1969.
Next week, the symphony plans to hold its annual outdoor event at the Renasant Bank plaza. The event will showcase jazz tunes with a few big band performances intertwined. The event is aimed toward families and MSU students alike. 
The event takes place tonight at 6 p.m. at the corner of Lampkin Street and Montgomery Street. The event is free to all ages. 
A dance floor will be available for those who arrive with dancing shoes in tow, and a select amount of chairs will be provided for those who choose to leave their dancing shoes at home.
Elizabeth Hawkins, board member and symphony member, began playing with the symphony in 1973. She said a goal of the symphony is to make the music accessible. She said she hopes “Jazz at Renasant” meets this goal. 
Hawkins said many individuals attribute symphony music as “high-brow,” but that she hopes the music is fun and emphasizes the symphony’s aims to play music that can be enjoyed at all levels. 
“We want to take music outside the concert hall, and put it where people are,” Hawkins said. 
Jeannie Godbold, head of the symphony’s publicity committee, emphasized “Jazz at Renasant” is a fun, family evening of jazz and dance.
“We just want people to come out and be aware that we do have a symphony. They (the symphony) love to play the music, and the audience seems to enjoy hearing it,” Godbold said. 
The symphony makes a point to be involved with the students at Mississippi State University. It offers a select number of scholarships to MSU music majors and student performers with the symphony. 
Olivia Stolz, a senior music major, is a recipient of one such scholarship. She plans to play the saxophone for “Jazz at Renasant.” 
Stolz said the symphony has provided her exemplary experience for a future career and led to additional opportunities with the Mississippi Symphony in Jackson. 
“I just think it’s fun to go out and support people in these types of events to expand your experiences,” Stolz said. “I don’t think until you go to one of the concerts you realize how fun it is.” 
The symphony hopes the event will get the community involved with the symphony and display a night filled with music and dancing. 
The symphony aims “to bring music in every form to the community and enhance the cultural life of the community,” Hawkins said.