The Allentown Symphony has had only three music directors throughout its history.
Donald Voorhees, a native of Allentown, was the orchestra's first music director, from 1951 to 1983. In 1995, the orchestra appointed Diane Wittry as its third music director and conductor. During Wittry's tenure, the Allentown Symphony Chorus was established in 2014. Other initiatives during Wittry's tenure have included a conducting fellows programme begun in 2010, the 'El Sistema Lehigh Valley' education programme started in 2011, and a composer-in-residence programme and a "Composer Collaborative" programme both established in 2020. In January 2026, the orchestra announced that Wittry is to retire as its music director at the close of the 2027-2028 season, with her final concert as music director scheduled for the autumn of 2027.
Schadt string competition Established in 1997, the Edwin H. and Leigh W. Schadt String Competition is a national solo string competition run by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. The competition alternates each year between
violin,
cello and
classical guitar. Prizes range from USD $2,500 to $12,000, with the first prize recipient also receiving a solo
concerto engagement with the orchestra. The competition is named for, and underwritten by a trust established by Edwin H. Schadt (1910–1994) and Leigh W. Schadt (1904–1996), sons of a wealthy Lehigh Valley
grocery wholesaler. ==Music directors==