The Client
Celebrating 90 years with a website from 20 years ago.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra has been enriching the cultural landscape of southwest Missouri since 1934, with their first concert performed on February 26, 1935. Now celebrating their 90th anniversary, they continue their mission “to expand awareness and celebrate the performance of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra on the occasion of our 90th anniversary while cultivating the future for the next 90 years.”
Performing at the prestigious Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, the Symphony presents nine concerts annually featuring world-class soloists and innovative programming. Their educational programs serve the community’s youth, and they take pride in providing free tickets to underserved populations.
In their milestone 90th anniversary year, they approached 417 Marketing with a significant digital challenge: their website was built on Drupal — an aging, complex CMS that had become nearly impossible to manage — and the design didn’t come close to reflecting the elegance of a 90-year institution.
Technically obsolete — running on an aging Drupal CMS that was complex and user-unfriendly
Visually outdated — dark, cramped layout that didn’t reflect the elegance and prestige of a 90-year-old cultural institution
Poor visual hierarchy — important information buried in cluttered sidebars and difficult to locate
Difficult to manage — staff struggled with content updates due to Drupal’s complexity
Not optimized for the anniversary — lacked the visual impact needed to celebrate their major milestone
Missing modern features — no video integration, contemporary web elements, or engaging visual storytelling
Inconsistent branding — the old logo and branding elements looked dated and lacked cohesion
The Solution
A complete digital transformation — platform, design, and content management.
01
Platform Migration: Drupal → WordPress
Migrated from the complex Drupal CMS to user-friendly WordPress, selected for its intuitive interface and ease of content management. Ensured seamless data transfer with no loss of historical content or SEO value.
02
Modern, Clean Design Revolution
Complete visual overhaul from the dark, cluttered design to a bright, sophisticated interface. Professional typography, strategic white space, improved visual hierarchy, accessibility-first approach, and a color palette that reflects musical artistry rather than a corporate feel.
03
Dynamic Video Banner
Integrated an engaging video banner on the homepage showcasing the orchestra in action — creating visual storytelling that immediately captures visitor attention and conveys the energy of live symphonic performance.
04
Updated Branding Integration
Seamlessly incorporated the Symphony’s refreshed logo and brand elements, ensuring consistent brand representation across all digital touchpoints and alignment with their 90th anniversary celebration theme.
05
Content Management Revolution
Simplified content updates through WordPress’s intuitive dashboard — enabling staff to easily manage concert listings, news, and educational programs, and reducing dependency on technical support for routine website maintenance.
Before & After
The Transformation
The contrast between the old and new websites demonstrates the power of strategic design and platform migration. Where visitors once encountered a cramped, difficult-to-navigate interface, they now find an elegant, user-friendly experience that truly represents the Springfield Symphony’s caliber as southwest Missouri’s premier cultural institution.
Before — Drupal CMS
Dark, cluttered layout. Hard-to-read typography. Poor visual hierarchy. Complex backend.
After — WordPress
Clean, elegant design. Video banner. 90th anniversary branding. Mobile-responsive. Easy to manage.
The transformation goes beyond aesthetics — it represents a fundamental shift from a website that hindered the organization’s mission to one that actively supports their goals of engaging audiences, selling tickets, and celebrating their remarkable 90-year legacy.
Key Features Delivered
Every detail built to serve the Symphony’s mission.
A homepage built to convert visitors into ticket buyers.
- Prominent “Celebrating 90 Years” messaging
- Easy access to season brochures and ticket purchasing
- Featured upcoming concerts with professional imagery
- Clear calls-to-action for subscriptions and donations
Intuitive navigation replacing the cluttered sidebar approach.
- Dramatic visual improvement from dark, cramped design to bright, welcoming interface
- Content prioritization putting concerts, tickets, and key information front and center
- First-Timer’s Guide to help newcomers navigate symphony attendance
- Detailed subscription information with benefits clearly outlined
- Mobile-responsive design — a major upgrade from the non-responsive old site
Streamlined content structure for patrons and staff alike.
- Streamlined navigation making it easy to find concerts, events, and information
- Professional staff directory and organizational information
- Educational programs section highlighting community outreach
- Integrated donation and support information
- SEO-optimized structure for improved search visibility
The Results
Immediate, measurable improvements — both operational and brand.
75%
Staff can now update content in minutes rather than hours — zero technical barriers for non-technical staff.
90 yrs
A digital presence that finally matches the Symphony’s 90-year reputation as southwest Missouri’s premier cultural institution.
Zero
From wrestling with Drupal to confidently managing all website content independently. Concert listings, news, educational programs — all updated without IT support.
- Content management time reduced by 75% — staff update content in minutes rather than hours
- Zero technical barriers — non-technical staff can confidently manage all website content
- Improved workflow for updating concert information, news, and events
- Perfect brand integration showcasing their updated logo and 90th anniversary theme
- Visual storytelling through the video banner capturing the essence of live symphonic performance
- Professional credibility matching their reputation as southwest Missouri’s premier symphony
- Simplified hosting and maintenance compared to the complex Drupal setup
- Better security through WordPress’s robust security features and regular updates
- Improved SEO foundation for better search engine visibility
- Future-ready platform that can easily accommodate growth and new features
“The transformation 417 Marketing delivered exceeded our expectations. Managing our website content has never been easier, and the new design perfectly captures the elegance and excitement of our 90th anniversary season. Our staff can now focus on bringing world-class music to our community instead of wrestling with website updates.”
Jennifer Cotner-Jones
Executive Director, Springfield Symphony Orchestra
Project Conclusion
The right digital partner transforms more than just a website.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra website redesign demonstrates how the right digital partner can transform an organization’s online presence. By moving from an outdated, difficult-to-manage Drupal site to a modern, user-friendly WordPress platform, 417 Marketing delivered results that go far beyond a visual refresh.
This project showcases 417 Marketing’s expertise in understanding both the technical requirements and the unique needs of cultural organizations — delivering solutions that combine functionality with the artistic elegance these institutions deserve.
A website that truly represents the Symphony’s 90-year legacy
Dramatically improved content management capabilities
A foundation for continued digital growth and success
Enhanced user experience for patrons and supporters
Work With Us
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Let’s talk about what’s holding your current site back and what a better one could do for your business.