The North Georgia Chamber Symphony is a organization based in Dahlonega, playing concerts for enthusiastic audiences around North Georgia. Membership is open by audition to string players in the area; however, the majority of the orchestra is professional, contracted yearly. The orchestra, formed in 2007, is funded by grants, corporations, and private donations, and plays a variety of musical genres, ranging from the Baroque to jazz and folk. Music Director Laurin Smith has performed across the U.S. including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, as well as in Europe and Asia.