Ferguson Center for the Arts
The Ferguson Center for the Arts, on the campus of Christopher Newport University, opened its doors in 2005 and houses the Diamonstein Concert Hall that we perform in (pictured above). Seating 1,725 people, the Orchestra, Parterre, and Grand Tier areas feature comfortable seating with several aisles. For the best experience, inquire about the box seating located on each level. Drinks with lidded cups purchased in the lobby are allowed inside the hall, and free parking with a convenient shuttle is offered in the garage behind the hall.
Christopher Newport University
1 Avenue of the Arts
Newport News, VA 23606
Phone: (757) 594-7448
Capacity: 1,600
Parking: Free parking is available in the garage adjacent to the Ferguson Center with complimentary shuttle service to take you to the lobby. In addition, the Ferguson Center also provides valet parking for a fee.
Accessibility
The Ferguson Center was built under the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and meets the standards set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is our intent to exceed standard requirements and provide exceptional service for our patrons with disabilities.
Special Features for patrons with disabilities
Complimentary wheelchairs are available at all performances. Speak to a member of House Management upon arrival.
Seating
To purchase accessible seating, contact VSO Patron Services at (757) 892-6366. Notice of special needs must be addressed at time of purchase so that we may best accommodate you. All accessible seats are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Parking
ParkingHandicap Parking is available in the parking garage. A shuttle service, via electric carts, is available at all performances to and from the parking garage.
Paid valet parking is available at most performances for all patrons. If valet parking is not available, disabled patrons may park in the drop-off circle. These services must be arranged at least 14 days prior to the performance. Contact Patron Services at (757) 594-8465.
Assisted Listening
Assisted ListeningAn FM assisted listening system, including headsets and induction loop devices, is available at performances on a first-come, first-served basis.
Speak to a member of House Management upon your arrival.
Ferguson Center for the Arts
Upcoming Concerts at Ferguson Center for the Arts
7.16.21 | THOMAS WILKINS NAMED PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR OF THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
THOMAS WILKINS NAMED PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR OF THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAMPTON ROADS, VA [July 16, 2021] – Internationally renowned conductor and Norfolk native Thomas Wilkins has been named the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s first-ever Principal Guest...
Concertmaster Vahn Armstrong will transition into a new role in the Virginia Symphony Orchestra
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [May 14, 2024] Today the Virginia Symphony Orchestra announced that Vahn Armstrong is stepping down after 31 years leading the ensemble as Concertmaster. He will remain in the VSO as Concertmaster Emeritus in the third chair of the First Violin...
Holiday Brass
Join us for the must-see holiday tradition of the season! There’s no better way to lift your spirits than with seasonal songs and traditional carols delivered in full sound and spectacle by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Brass. The bold sounds of the...
A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Join the Virginia Symphony Orchestra for a concert paying homage to the visionary civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This concert is FREE, but registration is encouraged. Everett McCorvey, conductor Summer Littles, violin Alicia Russell Tagert, soprano...
Chris Thile
Here's a program to delight the imagination, tickle the funnybone, and spur conversation long after the last note rings out! GRAMMY-winning mandolinist Chris Thile's witty new "narrative song cycle for extroverted mandolinist and orchestra" – co-commissioned by...
Romeo & Juliet with JoAnn
JoAnn Falletta returns to conduct one of her favorites—Prokofiev’s powerful and passionate music for Romeo & Juliet. Plus, Hampton Roads’ own Adolphus Hailstork, hailed as “the Dean of African-American composers,” brings us a brand new piano concerto in its local...
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
One of the most beloved works of all time, Tchaikovsky’s concerto will take you on a journey – from the bold and virtuosic, through the lyrical and melancholy, to a grand and cathartic finale. Join us for this unforgettable performance, led by our own Principal Guest...
To Whitney with Love
Join American Idol finalist LaKisha Jones in a celebration of the great ladies of soul, from Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, the legendary Aretha Franklin and the one and only Whitney Houston. Adam Turner, conductor LaKisha Jones, vocalist THANKS TO OUR...
Carmina Burana
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will be joined by the Virginia Children’s Chorus to take the stage for one of the most epic works ever written! Join us for Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana – an uproarious and intoxicating depiction of a raucous medieval paradise....
Sinatra and Beyond
Called “two parts Frank Sinatra and one part Billy Joel,” the triple-threat singer/pianist/songwriter Tony DeSare takes on the legend of Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. From jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall to headlining with major symphony orchestras, Tony DeSare delivers a fresh...
Tchaikovsky 6: The Story Behind the Music
In this intimate program, join Eric Jacobsen as he tells us the story behind the music of Tchaikovsky’s final completed symphony, full of passion and emotion. Excerpts from the work will illustrate a narrative that brings the music to life, setting the stage for a...
Handel’s Messiah
It’s Southeastern Virginia’s grandest Messiah! Iconic music including the Hallelujah chorus portrays one of the greatest stories ever told. This year will feature the full Christmas portion in addition to selections from the second and third parts of this sacred...
Holiday POPs Series
Join us for the must-see holiday tradition of the season – Holiday POPS! There’s no better way to lift your spirits than with seasonal songs and traditional carols delivered in full sound and spectacle by the Virginia Symphony and special guests. Holiday POPS will...
Norfolk Native Thomas Wilkins Extended as Virginia Symphony Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [November 6, 2023] The Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) has announced the extension of Principal Guest Conductor Thomas Wilkins's contract through the 2026-27 season. From a student at Norfolk’s Booker T. Washington High School to the principal...
A Symphony Concert of Profound and Positive Hope
By Montague Gammon IIIVeer Magazine Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s Brahms and Dvořák with Thomas Wilkins November concert features “music that is going to make you feel better about yourself at the end of the evening,” says the VSO’s Principal Guest Conductor Wilkins,...
Noted Composer Adolphus Hailstork Honored as 2023 Arts Supporter of the Year Alongside 2021 Honoree Paula Bonds
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [October 30, 2023] Renowned composer, educator, and friend to the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) Dr. Adolphus Hailstork has been announced as the 2023 Arts Supporter of the Year by Local No. 125 of the American Federation of Musicians. Dr....
Eric Jacobsen Extended as Virginia Symphony Orchestra Music Director
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [October 26, 2023] The Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) has announced the extension of Music Director Eric Jacobsen’s contract through the 2026-27 season. From his first concert as Music Director with superstar saxophonist Branford Marsalis, Eric...
Rocking Rachmaninoff
By Jeff Maisey Veer Magazine Earlier this year, the Virginia Arts Festival celebrated in grand style the 150th birthday of Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff with a series of chamber music concerts featuring the internationally acclaimed Dali Quartet and violinist...
Feast Festively on Beethoven’s Bounty
By Montague Gammon III Veer Magazine The Virginia Symphony opens its 2023-24 Season with a Beethoven Festival whose bounties Music Director and concert conductor Eric Jacobsen twice likened to a “steak dinner with dessert,” a two course musical feast of “pieces that...
Change Agents: A new class of leaders in equity, diversity, and inclusion is transforming American orchestras.
If commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion has grown more apparent at orchestras around the country, that’s likely because it has increasingly become a full-time job. The number of leadership positions specifically focused on some permutation of EDI have...
06.20.23 / Fellows Announced for the Second Class of VSO African American Fellowship
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [June 20, 2023] The Virginia Symphony Orchestra has selected its second class of fellows for the African American Fellowship Program in partnership with Old Dominion University. The Fellows will join the VSO this fall, performing across the region as...
MOLA presents conductor JoAnn Falletta with Eroica Award for Outstanding Service to Music
MOLA: An Association of Music Performance Librarians honors Falletta for her many decades of exemplary leadership and tireless advocacy BERLIN | June 5, 2023 — MOLA: An Association of Music Performance Librarians is honoring American conductor JoAnn Falletta with the...
Virginia Symphony Orchestra Holds Free Spring Concerts
HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA [May 24, 2023] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra will present “Symphony Under the Stars” and “Symphony on the Lawn,” conducted by VSO’s Director of Education, Helen Martell and featuring Angelica Michelle, vocalist. This year’s concerts, in...
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PARTICIPATES IN CARNEGIE HALL’S LINK UP PROGRAM
HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA [January 18, 2023] – In collaboration with Carnegie Hall, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra is participating in Link Up: The Orchestra Sings, a music education program provided by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI), during the 2022-2023...
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKES HISTORY, NAMES DR. ANDREA F. WARREN AS CEO
HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA [November 28, 2022] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra has named Dr. Andrea F. Warren as the organization’s president and chief executive officer following an executive search process guided by Arts Consulting Group. Dr. Warren succeeds Karen...
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA COMMUNITY CONCERT UNITES REGION THROUGH MUSIC
HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA [September 1, 2022] – After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with the City of Norfolk and SevenVenues, will host its fourth annual CommUNITY Play-In and Sing-Along concert. Members of the...
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOLDS FREE CONCERTS UNDER THE STARS LABOR DAY WEEKEND
HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA [AUGUST 24, 2022] – Scenic outdoor venues across Hampton Roads – including Chesapeake, Williamsburg and Yorktown – will host Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s “Symphony Under the Stars” concerts this Labor Day weekend. This year’s trio of concerts,...
CineConcerts and Warner Bros. Consumer Products Launch The Polar Express In Concert, Brining the Holiday Classic to the Ferguson Center for the Arts
Audiences will experience a live symphony orchestra performing Alan Silvestri’s complete score (with orig. songs co-written by Glen Ballard) live to picture at Diamonstein Concert Hall on November 26 – Tickets on sale at FergusonCenter.org Trailer · Press...
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WELCOMES 2022-2023 NEW BOARD MEMBERS
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [August 1, 2022] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra has announced nine new members to the Board of Directors as of June 27. Nat & Betty Brown reside in Williamsburg and are active members in the Let Freedom Ring Foundation and First Baptist Church...
CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO LEAVE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY THIS FALL
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [April 26, 2022] Karen M. Philion, who has served as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s President and CEO since 2014, has announced she will step down in the fall after more than a decade with the organization. During her tenure, Philion is credited...
2.2.22 | JUST ANNOUNCED: Local Favorites Perform Beethoven and Haydn at the Ferguson Center, April 29, 2022
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [February 2, 2022] – Norfolk native and VSO Principal Guest Conductor Thomas Wilkins brings Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 to the Ferguson Center for the Arts with the Virginia Symphony on Friday, April 29, at 7:30 PM. Mr. Wilkins found his passion for...
1.21.22 | Virginia Symphony Orchestra Announces Nikki Thorpe as Director of Diversity and Engagement
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [January 21, 2022] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce Nikki Thorpe as its first-ever Director of Diversity and Engagement. In this new role, Thorpe will be the primary staff support for all the VSO’s Equity, Diversity, and...
1.18.22 | New Fellowship Program at Virginia Symphony Seeks to Diversify Orchestras Nationwide
In Partnership with ODU, Local Public Schools to Gain Mentors HAMPTON ROADS, VA [January 18, 2022] The Virginia Symphony Orchestra has announced a new Musician Fellowship Program for four early-career African American orchestral string musicians to advance the goal of...
11.17.21 | CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [November 17, 2021] – The Virginia Symphony presents four exceptional holiday programs throughout Hampton Roads from December 10th through December18th. Join the VSO for the must-see holiday tradition of the season – Holiday POPS! There is no better...
NEW VSO MUSIC DIRECTOR ERIC JACOBSEN PRESENTS HIS DEBUT CONCERTS WITH SPECIAL GUEST AND GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING SOLOIST BRANFORD MARSALIS DECEMBER 2 – 5
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [November 8, 2021] – In a monster musical weekend featuring everything from a romantic-era favorite to the first U.S. performances of music from British composer Sally Beamish, conductor Eric Jacobsen makes his Virginia Symphony Orchestra debut as...
11.4.21 | VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH ODU
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH ODU HAMPTON ROADS, VA [November 4, 2021] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra presents a one-night only concert alongside the Old Dominion University Symphony Orchestra on Friday, November 12th. JoAnn Falletta, the...
9.17.21 | The New Maestro
by Jeff Maisey | VEER MagSeptember 17, 2021 By Montague Gammon III The newly appointed twelfth Music Director of our Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Eric Jacobsen, flew into town from his current home in Brooklyn late last month, hitting the ground – or rather the stage...
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS SEASON OPENING WEEKEND | 9.14.21
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [September 14, 2021] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra opens its 2021/22 season with a weekend of exciting concerts across Hampton Roads on September 24th, 25th, and 26th. It’s the roaring ‘20s! Pianist Natasha Paremski returns to the VSO for her...
8.31.21 | Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Under the Stars’ concert a Williamsburg tradition
Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Under the Stars’ concert a Williamsburg tradition By JOHN SHULSON VIRGINIA GAZETTE | AUG 31, 2021 AT 1:00 PM Williamsburg is a town of traditions and one of its most popular music traditions has been the free outdoor concert offered by...
SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY’S 2021-2022 SEASON
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [August 30, 2021] – The future of the VSO shines brightly, looking ahead to a season full of joy, new voices, and more live music together. With favorites like Branford Marsalis, Kishi Bashi and The Music of the Bee Gees, to Uptown Nights with the...
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WELCOMES 2021-2022 NEW BOARD MEMBERS
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [August 23, 2021] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is excited to welcome four new members to its 2021-2022 Board of Directors. Garrett Berger, a Virginia Beach resident since 2003, joins the VSO Board with a great appreciation for the arts community...
8.12.21 | RESTRUCTURING AT THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PROVIDES MORE RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [August 12, 2021] -- The VSO is proud to welcome experienced music educator and conductor Helen Martell as its new Director of Education and Staff Conductor. This new position reflects restructuring at a moment of artistic transition in the...
7.29.21 | Another View with Barbara Hamm Lee on WHRO: Featuring Thomas Wilkins
Another View with Barbara Hamm Lee on WHRO: Featuring Thomas Wilkins ACT-SO WINNERS! If you've ever heard of ACT-SO, boy are you in for a treat! This NAACP youth achievement program allows high school students of African descent to develop their areas of interest and...
7.20.21 | Making a Difference Mondays on WMBG Radio: Featuring Eric Jacobsen
Making a Difference Mondays on WMBG Radio: Featuring Eric Jacobsen Click the link to listen to Eric Jacobsen's interview!
7.19.21 | Thomas Wilkins is back in Norfolk with new Virginia Symphony Orchestra position
Thomas Wilkins is back in Norfolk with new Virginia Symphony Orchestra position By MIKE HOLTZCLAWVIRGINIAN-PILOT CORRESPONDENTJUL 19, 2021 AT 8:39 AM Thomas Wilkins believes music is more than just notes on paper or melodic sounds. It is transformative and alive, and...
7.18.21 | State of the Water with Dr. Eric Claville on WNSB: Featuring Thomas Wilkins
State of the Water with Dr. Eric Claville on WNSB: Featuring Thomas Wilkins
6.25.21 | VSO PRESENTS “HOPE FOR THE FUTURE” CONCERT
VSO PRESENTS “HOPE FOR THE FUTURE” CONCERT HAMPTON ROADS, VA [June 25, 2021] – Join musicians of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra on June 26 for a special healing event as communities begin healing from the pandemic. This “Hope for the Future” concert will happen at...
6.2.21 | Virginia Symphony Orchestra names Eric Jacobsen new music director
Virginia Symphony Orchestra names Eric Jacobsen new music director By AMY POULTER THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT JUN 02, 2021 AT 12:01 PM NORFOLK — In April 2019, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra announced its longtime music director, JoAnn Falletta, was leaving after 29 years...
6.2.21 | NOTED AMERICAN CONDUCTOR AND CELLIST ERIC JACOBSEN APPOINTED NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
NOTED AMERICAN CONDUCTOR AND CELLIST ERIC JACOBSEN APPOINTED NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAMPTON ROADS, VA [June 2, 2021] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra today announced the appointment of noted American conductor and cellist ERIC JACOBSEN...
5.17.21 | STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH THE VSO THROUGH VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH THE VSO THROUGH VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS HAMPTON ROADS, VA [May 17, 2021] – The Virginia Symphony Orchestra has turned their popular Young People’s Concert into a virtual experience this year, available through the end of June, to 12 public school...
