As we bring this eventful year to a festive close, I’m delighted to share some wonderful news and updates from your Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Thanks to the generosity of a dedicated benefactor, all gifts made to the VSO between now and December 31, 2025 will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $100,000. This extraordinary opportunity will allow your support to go twice as far, strengthening our artistic programs, expanding our educational outreach, and helping us continue to share the power of live symphonic music with our entire community.

We’re also still celebrating the success of our second annual “Very Merry” Musical Market at Elation Brewing, held as part of our growing SoundBridge initiative. The event brought together local artisans, families, musicians, and supporters for an afternoon filled with creativity, holiday spirit, and community connection. We are grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make this year’s market even bigger and more joyful than the last.

And of course, the holiday season at the VSO is in full swing! From beloved traditions like our Holiday POPS performances to magical family favorites and festive community concerts, our musicians are ready to fill your December with warmth, nostalgia, and cheer. We hope you’ll join us as we share the music that brings people together during this special time of year.

Please note that the VSO Box Office will be closed beginning Wednesday, December 24th, and will reopen on Monday, January 5th, 2025. If you need assistance during the closure, please contact Annual Fund Manager, Hailey Schumacher, at hschumacher@virginiasymphony.org or by calling 757-213-1419. 

On behalf of the entire Virginia Symphony Orchestra, I wish you and your loved ones a happy, restful, and safe holiday season. Thank you for being part of our VSO family and for helping us keep the music playing strong.

Warmest wishes,

Hailey Schumacher | Annual Fund Manager 

Musician Picks

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What Your Favorite VSO Musicians

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What About the Music?

An inside look with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Thursday, December 18, 2025 | 7:30PM | Regent University Theater – Get Tickets
Friday, December 19, 2025 | 7:30PM | Harrison Opera House – Get Tickets
Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 2:30PM | First Baptist Church or Newport News – Get Tickets

Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Rachel Blaustein, soprano
Lisa Marie Rogali, mezzo-soprano
David Walton, tenor
Joshua Conyers, baritone
Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus

George Frideric Handel: Messiah

As the Virginia Symphony Orchestra prepares to usher in the holiday season with Handel’s Messiah, we’re delighted to bring you a deeper look into the music behind one of the most enduring and beloved works ever written. In this month’s What About the Music?, we take a closer look at the brilliance, beauty, and history of this masterpiece as Music Director Eric Jacobsen prepares to conduct Messiah with the VSO for the very first time – an exciting and meaningful milestone for our orchestra.

Composed in just 24 days in 1741, Messiah stands as a testament to Handel’s extraordinary imagination and emotional range. Written during a pivotal turning point in his career, Handel created a work that moved away from the lavish operas he was known for and toward a more introspective, spiritually powerful form of expression. Messiah is also unique among oratorios because it doesn’t follow a single narrative arc, instead, it offers a series of reflections on the life of Christ. The oratorio unfolds in three sweeping parts that explore themes of prophecy, birth, sacrifice, resurrection, and redemption. Its structure resembles a tapestry, woven from Old and New Testament texts, to paint a musical portrait of hope and renewal.

Part I opens with radiant anticipation. The overture sets the tone with its stately, French-style grandeur before moving into the hushed, intimate recitative “Comfort Ye.” From there, the music blooms into the joyful brightness of “For Unto Us a Child Is Born,” featuring one of Handel’s most memorable and uplifting melodies. This section captures the tenderness of the Nativity while also reflecting its immense spiritual significance. You’ll also hear energetic instrumental writing that showcases Handel’s ability to balance transparency and warmth within the orchestra.

Part II shifts dramatically, exploring the tension between darkness and light. This section contains some of the most emotionally gripping music in the entire oratorio, including the haunting “He Was Despised,” which stretches time with its aching melodies. The drama intensifies with vigorous choral movements such as “Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs” and “All We Like Sheep,” where musical lines scatter and weave to depict human wandering and redemption. All of this builds toward the world-famous “Hallelujah” Chorus, a moment so powerful that it has inspired the tradition of audiences rising to their feet, a practice many believe began when King George II stood during the first London performance.

Part III moves into a realm of peace, reflection, and spiritual clarity. The luminous aria “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” opens with a simple yet deeply moving gesture, a rising interval that suggests both hope and transcendence. This final section emphasizes the promise of eternal life and concludes with a majestic and resounding “Amen” that unfolds like a musical blessing. The counterpoint in this closing chorus is some of Handel’s finest writing, bringing the oratorio to a triumphant and serene end.

This year, Music Director Eric Jacobsen brings his signature warmth, precision, and emotional clarity to Messiah, offering an interpretation that honors tradition while inviting listeners to rediscover the work’s immediacy and depth. Under his baton, the transparency of the orchestra, the expressive power of the chorus, and the artistry of our soloists shine in fresh and meaningful ways.

Whether Messiah is part of your family’s holiday tradition or this will be your first time hearing it live, we invite you to experience its timeless message and celebrate the music that continues to inspire across centuries. 

Young People’s Concert Professional Development

​Empowering Teachers Through Music: YPC Professional Development, November 3, 2025

These professional development opportunities provide teachers with tools to introduce key musical concepts, build familiarity with orchestral instruments, and connect classroom learning directly to the concert programs their students will experience. Following the Young People’s Concert, educators will continue with post-concert activities designed to extend learning beyond the auditorium, guided classroom discussions, student reflections, and creative projects that reinforce what students heard and saw during the performance.

The impact of this work is significant. At the 2025 Young People’s Concert, a total of 19,007 audience members attended, including 17,167 elementary students, with the remainder consisting of teachers and chaperones, underscoring the scale and reach of the program.

The Young People’s Concert initiative, an education program of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, serves more than 25,000 students annually across eleven school districts, private schools, and home-school groups. Through comprehensive educator resources, curriculum connections, and immersive symphonic performances, YPC deepens students’ understanding of music while supporting arts learning throughout the region.

By offering dedicated professional development for Virginia Beach educators and by strengthening partnerships across Hampton Roads, the Symphony continues to invest in teachers, ensuring that students arrive at the concert prepared, engaged, and excited. These efforts help cultivate new generations of listeners who may go on to support and enjoy live orchestral music as adults.

Our vendors helped turn the event into a true holiday market experience. Local makers and small businesses lined the room with beautifully curated tables, offering everything from handmade gifts to festive treats. The raffle added another layer of excitement, attendees eagerly dropped tickets, hoping to win prizes donated by our generous partners, with all proceeds helping to support the VSO’s education and community programs.

We’re deeply grateful to Elation Brewing for their continued partnership, to our incredible vendors and raffle donors, and to everyone who purchased a ticket and showed up in support of live music. Because of you, SoundBridge continues to build connections between the Symphony and our community, one shared song (and one shared pint!) at a time.

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONORS:

This Giving Tuesday, your generosity has double the power. Every donation is matched dollar for dollar (up to $100,000) now through December 31, 2025. Your support brings music to classrooms, energizes communities with free concerts, and keeps world-class performances alive across Southeastern Virginia.

Give today and double your impact!