February Review

February has been an incredible month at the VSO, filled with outstanding performances and unforgettable moments. From exciting concerts to inspiring collaborations, we've seen the power of music unite our community in meaningful ways. As we look toward the future, we’re filled with anticipation for what’s ahead and deeply grateful for your ongoing support. If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, be sure to explore the 2024 Impact Report to see the difference you’ve helped make.

On February 8th, the VSO had the honor of hosting world-renowned piano virtuoso Yuja Wang for an evening of exceptional music. The audience was spellbound by her mesmerizing performance of Rautavaara's avant-garde Piano Concerto, the rarely performed and intricately complex Piano Concerto by Ligeti, and Tchaikovsky’s breathtakingly romantic Romeo & Juliet, all conducted by the brilliant Eric Jacobsen. As an added delight, we were treated to THREE encores! Yuja wowed us with Schubert/Liszt’s Gretchen am Spinnrade, a transcription of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, Movement II: Allegro molto, and a powerful transcription of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, Movement III: Allegro molto vivace, capping off an unforgettable evening of musical brilliance.

March is shaping up to be an incredibly busy month, and we’re excited for the fantastic lineup of performances ahead! From an unforgettable tribute to Tina Turner with Adrienne Warren to the thrilling West Side Story Symphonic Dances, there’s something for everyone. We’re also looking forward to the Peninsula Youth Orchestra's side-by-side concert with our musicians and the magical experience of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in concert. Don’t miss out—mark your calendars, and we hope to see you there for these extraordinary events!

March is Music in Our Schools Month

VSO brings world-class musicians into the classroom and onto the stage to inspire, educate and engage our Hampton Roads students.

Young People’s Concerts

This year, the VSO is performing Carnegie Hall Link Up program called “The Orchestra Moves”. It is all about how music moves us emotionally and physically. Our Director of Education, Helen Martell, presents professional development sessions for all the elementary music teachers in the Fall. Teachers then plug in the various lesson activities and rehearse the music with the students over the next few months. In February and March, the students attend a live professional orchestra concert where they can play recorders, sing and dance along with the VSO led by our onstage talent from the Young Musicians of Virginia and professional singer, Darrell Gunn. Concerts started in February with Virginia Beach (pictured) and Portsmouth Public Schools. Each school system pays a portion of the cost. Multiple grants and sponsors help us with the rest of the cost. The outcome is priceless. Over 18,000 students and teachers will attend a VSO Young People’s Concert in February/March 2025.

“My students were so excited about being a part of the VSO concert. This experience raises the bar of the performance level of our students we teach in the classroom. Thank you for the experience!” Robyn Alexander, Creeds Elementary

Upcoming Young People’s Concerts in March:

SOAR – School Orchestra Artistic Residency

At the core of our education engagement program are our residencies in local schools. Throughout the year, participating schools enjoy regular visits from symphony musicians, who coach students on their instruments and establish a relationship with the students. These are designed to be small group sessions that provide the highest level of fundamental and musical training to students from the professional musicians of the VSO.

Fellows Chamber Music Shows

The VSO Fellows not only get the experience of performing with the VSO, but they also created a chamber music show to be performed in schools and interact with student groups. Adrian Jackson developed a string quartet show about movie music and how music tells a story. Jafet Diaz Martin developed a brass quintet show featuring music from North and South America. They will be performing in Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Newport News Elementary in February-April.

Delta Arts in the Schools

Facilitated by the Norfolk Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Norfolk elementary schools receive visits from two VSO musicians in small classroom settings. Interactive presentations expose students to unfamiliar orchestral instruments such as harp, bassoon, and French horn. The long-term goal of this program is to show students that learning an instrument is within their reach and to help them become comfortable with and enjoyclassical music into adulthood. This year, we are planning to visit three schools: PB Young Elementary on Feb 24; Lindenwood Elementary on March 20 and Jacox Elementary on April 1.

Get ready for an unforgettable night with Adrienne Warren, performing live with the VSO on March 1st, 2025! To keep the magic going, Adrienne has curated a special playlist featuring her top picks for this month. Take a listen and immerse yourself in the vibe, keeping the energy of her performance alive long after the show. Don’t miss the chance to experience the feeling of her presence again. Enjoy!

Please contact Hailey Schumacher at hschumacher@virginiasymphony.org for assistance accessing your VSO Spotify Playlist through Memberful. 

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