Celebrate 105 years of the VSO, with a Season of American Spirit and Symphonic Brilliance.
HAMPTON ROADS, VA [April 7, 2025] The Virginia Symphony Orchestra has announced their 2025-2026 season. Audiences can look forward to a season celebrating the 250th birthday of the United State of America with pieces by classic American composers, such as Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and Samuel Barber, and contemporary American composers, such as Jennifer Higdon, Curtis Stewart, Nathalie Joachim, and Adolphus Hailstork. Programming has also been selected to commemorate Eric Jacobsen’s fifth season as Music Director of the Virginia Symphony.
“It is hard to believe it is my fifth season as Music Directors, but I am so excited to celebrate during the 2025-2026 season!” says Jacobsen. “We’re bringing you some of the most iconic ‘Fifths’ in classical music: Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Beethoven. We’re honored to explore the richness of our nation’s art with a season of world premieres and classic works by iconic American composers. It will be a season of excitement, celebration, and unity – one that honors the past while embracing the future of this great community.”
New this season is the VSO Up Close Series. Curated by new Concertmaster Grace Park, audiences will experience intimate concerts that highlight the spectacular VSO musicians. Jacobsen is even joining for the very first of the series, Schubert’s Cello Quintet. The Family series, Peanut Butter & Jam (PB&J) will add new performances in Newport News this season along with the usual four performances in Virginia Beach. Jacobsen will also be conducting, alongside Staff Conductor and Director of Education Helen Martell, on PB&J: Finding America in Dvořák’s New World.
“It’s been such a beautiful and rewarding experience being on stage with the brilliant musicians of the VSO. This season will give us all something incredibly meaty and heartful to sink our teeth into and share with the great audiences of Hampton Roads” says Jacobsen.
The season opens with Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony + Cellist Jan Vogler, September 12-14. New subscriptions will be available May 1, 2025, and single tickets will go on sale later this summer. More information can be found at virginiasymphony.org.
*Denotes a Coffee Concert and the pieces that will be played.
25/26 VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SEASON
Opening Weekend: Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony + Cellist Jan Vogler
Friday, September 12, 2025 11am – Ferguson Center*
Friday, September 12, 2025 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Saturday, September 13, 2025 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Sunday, September 14, 2025 2:30pm – Sandler Center
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Jan Vogler, cello
Samuel Barber: Overture to The School for Scandal
Anna Clyne: DANCE, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5*
VSO Up Close: Schubert’s Cello Quintet
Saturday, September 13, 2025 3:00pm – Peebles Theater
Franz Schubert’s final piece of chamber music will be the first in our new concert series, VSO Up Close. To celebrate the inaugural performance, Music Director Eric Jacobsen will perform as the iconic extra cello that gives this quintet its name, “The Cello Quintet”, alongside world renowned cellist Jan Vogler.
PBJ: When Instruments Roamed the Earth !®
Saturday, September 20, 2025 3:00pm – Ferguson Center
Sunday, September 21, 2025 3:00pm – Sandler Center
Helen Martell, conductor
Just as Looney Tunes introduced a generation to loving classical music, “When Instruments Roamed the Earth!®” takes a new generation on a hilarious journey to love the people, the sound & the experience of the symphony orchestra. Enjoy an all-original music with narration in a compelling multimedia presentation.
Aretha: A Tribute with Capathia Jenkins & Ryan Shaw
Saturday, September 27, 2025 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Brandon Eldredge, conductor
Capathia Jenkins, vocalist
Ryan Shaw, vocalist
Broadway star Capathia Jenkins and three-time GRAMMY® Award nominee Ryan Shaw join the orchestra for a tribute to the Queen of Soul. Celebrate the legacy of Aretha Franklin with performances of iconic hits like “Respect,” “Think,” “A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” “Amazing Grace,” and many more.
Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy & Sibelius’s Second Symphony
Friday, October 3, 2025 11am – Ferguson Center*
Friday, October 3, 2025 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Saturday, October 4, 2025 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Thomas Wilkins, conductor
Alex Beyer, piano
Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Michael Abels: Amplify
Franz Schubert: Hunting Song from Rosamunde
Ludwig van Beethoven: Choral Fantasy
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 2*
PBJ: Hogwarts Hullabaloo
Sunday, October 26, 2025 3:00pm – Sandler Center
Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor
Charms, Potions and Musical Notions! Hop on the Hogwarts Express and visit The Virginia Symphony Orchestra School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Designed for all the young witches and wizards who haven’t received their Hogwarts acceptance letters yet, the Hogwarts Hullabaloo showcases all that the wizarding world has to offer, complete with some Weasley magical mischief in store!
The Musical World of Harry Potter
Sunday, October 26, 2025 7:00pm – Sandler Center
Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor
Witches, Wizards, and Muggles are all invited to celebrate The Musical World of Harry Potter! Let the Virginia Symphony take you for a ride on “The Knight Bus” as you learn about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but watch out for the Weasley Brothers’ “Fireworks” and other mischief from “Dobby the House Elf” along the way! With music from across the entire Wizarding World, this concert is sure to win the House Cup!
VSO Up Close: Beethoven Violin Sonatas
Sunday, November 16, 2025 3:00pm – Peebles Theater
Grace Park, violin
Gilles Vonsattel, piano
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 12, No. 2
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 12, No. 3
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47, “Kreutzer”
Classical Christmas
Sunday, December 7, 2025 2:30pm – William & Mary Music Arts Center
Sunday, December 7, 2025 7:00pm – William & Mary Music Arts Center
Adam Turner, conductor
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra returns to the William & Mary Concert Hall for a symphonic holiday program of winter and festive-themed classics by your favorite classical composers! Delight in pieces that have stood the test of time for centuries!
Holiday POPS!
Thursday, December 11, 2025 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Saturday, December 13, 2025 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Sunday, December 14, 2025 7:00pm – Sandler Center
Robert Shoup, conductor
Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Virginia Children’s Chorus
Earl Bynum & The Mount Unity Choir
PBJ: Jingle Bell Jam
Sunday, December 14, 2025 3:00pm – Sandler Center
Helen Martell, conductor
With a visit from Santa Claus, the beloved Jingle Bell Jam rings in the magic of the season with the holiday tunes you know and love! Celebrate the holidays with the VSO and the best of Hampton Roads for an afternoon that will have you “gliding along with a song of a wintry fairy land” and so much MORE!
Handel’s Messiah with Eric Jacobsen
Thursday, December 18, 2025 7:30pm – Virginia Beach
Friday, December 19, 2025 7:30pm – Harrison Opera House
Saturday, December 20, 2025 2:30pm – First Baptist Church Newport News
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
George Frideric Handel: Messiah
Holiday Brass
Friday, December 19, 2025 7:30pm – St. Bede Catholic Church
Bright and Bold, Holiday Brass is a sound to behold. Featuring the VSO brass and percussion sections, this festive concert is full of finesse, flourish and a touch of flair! You’ll enjoy music from a variety of styles that have made this concert a new holiday tradition across Hampton Roads!
Copland’s Rodeo & Higdon’s Harp Concerto
Friday, January 16, 2026 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Saturday, January 17, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Alexis Colner, harp
Vocalists from Norfolk State University
Harlan Zackery, director
John Adams: Chairman Dances
Jennifer Higdon: Harp Concerto
Curtis Stewart: New Work (world premiere)+
Copland: Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo
+ support for this commission provided by the National Endowment for the Arts
The Princess Bride in Concert: Film with Orchestra
Friday, February 13, 2026 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Morihiko Nakahara, conductor
“As you wish…” Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles… Experience one of the most beloved films of all time as never before… with the power of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra performing the entire musical score live-to-picture!
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto & Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony
Friday, February 20, 2026 11am – Ferguson Center*
Friday, February 20, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Sunday, February 22, 2026 2:30pm – Sandler Center
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Clayton Stephenson, piano
Nathalie Joachim: Cocoon*
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1*
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
VSO Up Close: Beethoven’s Septet & Mozart’s Oboe Quartet
Sunday, March 8, 2025 2:30pm – William & Mary Music Arts Center
Discover the intimacy of chamber music with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ’s Oboe Quartet and the virtuosity it takes to perform it alongside Ludwig van Beethoven’s Septet. Highlighting our woodwinds, the final 25/26 VSO Up Close concert shines a spotlight on Principal Oboe Alex Mayer and Principal Clarinet Michael Byerly.
Dvořák’s New World Symphony + Gil & Orli Shaham
Friday, March 13, 2026 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Saturday, March 14, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Gil Shaham, violin
Orli Shaham, piano
Leonard Bernstein: On the Town
Reena Esmail: Concerto for Cello & Piano (World Premiere)
Jay Ungar: Ashokan Farewell
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
Co-presented with the Ferguson Center for the Arts and the Virginia Arts Festival
PBJ: Finding America in Dvořák’s New World
Saturday, March 14, 2026 3:00pm – Ferguson Center
Sunday, March 15, 2026 3:00pm – Sandler Center
Eric Jacobsen & Helen Martell, conductors
Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra
Discover the amazing story behind one of America’s most famous symphonies—written by a Czech composer! Antonín Dvořák was inspired by African American spirituals, Native American music, and Longfellow’s poem The Song of Hiawatha. Find out how he combined these influences with the musical traditions of his homeland to create this beloved masterpiece.
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony + Coffee Concert*
Friday, March 27, 2026 11:00 am – Harrison Opera House*
Friday, March 27, 2026 7:30pm – Harrison Opera House
Sunday, March 28, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Elizabeth Vonderheide, violin
Celia Daggy, viola
Caroline Shaw: Entr’acte
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante*
Ludwig van Beethoven: Beethoven Symphony No. 5*
Fire & Rain: Folk Anthems of the 70’s
Friday, April 10, 2026 7:30pm – Harrison Opera House
Saturday, April 11, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Swearingen & Kelli, band
Fire & Rain is a beautiful collection of classics by James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, America, Jim Croce, Fleetwood Mac, and more. Duo Swearingen & Kelli join the VSO for a stellar performance of your favorite ’70s tunes.
Happy Birthday, Hailstork!
Thursday, April 30, 2026 7:30pm – Wilder Center
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Stewart Goodyear, piano
Norfolk State University Chorus
It’s an 85th Birthday Celebration of one of Hampton Roads’ finest! Featuring an entire program of works by the brilliant American Composer Adolphus Hailstork, including An American Port of Call, First Piano Concerto, and Done Made My Vow, JoAnn Falletta returns for one night only to conduct this amazing concert featuring Stewart Goodyear and the Norfolk State University Chorus. This is a co-production with the Virginia Arts Festival.
The Music of Star Wars
Saturday, May 2, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Sunday, May 3, 2026 2:30pm – Sandler Center
Stefan Sanders, conductor
Star Wars Celebration Weekend It Is! The Millennium Falcon has entered Hyperspace and is coming to Hampton Roads from a galaxy far, far away. Experience the power and ‘force’ of John Williams’ iconic score from the Star Wars universe like never before with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra! Now with performances in Newport News AND Virginia Beach!
Elgar’s Enigma Variations & Barber’s Violin Concerto
Friday, May 8, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Sunday, May 10, 2026 2:30pm – Sandler Center
Thomas Wilkins, conductor
Grace Park, violin
Johannes Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto
Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations
Finding Peace at Potsdam
Friday, May 29, 2026 7:30pm – Chrysler Hall
Saturday, May 30, 2026 7:30pm – Ferguson Center
Copland: “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land
Bernstein: Selections from Candide
Various: Potsdam
As part of our season long observance of America 250, this concert takes a look at the role music played in one of the most tumultuous times in the history of the world. At 1945’s Potsdam Conference, works by Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Kreisler, and others were one of the only things that united the assembled Allies–represented by President Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. In this new production, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra & Chorus will incorporate storytelling to show just how powerful music can be, and how Hampton Roads played a part in this pivotal moment.
Co-presented with the Virginia Arts Festival
These performances are made possible through a generous gift from the Susan Goode Performance Fund.
###
As the region’s most celebrated musical, educational, and entrepreneurial arts organization, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra continues to challenge expectations and push the boundaries of what an American orchestra can be. Innovation and excellence are at the heart of the VSO’s narrative. The VSO has received national attention for its unique mission serving a home area of 1.7 million across the diverse communities of southeastern Virginia. Through appearances at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and its commitment to adventurous programming, the VSO and its musicians have been highlighted in the media including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, and BBC Worldwide News.
As the largest performing arts organization in southeastern Virginia, the VSO and VSO Chorus present more than 150 concerts and events annually for more than 100,000 residents and visitors. Recent innovations include health and wellness programs, including interactive therapeutic experiences for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and adopting welcoming concert environments for those who are neurodiverse. Since 2019, the VSO has been recognized nationally for striving to reflect the region’s ethnic and racial diversity in its members, its programming, and its leadership.
The selection of the young and dynamic conductor Eric Jacobsen as music director in 2021 was another bold step forward for the VSO, further expanding its vision to attract wider and larger audiences with engaging concert experiences and creative and relevant programming. Rounding out the artistic leadership team is Norfolk native Thomas Wilkins in the role of Principal Guest Conductor, reflecting the VSO’s commitment to tell its community’s stories and advance the important conversations that will promote understanding and belonging among all residents.
