Jacksonville Symphony Celebrates 75th Season with New Branding and Special Events
By Steven Libman, President and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony
It is with great joy and excitement that we unveil the Jacksonville Symphony’s 75th season. Over the past seven decades, the symphony has served as the fabric of Jacksonville’s cultural landscape, weaving together the threads of music and community spirit through uplifting experiences. This milestone is a testament to our mission of reaching new artistic heights year after year, and the 2024/25 season promises to soar to an even higher caliber.
In 1949, several citizens of Jacksonville came together to create the Jacksonville Symphony because they believed that every great city deserves a great orchestra. Many descendants of those families are still very actively supporting the symphony including members of the Berg and Bryan families, just to name a few. Today, our wonderful city has a well-deserved national reputation as one of the best places in America to live and work, and the Jacksonville Symphony is recognized as one of our nation’s finest orchestras. We will also be here for another 75 years bringing the joy of symphonic music to over 100,000 patrons each year who attend Jacoby Symphony Hall and an additional 60,000 students who experience our music education and community engagement programs.
With the emergence of this new era, we are thrilled to reveal our vibrant branding and logo that depicts Jacksonville’s sunrises and rivers, reflecting the symphony’s deep connection to the city and its surroundings. Just as the sun rises each day, illuminating new possibilities, so too does the symphony embark on a new chapter filled with vitality, creativity, and innovation.
I am particularly thrilled to share the season’s opening night, sponsored by Florida Blue, on September 21, when Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 will resound with the ethereal voices of operatic luminaries Ailyn Pérez and Isabel Leonard, accompanied by the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, University of North Florida Chorale, and Jacksonville University Singers. This grand affair, which will be conducted by Music Director Courtney Lewis, marks only the beginning of our extraordinary 75th season filled with the series you love as well as unforgettable special events.
Let’s take a journey through some of the highlights we have planned for our 75th season. Over the arc of 40 weeks, we will present more than 80 concerts for the community. After Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” we will kick off our Florida Blue Classical Series, which will feature 22 performances over 11 concert weekends. The David M. Hicks Piano Series will feature the following internationally renowned pianists: Joyce Yang, Barry Douglas, and Conrad Tao. Tao will also serve as our artist-in-residence, touring to schools and performing an original work we have commissioned. In addition to an original work by Tao, we have commissioned two other world premieres by composers Carlos Simon and Brittany J. Green. The Jacksonville Symphony will also premiere a work by composer Angel Lam. Our Classical Series will conclude with George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Aaron Copland’s Symphony No. 3, and a world premiere by Carlos Simon.
Our 2024/25 season also represents the 40th anniversary of the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, and they will be featured prominently in many concerts this year, including Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Claude Debussy’s Nocturnes, Mozart’s Requiem, Holiday Pops, and Handel’s Messiah.
Our Pops Series will include 23 performances over 10 concert weekends. I am very proud to announce that the Jacksonville Symphony has commissioned the premiere of a pops concert celebrating the life of legendary singer and songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Additional concerts include tributes to Cher, Donna Summer, and Whitney Houston, the iconic rock band the Eagles, and many other concerts including our beloved Holiday Pops.
The season will also include the return of our Symphonic Night at the Movies Series, Coffee Series, Symphony in 60 Series, the Concert Organ Series, our Family Concerts, the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras Concerts, and the J.P. Morgan Chase Jazz Series. Special concerts include First Coast Nutcracker, Handel’s Messiah, Violins of Hope: Building Bridges through the Power of Music—the internationally beloved concert series featuring instruments once owned by Holocaust victims, the annual Gala, and Take 6—the Grammy® Award-winning sextet that blends gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop.
As we celebrate our special anniversary, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the musicians whose artistry continues to inspire us, the staff and volunteers whose dedication ensures the symphony’s success, and you, our devoted donors and subscribers, who have made our past, present, and future possible. It is through your passion for music that the symphony continues to flourish, enriching the lives of countless individuals and leaving an indelible mark on our community.
Our entire team—Board of Directors, staff, musicians, and our patrons—know that we hold the Jacksonville Symphony in trust for future generations. It is our job to keep setting the bar higher year after year as we both preserve and enhance this glorious orchestra.
We eagerly anticipate the remarkable concerts that lie ahead. The Jacksonville Symphony will continue to serve as a beacon of artistic excellence, fostering creativity and joy for generations to come. We look forward to celebrating 75 years of magnificent music-making with you and embracing the bright future that awaits us. I look forward to seeing you soon in Jacoby Symphony Hall. You do not want to miss this season!
For more information and to view the entire season, visit JaxSymphony.org.
