Symphony Notes
A Season of Celebration: Honoring Heritage, Hope, and Harmony
By Steven Libman As we continue our 75th Anniversary Season, we are delighted to present a rich lineup of performances and educational events that reflect our commitment to diversity, remembrance, and musical excellence. In February we celebrate Black History Month with concerts that highlight the creativity, impact, and powerful voices of African American virtuosos. This winter also marks the presentation of Violins of Hope, a profound event that commemorates the resilience of Holocaust survivors through restored string instruments. Further,...
read moreJacksonville 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...
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The Heart of Jacoby Symphony Hall: The Bryan Concert Organ By Steven Libman, President and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony Those who have attended a performance with the Jacksonville Symphony have likely seen the magnificent pipes of the Bryan Concert Organ that stretch behind the stage all the way to the ceiling. Affectionally called the heart of Jacoby Symphony Hall, the organ has the power to fill the space and even shake the rafters with its booming melodies. At the same time, it can perform warm and softer melodies, showing its...
read moreLove, Obsession, and Revenge: The Jacksonville Symphony Presents Carmen
Courtney Lewis, Music Director of the Jacksonville Symphony On April 12 and 14, the Jacksonville Symphony will stage our biggest production of the season, our symphonically staged opera, which this year is Georges Bizet’s beloved and ever-relevant Carmen. For those of you who haven’t attended one of these operas before, Jacoby Symphony Hall is transformed into an opera house with a stage built behind the orchestra and several 30-feet screens onto which we project sets. It’s a thrilling experience to see, even...
read moreMusic For You: The Jacksonville Symphony Premieres Another New Commission
Jacksonville, FL – November 9: Jacksonville Symphony Rehearsal on November 9th, 2022. Photo by James Gilbert / Jacksonville Symphony By Courtney Lewis, Music Director of the Jacksonville Symphony, Haskell Endowed Chair Last season, the Jacksonville Symphony began a series of new commissions from today’s brightest composers. Building on the legacy of our Composer in Residence program in 2018, this series is very close to my heart. I think of the tradition of classical music as continuous and unbroken from the earliest Gregorian chants of...
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The Jacksonville Symphony Casts Operatic Enchantment with The Magic Flute By Courtney Lewis, Music Director of the Jacksonville Symphony On April 28 and 30, the Jacksonville Symphony will present one of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most beloved and famous operas, The Magic Flute. The two performances will be the culmination of several years of planning and preparation and the symphony’s largest production of the season. This is the story of what goes into staging an opera in Jacoby Symphony Hall. Before our last opera production, La...
read moreSpend Your Holidays with the Jacksonville Symphony
Fall is officially upon us. As the weather starts to cool and festive decorations shine vibrantly all around, the joyous sounds of the holidays begin to waft through the air. The holidays are mere weeks away, and the Jacksonville Symphony is bursting with excitement to share this year’s festive programming with you. All December long, Jacoby Symphony Hall will be your destination for experiencing magical holiday performances and creating memories your family will forever cherish. First Coast Nutcracker 50th Anniversary December 16...
read moreBoundless Possibilities: The Jacksonville Symphony’s 2022/23 Season
The 73rd season of the Jacksonville Symphony will be kicking off in just a few short weeks, and we could not be more excited. Featuring world-class music performed by one of America’s finest orchestras, we expect to reach new heights of artistic excellence and take our patrons on a journey of musical adventures. Whether it’s the classics or new favorites yet to be explored, the symphony offers an exceptional experience for everyone to enjoy.
read moreSounds of Summer
The Jacksonville Symphony ended its 2021/22 season on June 11, 2022, with a grand finale of Beethoven’s Ninth: Ode to Joy. The concert, conducted by Music Director Courtney Lewis, featured a quartet of star vocalists, the Symphony Chorus, and the world premiere of Tarik O’Regan’s Jacksonville Symphony commission, Trances. With the first performance of the symphony’s 2022/23 season starting in September, many of the orchestra’s musicians packed their suitcases and embarked on rejuvenating adventures that fuel their passions for music and travel over the summer.
read moreCreating Future Stories Through Music
The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra (JSYO) has delighted the community with another spectacular season. With more than 350 talented musicians from all over Northeast Florida, the JSYO consists of six levels of ensembles, two full symphonies, and four levels of string ensembles that are all differentiated through their repertoire and level of expertise. Each concert in the season is designed so the various ensembles perform pieces that are both rewarding and challenging.
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