Nashville Symphony’s 2025/26 Season Opening Weekend to Feature David Robertson Conducting Debussy and Dvořák: September 19, 20, and 21, 2025
Additional Season Highlights Include Orchestra Blockbusters and Beloved Classics, Including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Holst’s The Planets, and Verdi’s Requiem Paired with New Discoveries by Carlos Simon, Alberto Ginastera, Arturo Márquez, Pacho Flores, György Ligeti, Caroline Shaw, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Brian Field
More 2025/26 Concerts with the Nashville Symphony Include the Return of Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony, Jamey Johnson, U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club, Ben Rector, Michael Feinstein’s Tribute to Tony Bennett, The Secret Sisters, Cody Fry, and Renée Fleming, Among Others
September 2025 Concerts Include:
- The Secret Sisters & Maggie Rose with the Nashville Symphony: An AMERICANAFEST Special Event
- GAMESYMPHONIC With Eímear Noone
- Rock N’ Roll Remastered with Frankie Moreno
- Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience with the Nashville Symphony
NASHVILLE, TN – August 5, 2025 – Nashville Symphony opens the 2025/26 Season with a bold bill to kick off their America 250 celebration. Conductor and Composer David Robertson conducts Dvořák’s beloved “New World” Symphony, inspired by his trip to America in the 1890s when he directed the National Conservatory of Music of America, as well as Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. Pianist Orli Shaham performs Light forming, a piano concerto composed by Robertson specifically for her. The concerts take place on Friday, September 19 and Saturday, September 20, at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 2:30 pm at Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Tickets are available at nashvillesymphony.org/newworld.
The 2025/26 season also marks the return of internationally acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin as Music Advisor. A longtime friend of the Nashville Symphony, Slatkin brings decades of artistic leadership and will help guide the orchestra through this pivotal period of transition. His return reinforces the Symphony’s commitment to artistic excellence and thoughtful musical stewardship.
The season’s Classical Series offer seminal works to showcase the virtuosity and versatility of the Orchestra’s musicians, including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Holst’s The Planets, Verdi’s Requiem, Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 (“Jupiter”), and Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2. In addition to beloved staples of the classical repertoire, the Orchestra will also give voice to underrepresented composers, with works including Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances, Alberto Ginastera’s Four Dances from Estancia, Arturo Márquez’s Concierto de Otoño for trumpet & orchestra, Pacho Flores’ Morocota, György Ligeti’s Concert Românesc, Caroline Shaw’s The Observatory, Joaquín Rodrigo’s A la busca del más allá (In Search of the Beyond), and Brian Field’s Hymn for the Hurting – which features the world premiere of New York Times bestselling author Amanda Gorman’s poetry set to symphonic music.
ADDITIONAL 2025/26 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
This season, the Symphony will be live recording three works for future commercial release. Mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, counter tenor James Laing, and tenor Joshua Lovell perform alongside guest conductor Robert Spano, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, and the Nashville Symphony Chorus for Jonathan Leshnoff’s The Sacrifice of Isaac (Feb. 6 & 7, 2026). GRAMMY® Award-winner Mason Bates returns for the live recording of Passage for mezzo-soprano, orchestra & laptop and Suite from The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, featuring mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron and conducted by Music Director Laureate Giancarlo Guerrero (May 1 to 3, 2026).
SPECIAL EVENTS AND PRESENTATIONS
The Nashville Symphony welcomes a longtime friend for a one-night-only appearance. Arguably the world’s foremost soprano, Renée Fleming joins the Orchestra and baritone Rod Gilfry for a concert conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero (May 20, 2026).
Kelly Corcoran conducts a special engagement with the music of country legend Randy Travis alongside the Nashville Symphony (Nov. 15). Enrico Lopez-Yañez conducts Rock N’ Roll Remastered with Frankie Moreno (Sep. 25), and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis returns to the Schermerhorn (Feb. 11, 2026).
The Orchestra’s annual holiday performances of Handel’s Messiah with the Nashville Symphony Chorus will be led by Resident Conductor Nathan Aspinall (Dec. 19 to 21). Aspinall also conducts a live-to-film performance of Amadeus’s unforgettable score highlighting Mozart masterworks (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, 2026), as well as a performance with The Secret Sisters and Maggie Rose as part of AMERICANAFEST (Sep. 9).
Other holiday offerings include Elf™ in Concert with the Nashville Symphony (Dec. 10 & 11), Holiday Brass Spectacular with members of the Nashville Symphony (Dec. 14), and Cody Fry Christmas with the Nashville Symphony (Dec. 16).
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