2025/2026 CONCERT SCHEDULE of the
LaGrange Symphony Orchestra
September 23, 2025 – Powerful Partnerships
October 28, 2025 – String Theory
December 9, 2025 – Joyful Voices
March 24, 2026 – Epic Adventures, Myths & Galaxies
April 28, 2026 – 250 Years of Being
FROM THE PODIUM:
As Music Director and Conductor of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, I am thrilled to invite you on the bold and imaginative journey that is our 2025/26 Season, Breaking Sound Barriers. Each program in the five-concert series celebrates the limitless power of music to transcend boundaries—whether cultural, emotional, or even cosmic! This year, we are pushing beyond the expected to bring you performances rich with meaning, innovation, and artistry.
We open the season with Powerful Partnerships, a celebration of musical synergy featuring virtuosic soloists, creative collaborations, and iconic repertoire that reveal how music is often born from profound and deep connections. In String Theory, we will explore the broad expressive universe of string instruments, experiencing works that shimmer and vibrate with intensity and intimacy. Then in December comes Joyful Voices, where the human voice takes center stage, rejoicing in community with works of merriment and hope.
Our season crescendos into two epic experiences! Adventures, Myths & Galaxies will take us from ancient legends to star-filled skies, illuminating how imagination fuels both our past and our future. The grand season finale, 250 Years of Being, is a tribute to the enduring spirit of music as we reflect on the historical milestone that has shaped our collective journey. It is both a retrospective and a springboard, honoring our shared history while embracing bold new directions.
I cannot wait to share this season with you! Let us break barriers together—with passion, with purpose, and with every note we experience.
Richard Prior, Music Director and Conductor
Dr. George and Rev. Helen Henry Conductor Chair
LaGrange Symphony Orchestra is Breaking Sound Barriers!
We are pushing beyond the expected to bring you performances rich with meaning, innovation, and artistry. Enjoy this wonderful new season, and thank you for your continued support of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.
See below for expanded “Concert Notes” for each performance.
TICKETING NOTES
Individual Concert Tickets are on sale now until they sell out. Purchases can easily be made online with the button link directly above.
If you prefer, you may email our box office at boxoffice@lagrangesymphony.org, or call our office at 706-882-0662. We look forward to welcoming you to our next concert.
[SEASON TICKETS are a “pre-season” offer only. The window of opportunity has now closed for the 2025/2026 season. They will again be available mid-summer of 2026 for the following 2026/2027 season.]
Concert Dates
Ticket sales for individual concerts are on sale now and will continue throughout the season until they sell out.
Here are the concerts and dates of the full season:
Powerful Partnerships – September 23, 2025
String Theory – October 28, 2025
Joyful Voices – December 9, 2025
Epic Adventures, Myths & Galaxies – March 24, 2026
250 Years of Being – April 28, 2026
email: boxoffice@lagrangesymphony.org
telephone: 706.882.0662
An auditorium graphic is provided here for your convenience. (You can click the image to view a larger version.)
CONCERT NOTES
September 23, 2025
Program Includes:
Star Spangled Banner – Francis Scott Key
Double Concerto for Violin and Viola – Max Bruch
Levon Ambartsumian, violin; Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva, viola
I Andante con moto
II Allegro moderato
III Allegro molto
Lafayette: A Hero of Two Worlds – Richard Prior [world premiere]
Symphony No. 5 in C minor – Ludwig van Beethoven
I Allegro con brio
II Andante con moto
III Scherzo: Allegro
IV Allegro; presto
POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS is a celebration of musical synergy featuring virtuosic soloists, creative collaborations, and iconic repertoire that reveal how music is often born from profound and deep connections.
The LSO and distinguished guest artists open the 2025/26 Season with a program dedicated to Powerful Partnerships. This performance offers a rare opportunity to hear the Double Concerto for Violin and Viola by Max Bruch, featuring internationally renowned violinist and Regent’s and Franklin Professor of Violin at UGA, Levon Ambartsumian. He is joined on the Callaway Auditorium stage by celebrated violinist and violist, Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva. Hear the remarkable collaboration between the two soloists as they weave an exciting musical drama with the orchestra.
In partnership with the Lafayette Alliance of LaGrange, the LSO proudly presents a world premiere entitled Lafayette: A Hero of Two Worlds by our own maestro, Richard Prior, who is also a Pulitzer- nominated and award-winning composer. This new work, a tone poem for orchestra, was commissioned by the Lafayette Alliance of LaGrange in recognition and celebration of the deep and unique historical connections with Lafayette. Lafayette is unquestionably a Hero of Two Worlds. No single person had a reach so far, first in the American Revolution and then in the French Revolution. He is relevant today for his clear-eyed vision of Liberty. His story inspires, illuminates, and unites. LaGrange is fortunate that it claims this legacy with a magnificent statue downtown, and as the namesake of his home Chateau de LaGrange east of Paris.
The program concludes with Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 5 in C minor. Beethoven too was in a sense also “a hero of two worlds” as he bridged the Classical and Romantic periods of musical style and culture – the final triumphant movement of the symphony heralds the dawn and promise of the Romantic period. As our patrons and sponsors, join us for the evening – and entire season – to be one of the powerful partnerships we celebrate!
October 28, 2025
Program Includes:
Selections from On Wenlock Edge – Ralph Vaughan Williams
Jonathan Pilkington, tenor; Vega String Quartet; William Ransom, piano
I On Wenlock Edge
IV Oh, when I was in love with you
VI Clun
Allegretto from Palladio – Karl Jenkins
Elegy – Herbert Howells
Yinzi Kong, viola; Vega String Quartet
Simple Symphony – Benjamin Britten
Presented under license from G. Schirmer Inc. and Associated Music Publishers, copyright owners.
I Boisterous Bourée
II Playful Pizzicato
III Sentimental Sarabande
IV Frolicsome Finale
Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus – Ralph Vaughan Williams
Concerto for Marimba and Strings – Emmanuel Séjourné
Sebastian Ocando, marimba
I Avec force
II Tempo souple
III Rhythmique, énergique
STRING THEORY will explore the broad expressive universe of string instruments, experiencing works that shimmer and vibrate with intensity.
The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra is delighted to welcome an incredible slate of guest artists for this chamber and string-focused concert – the Vega String Quartet (who have appeared internationally at major venues such as Vienna’s Musikverein, and the Kleine Zaal in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and domestically, at Carnegie Hall), pianist William Ransom, violist Yinzi Kong, tenor Jonathan Pilkington, and Winner of the 2025 Young Artist Competition, marimbist Sebastian Ocando!
In theoretical physics, “string theory” is an attempt to unify all forces of nature and reconcile general relativity with quantum mechanics: particles are seen as one dimensional “strings” that vibrate at different frequencies that we perceive as different particle types and forces. Our LSO strings will certainly vibrate as we show the incredible range of expression of which string instruments are capable, unifying diverse forces for music by Britten, Howells, Jenkins, and Vaughan Williams, and ending with the dazzling and virtuosic Concerto for Marimba and Strings by Emmanuel Séjourné!
December 9, 2025
Program Includes:
Guest Appearances from
Sons of Lafayette male choir
Selections from the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah
Elizabeth Arena Whitfield, soprano; Jonathan Pilkington, tenor; and Matthew Hoch, baritone
STELLARUM 8 voices: a unique a cappella choral group
And more!
JOYFUL VOICES gives center stage to the human voice, rejoicing in community with works of merriment and home.
The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra presents a choral celebration for the season, featuring the LSO with special guests including the eight-voice group, STELLARUM; the Sons of Lafayette, soprano Elizabeth Arena Whitfield, tenor Jonathan Pilkington, and baritone Matthew Hoch. With music by Dan Forrest, George Frideric Handel, John Rutter, Eric Whitacre, and more!
You will not want to miss this magical evening of traditional and exciting new favorites with some of LaGrange’s very own rich choral and vocal talent.
March 24, 2026
Program Includes:
LaGrange Symphony Youth Orchestra Side-By-Side Experience
with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra
2026 Young Artists Competition Winning Performance
Strings
How to Train Your Dragon – John Powell
Lord of the Rings – Howard Shore
arr. John Whitney
Star Wars Suite – John Williams
I Main Title
II Princess Leia’s Theme
III The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme)
IV Yoda’s Theme
V Throne Room and End Title
EPIC ADVENTURES, MYTHS & GALAXIES will take us from ancient legends to star-filled skies, illuminating how imagination fuels both our past and our future.
This concert is a “must” for our regular patrons and younger audience members alike! Join us to hear the winner of the 2026 Young Artists Competition (to be held in February 2026) – then blast off to worlds of fantasy and galaxies of adventure as the LSO brings you some of the most exciting and beloved film scores of recent times. Once you have flown through the clouds and trained your dragon, join us as we take the epic journey with the “one ring to rule them all”! Then – off to the stars with an opportunity to experience the complete suite from the original Star Wars movie, including the epic Main Title music, the beautifully lyrical themes for Princess Leia and Yoda and more!
Come dressed as your favorite character, bring your lightsaber, and prepare for light speed.
April 28, 2026
Program Includes:
Fanfare for the Common Man – Aaron Copland
Armed Forces Salute
arr. Bob Lowden
Washington Post March – John Phillip Sousa
The Stars and Stripes Forever – John Philip Sousa
America the Beautiful – Samuel A. Ward
First Essay for Orchestra – Samuel Barber
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra – Andrés Martin
Samuel Vargas, violin
250 YEARS OF BEING is a tribute to the enduring spirit of music as we reflect on the historical milestone that has shaped our collective journey. It is both a retrospective and a springboard, honoring our shared history while embracing bold directions.
2026 is a truly significant and historic anniversary year, where as a nation we celebrate 250 years “of being”. Join the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra for the grand season finale and experience a selection of patriotic favorites that reside at the cultural heart of the United States – from Fanfare for the Common Man to the Armed Forces Salute; from America the Beautiful to The Stars and Stripes Forever.
Then, by special arrangement, we are thrilled to bring the season to a close with a performance of Andrés Martin’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra with renowned soloist, LSO violinist, and faculty member at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State, Samuel Vargas, for whom the concerto was written. A stunningly lyrical, dramatic, and exhilarating work, the concerto is dedicated to the memory of trailblazing conductor, Michael Morgan (1957-2021) and has been championed by Vargas, a rising international star in the violin world.
Maestro Prior says of the concerto and Vargas, “Samuel is the quintessential musician, with powerful virtuosity, a deep, genuine, and seemingly endless musicality, and the soul of a poet. This concerto is incredibly well crafted and a superb vehicle for Samuel’s gifts. It is not enough to simply listen to the music in a recoding; you must experience it in live performance on the stage, as it is created and bursts to life in front of you.”
This will be a magnificent grand finale concert.
Save the Dates!
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Programming is subject to change.
If you have additional questions, feel free to contact the Box Office at 706.882.0662 or email boxoffice@lagrangesymphony.org.
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