Akron Symphony Orchestra's upcoming season to feature favorites, modern gems

AKRON, Ohio – The Akron Symphony Orchestra's 73rd season opens Oct. 17 and runs through May 2027. The season is a celebration of beloved orchestral classics and compelling modern music, according to the symphony website. The upcoming season will also spotlight talented musicians from Northeast Ohio. Performances take place at the E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall on the University of Akron campus. 2026-27 lineup 'Symphonie Fantastique' Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. The season kicks off with a performance of 'William Tell' by Gioachino Rossini, followed by a symphonic suite from Studio Ghibli's 'Howl's Moving Castle.' Additional selections will include 'Dance of the Hours' from Disney's 'Fantasia' and Hector Berlioz's 'Symphonie Fantastique.' Mozart 'Requiem' Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. The symphony's November concert opens with Margaret Brouwer's 'The Art of Sailing at Dawn,' and Arnold Schoenberg's 'Transfigured Night.' The Akron Symphony Chorus will join forces with the Akron Symphony Orchestra to perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's iconic 'Requiem.' Holiday Pops 2026 Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. The Akron Symphony Orchestra and the Akron Symphony Chorus will team up for this festive holiday concert. Selections include holiday classics and a few surprises, according to the orchestra's website. The concert is sing-along friendly and suitable for all ages. Elgar & Brahms Jan. 16, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra's January concert will capture the highs and lows of human emotion through the works of Bakhari Nokuri, Edward Elgar and Brahms. The concert will open with 'Afrospire' by 21-year-old prodigy Nokuri. The orchestra's principal cellist, Eri Snowden-Rodríguez, will perform Elgar's personal 'Cello Concerto.' The concert will conclude with one of Johannes Brahms's most popular symphonies, 'Requiem, K. 626.' Gospel Meets Symphony 35th Anniversary Feb. 6, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. The Akron Symphony Orchestra and the Gospel Meets Symphony Choir will team up for this 35th anniversary celebration. The concert features gospel classics reimagined with orchestral majesty. 'The Four Seasons: Recomposed' Feb. 13, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. This strings-only concert features Max Richter's arrangement of Antonio Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons.' Additional selections include Mozart's 'Divertimento in D major, K. 136,' Alexander Borodin's 'Nocturne,' and Andrea Casarrubios' 'Herencia.' Beethoven Emperor Concerto March 6, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra's March 6 concert features piano classics and several local musicians, according to the orchestra's website. Caroline Oltmanns, International Steinway Artist and Professor of Piano at Youngstown State University, is the concert's guest soloist. Selections include James Wilding's 'Emlanjeni,' Ludwig van Beethoven's 'Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, op. 73 'Emperor,' Richard Wagner's 'Tannhäuser Overture' and Franz Liszt's 'Mazeppa.' The Music of Taylor Swift March 20, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra will pay tribute to Taylor Swift in this concert, which features Swift's hits in the style of John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. There will be no onstage singers, though audience members will be invited to sing along when prompted. 'La Mer' & 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' April 10, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra's April concert will feature Cécile Chaminade's 'Callirhoë,' and Felix Mendelssohn's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' featuring the iconic wedding march. Additional selections include Jean Sibelius' music for Shakespeare's 'The Tempest,' and Claude Debussy's ode to the moods of the sea, 'La Mer.' Tchaikovsky's 'Symphony No. 4″ May 8, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra will team up with the Akron Symphony Chorus for this season-ending performance, which features a song from the video game 'Civilization IV,' the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, and Tchaikovsky's 'Symphony No. 4.' Ticket info Tickets range from $7 for a child or student to $65 and can be purchased on the Akron Symphony Orchestra website. Tickets purchased more than a week in advance will be mailed unless specified otherwise. Tickets purchased less than a week from the concert date will be available in office or at the venue the night of the concert. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Update, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Wednesdays.