The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra is presenting its season finale May 2 with a grand theme of Radiant Romance, even as it is looking ahead, with tickets now on sale for the 2026-27 season.
For local music lovers, the TSO’s new season brings together an especially exciting concert series that feels like a wish list come to life.
From internationally acclaimed soloists to some of the most powerful music in the orchestral repertoire, the 2026–2027 season is designed to deliver breathtaking performances and audience connection. Music Director Yaniv Dinur calls it simply: “a season of dreams,” combining music that personally inspires him and artists he has long admired.
The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra opened its 2025-2026 season on Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025, at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall in Tallahassee. The TSO is presenting its season finale on May 2 and has announced it’s new 2026-2027 season.
That sense of intention runs throughout the season, which opens in September with rising star cellist Zlatomir Fung. He will perform Dvořák’s Cello Concerto on a program that also includes Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances and a work by contemporary American composer Carlos Simon. This concert bridges past and present, and highlights composers shaped by their deep ties to the United States.
In October, the orchestra welcomes violinist Pinchas Zukerman, a towering figure in classical music and one of Dinur’s own mentors. Zukerman will perform Elgar’s Violin Concerto, known for its emotional depth and technical demands. Also on this program is Paul Ben-Haim’s Symphony No. 1, a work Israeli-born Dinur says reflects an important piece of his own musical heritage.
Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra Music Director Yaniv Dinur at the 2025 season opener. The 2026–2027 season is designed to deliver breathtaking performances and audience connection.
The season’s centerpiece arrives in January, marking the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s death. To celebrate his legacy, TSO will host a weekend of concerts featuring pianist Alexander Korsantia.
Audiences will hear Piano Concertos No. 4 and No. 5 alongside the iconic Symphonies No. 5 and No. 7—works that continue to define classical music for generations of listeners.
“Korsantia performed as part of Dinur’s winning candidacy audition, and the audience went nuts for him! We can’t wait for him to return to Tallahassee!” says Tallahassee Symphony CEO Amanda Stringer.
Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra Music Director Yaniv Dinur has announced the 2026-27 season.
March brings a shift in tone and style, with a program that blends classical and jazz traditions, centered around New Orleans’ “Clarinet Queen” Doreen Ketchens.
Dinur remembers, “I first heard Doreen play live in New Orleans many years ago, and she blew my mind. So I asked her if she could come to Tallahassee and play Mozart!” She agreed and the result is a genre-blending program pairing Mozart, jazz standards, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.
The season closes in May with pianist Joyce Yang performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, followed by Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, a bold and influential work that still feels electrifying more than a century after its premiere.
Season 2026-2027 also features the orchestra’s popular Halloween and Holiday concerts, and more surprises are in store! “Stay tuned for some exciting announcements,” Stringer said.
For Dinur, the goal is not just to present great music, but to deepen Tallahassee’s connection to it. “The best part will be making music with the TSO and performing for all of you. That’s what makes it a season of dreams.”
Season subscriptions are now available at tallahasseesymphony.org.
If you go
What: Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra with Radiant Romance, featuring pianist Michelle Cann
When: Dress rehearsal at 10 a.m. May 2, concert at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, 222 S. Copeland St.
Tickets $37-74. $25 tickets are available for students and children under 18. Call 850-224-0461 or visit 507 N Calhoun St. Visit tallahasseesymphony.org
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra lines up bold works for new season