Upcoming Concerts

Brahms & Shostakovich
Nov
23

Brahms & Shostakovich

Violinist Benjamin Baker performs Brahms’ epic violin concerto in a concert featuring two monumental pieces that serve as the pinnacles of their genres. Baker’s playing creates “a supernaturally beautiful atmosphere” and exudes “the fruit of serious readiness combined with cultured musicianship and flawless intonation” (The Arts Desk). Intermission is followed by a dramatic performance of one of the great symphonies of the 20th century - Shostakovich’s Fifth. This assertive and satirical yet aching masterpiece is one for the ages.

View Event →
Total Tchaikovsky
Jan
18

Total Tchaikovsky

Are you Totally in love with Tchaikovsky? Enjoy an evening brimming with elegance and beauty as the CSO celebrates the works of Russia’s premiere composer. The grand and lively “Polonaise” from Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin is followed by the return of brilliant violinist SooBeen Lee for the virtuosic and ever-lyrical Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Tchaikovsky’s dramatic Symphony No. 4 brings the evening to a stirring close.

View Event →
Young People's Concert
Feb
22

Young People's Concert

Did you ever wonder how composers write such amazing music? This is your chance to find out! Join the CSO for a fun-filled, educational concert for children of all ages featuring the cleverly narrated Mr. Smith’s Composition that explores the many sounds and feelings a symphony orchestra can evoke. Soar high with the music of Superman and jump into hyperspace with the sounds of Star Wars in this unforgettable afternoon for the whole family!

View Event →
John Williams & Friends
Feb
22

John Williams & Friends

Immerse yourself in the epic worlds of the cinematic classics Star Wars, Superman, Harry Potter, and more as the CSO performs the music of film composers including John Williams! The award-winning film scores of Williams as well as James Horner’s Avatar Suite, Jerry Goldsmith’s Alien, and John Ottman’s X-Men 2: Suite are sure to create a nostalgic evening filled with heroism, adventure, and romance.

View Event →
Mostly Mozart
Mar
22

Mostly Mozart

Pianist Esther Park joins the CSO on stage in the stunning Legacy Hall for a pristine evening featuring Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 12 and Symphony No. 29. The timeless elegance of Mozart is uniquely paired with Max Richter’s modern beauty On the Nature of Daylight, culminating in a delicate yet moving program. The delight continues in an extended intermission featuring champagne and Columbus’ sweetest treats.

View Event →
Beethoven & Liszt
Apr
11

Beethoven & Liszt

Join the CSO for a sensational Friday Night season finale as award-winning pianist Claire Huangci returns to Columbus to take on the impressive Piano Concerto No. 1 by Franz Liszt. Huangci’s playing continuously captivates audiences with her “radiant virtuosity, artistic sensitivity, keen interactive sense and subtle auditory dramaturgy” (Salzburger Nachrichten). The many moods of Beethoven are perfectly displayed in his stormy Coriolanus Overture paired with his energetic and almost dancing Symphony No. 7.

View Event →

Joy of the Italian Baroque
Oct
19

Joy of the Italian Baroque

Nothing lifts spirits like the music of the Italian Baroque! Enjoy a delightful evening featuring the sunny works of Italian masters Corelli, Vivaldi, Albinoni, and more - all within the intimacy of beautiful Legacy Hall. Sip a glass of prosecco and taste classic Italian desserts at this light, airy concert perfectly paired with a reception during an extended intermission.

View Event →
Rachmaninoff & Time For Three
Sep
14

Rachmaninoff & Time For Three

Grammy-Award winning ensemble Time For Three makes their CSO debut performing Kevin Puts’ haunting piece Contact — a unique work written especially for this charismatic trio. Comprised of Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals), Time For Three pushes creative boundaries and captivates audiences worldwide with their exceptional talent as they explore music across multiple genres. The utterly romantic and supremely lyrical Rachmaninoff Second Symphony completes the evening.

View Event →
Tchaikovsky & Friends
Apr
20

Tchaikovsky & Friends

Tchaikovsky’s triumphant symphony and Borodin’s evocative tone poem bookend the masterful Third Piano Concerto by Prokofiev performed by Canadian pianist Katherine Chi. With her energy, character, and spunk, her previous performances have been described as “... the most sensational but, better, the most unfailingly cogent and compelling Prokofiev’s Third I have heard in years.”

View Event →
Handel's London
Mar
23

Handel's London

Although born in Halle (a part of Prussia), Handel spent most of his creative life in the city of London, which was the creative center of the musical world at the time. In addition to Handel, the presence of composers like Purcell, Geminiani, and Eccles made the city a musical Mecca.

View Event →
Beethoven's Fifth
Feb
10

Beethoven's Fifth

Gabriela Lena Frank is an American composer of Lithuanian, Peruvian, and Chinese heritage. Coqueteos is a flirtatious Andean love song. Rodrigo’s concerto is an expression of old-world Spanish charm. And the Beethoven symphony represents the quintessential expression of mankind’s struggle with Fate. Grammy-winning classical guitarist Jason Vieaux is praised for his performances of the beloved Rodrigo. His musical skills are described by Gramophone as “among the elite of today’s guitarists.”

View Event →
Shostakovich & Brahms
Jan
20

Shostakovich & Brahms

The mysticism of Hovhaness, and the witty satire of Shostakovich are delightfully set against the pastoral beauty of Brahms’ D Major symphony. Dominic Cheli returns to perform Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2. His playing has been described by Symphony Magazine as “spontaneous yet perfect, the best of how a young person can play.”

View Event →
From Mozart to the Birds
Nov
18

From Mozart to the Birds

From larks and swans to the story of Mother Goose, this concert features birdsong with the orchestra. Rautavaara’s Concerto Arcticus is a unique composition, which will linger in your ear. Fairy tale Ravel and an exquisite Mozart Symphony complete the program.

View Event →
From Atlanta to London
Oct
7

From Atlanta to London

Enjoy a first-class ticket on a musical journey which features the music of Atlantan Carlos Simon and the great Englishman Ralph Vaughan Williams. Sibelius’ brooding Violin Concerto provides an interesting side trip. Violinist SooBeen Lee has been praised by The Washington Post for her “poised presence, a luxurious sound, spot-on intonation, and a bow arm that surely will be the envy of her peers”.

View Event →
Remembering
Mar
18

Remembering

The music of this program finds its inspiration in our desire to remember: a departed loved one, a bittersweet history, and a gallery of dear friends. Award-winning violinist Stella Chen joins the CSO to perform Corigliano’s music composed for the film The Red Violin. Enigmatic pieces by Edward Elgar and American female composer Margaret Brouwer complete the concert.

View Event →
Can This Be Love?
Feb
17

Can This Be Love?

Can this be love? This is a good question to ask, especially just after Valentine’s Day. We may not have a conclusive answer, but we do have a lot of evidence for your consideration. We’ll explore romantic love, love of family, doomed love, love for all the wrong reasons, sacrificial love, and just about every kind of love there is. You’ll have to draw your own conclusions.

View Event →
The Thrill of the Orchestra: A Family Matinee Concert
Feb
17

The Thrill of the Orchestra: A Family Matinee Concert

Looking for a place to take the kids while they are home from school? Experience the “thrill” of the orchestra featuring music from The Lion King, Frozen, and Stars Wars. Russell Peck’s educational piece, The Thrill of the Orchestra, colorfully illustrates the instruments of the orchestra and how they are played. This fun, family matinee performance is entertaining for all ages.

View Event →
Beethoven’s Eighth
Jan
7

Beethoven’s Eighth

What did Beethoven do between his glorious Seventh and the cosmic Ninth symphonies? We have the answer (You doubted us for an instant?). He wrote the vivacious, quirky Eighth Symphony, of course. Hear the Eighth and music for oboe and strings by Vaughan Williams and a lively work (Strum) by young American composer Jessie Montgomery.

View Event →
German Baroque
Nov
19

German Baroque

Celebrate the most influential German composers of the Baroque era with music from Handel, Bach, Telemann, and Fasch. (Fasch? Who’s that? You will know after this concert.) Enjoy the intimacy of Legacy Hall and the artistry of CSO principal violist Josiah Coe. Fans of Bach will recognize his “Air” from Orchestra Suite No. 3.

View Event →
Ozel Plays Tchaikovsky
Oct
22

Ozel Plays Tchaikovsky

Young pianist, Evren Ozel, will make his CSO debut performing the ever-popular first concerto by Tchaikovsky. He is represented by Concert Artists Guild as one of the Ambassador Prize winners of their 2021 Victor Elmaleh Virtual Competition and described as having “daring creativity and fierce passion” through his artistry. Celestial music by living composer Arvo Pärt and a lustrous symphony by Vaughan Williams complete the program.

View Event →
Myths, Legends, & Folk Tunes
Sep
17

Myths, Legends, & Folk Tunes

The CSO kicks off the 2022-2023 season as we showcase the largest orchestral setting offered in the last two years celebrating the legendary Firebird Suite by Stravinsky and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition as arranged by Ravel. The music on this concert is inspired by non-musical things: paintings and drawings, ancient fairy tales and legends, and beloved folk tunes.

View Event →