While you’ll still be able to hear beloved favorites like Mozart and Beethoven, the the upcoming Nashville Symphony Classical Series also shines a spotlight on new and underperformed musical gems.

This year’s season announcement comes on the heels of the the Nashville Symphony hosting the 2019 League Of American Orchestras Conference, which placed an emphasis on diversity— both within an orchestra and its music programming.Nashville Symphony conductor Giancarlo Guerrero gave the keynote address at the conference, and reiterated some of the points he made in the speech when speaking to 91Classical about the upcoming Classical Series.

“There are many other voices that need to be championed,” Guerrero explained. “Not only great composers from Europe from 200 years ago, but great composers in America from different backgrounds… When I started doing the research for my [League of American Orchestras] speech, I started to realize that, you know what, we need to do a little better when it comes to inclusion.”

Guerrero says he’s delighted that the season will open with a celebration of  the hundredth anniversary of women’s suffrage, featuring a program of all-female composers. This will be the maestro’s first time conducting the music of Florence Price, who he calls “one of the most important African-American composers from the 20th century.” Price’s Piano Concerto will be performed next to music from Joan Tower, SiHyun Uhm and a new piece from Julia Wolfe, co-commissioned by the Nashville Symphony.

Audiences can also look forward to a newly commissioned symphony from local rocker-turned-classical-composer Kip Winger in the second concert of the series. And in honor of his 250th birthday year, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 will also be on that program. Later in the season, celebrations will continue with Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge and the monumental Missa Solemnis.

The Nashville Symphony is even exploring new ways to present old favorites, and for the first time they’ll perform a “semi-staged” Marriage of Figaro in the Schermerhorn during Mozart Fest next February.

See full details for the series below:

 

HER STORY
Women’s Suffrage Centennial Celebration
September 10-12, 2020

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Karen Walwyn, piano
Lorelei, vocal ensemble

Joan Tower – Sixth Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
SiHyun Uhm – Ladybug in the Room
Florence Price – Piano Concerto in One Movement
Julia Wolfe – Her Story Live Recording | World Premiere | Nashville Symphony Co-commission

 

CLASSICAL ROCK STARS
Beethoven’s First & Winger World Premiere
October 2-4, 2020

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Augustin Hadelich, violin

Sibelius – The Swan of Tuonela from Lemminkäinen Suite
Mendelssohn – Violin Concerto
Winger – Symphony No. 1 Live Recording | World Premiere | Nashville Symphony Commission
Beethoven – Symphony No. 1

 

EPIC BEETHOVEN & STRAUSS
October 22-24, 2020

Victor Yampolsky, conductor

Beethoven – Grosse Fuge (Grand Fugue)
Augusta Read Thomas – EOS (Goddess of Dawn)
R. Strauss – Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life)

 

GORGEOUS GRIEG & STUNNING STRAVINSKY
November 13-14, 2020

Thomas Wilkins, conductor
George Li, piano

 

BEETHOVEN’S CHORAL MASTERPIECE
Missa Solemnis
November 20-21, 2020

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Nashville Symphony Chorus | Tucker Biddlecombe, chorus director
Vocal soloists to be announced

Beethoven – Missa Solemnis

 

TCHAIKOVSKY’S PATHETIQUE
Brahms’ Double Concerto
January 7-9, 2021

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Jun Iwasaki, violin
Kevin Bate, cello

Jared Miller – Ricochet – Reverb – Repeat
Brahms – Double Concerto
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6, “Pathetique”

 

DELIGHTFUL DVORÁK
& Organist Paul Jacobs Returns
January 22-23, 2021

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Paul Jacobs, organ

Wayne Oquin – Resilience Live Recording
Hindemith – Organ Concerto Live Recording
Dvořák – Symphony No. 8

 

MOZART FEST: GREATEST HITS
February 18-20, 2021

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Robert Levin, piano

Overture to Don Giovanni
Piano Concerto No. 21, “Elvira Madigan”
Overture to Così fan tutte
Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”

 

MOZART FEST: THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
February 26-28, 2021

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Peter Kazaras, director

The Marriage of Figaro

Sung in Italian with English supertitles

 

PINCHAS ZUKERMAN PLAYS & CONDUCTS
April 1-3, 2021

Pinchas Zukerman, conductor & violin

Program to be announced

 

PINCHAS ZUKERMAN RETURNS
April 9-11, 2021

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Pinchas Zukerman, violin
Amanda Forsyth, cello

Piazzolla – Tangazo
Dorman – Double Concerto
Bartók – Concerto for Orchestra

 

PIANO SPECTACULAR
Joyce Yang Plays Chopin
April 29- May 1, 2021

Ken-David Masur, conductor
Joyce Yang, piano

Opening work to be announced
Chopin – Piano Concerto No. 2
Saint-Saëns – Symphony No. 3, “Organ”

 

SCHEHERAZADE
Creole Cantata Live Recording
May 14-16, 2021

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Nashville Symphony Chorus | Tucker Biddlecombe, chorus director
Vocal soloists to be announced

Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade
Estevez – Cantata Criolla Live Recording

 

TITANIC TCHAIKOVSKY & MAHLER
May 27-29, 2021

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Kirill Gerstein, piano

Brian Raphael Nabors – Pulse for Orchestra
Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 2
Mahler – Symphony No. 1, “Titan”

In addition to the Classical Series, 91Classical listeners might also be interested in these upcoming events: