Steven B. Libman, President & CEO
The 2022/23 season at the Jacksonville Symphony just concluded with the thrilling energy and virtuosity of pianist Conrad Tao as he performed Sergei Prokofiev’s famous Third Piano Concerto. Having also featured Dmitri Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, this finale marked the perfect exclamation point on a remarkable season. Now, we are turning our sights toward the exciting 2023/24 season that continues to be filled with “boundless possibilities.” With a lineup featuring award-winning guest artists and conductors, sensational programming and our world-class musicians, we are delighted to present our 74th year of symphonic music.
To kick off the season, we are bringing back our two free “Community Concerts” on September 15 and 16, 2023, sponsored by Haskell, so that everyone has access to the joy of symphonic music. Music Director Courtney Lewis will lead the Symphony in a lively mix of both Classical and Pops favorites, giving audiences a sneak peek at the Symphony’s highlights of the season.
Lewis has planned 11 masterful concerts for our Florida Blue Classical Series, anchored by works of great maestros such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Mahler, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Johannes Brahms and many more. As part of our commitment to breathing new life into the artistic repertoire through commissions, we will present two world premieres! We launch the series with a new commission written by award-winning composer Lowell Liebermann and sponsored by Brenda and Gene Wolchok, spotlighting the Bryan Concert Organ. Performing this stellar concert is Paul Jacobs, the first organist to ever win a GRAMMY® award. Later in the season, we also welcome back former composer-in-residence Courtney Bryan for her original work premiering in March 2024.
For our other classical performances, Lewis will conduct seven concerts, and a robust roster of internationally acclaimed guest conductors will join the Symphony, including Anna Rakitina, Jeannette Sorrell and the return of Jonathon Heyward, who is now the Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony. Some must-see concerts include “The Lark Ascending,” spotlighting the stunning talent of Concertmaster Adelya Nartadjieva; The David M. Hicks Piano Series with breathtaking performances by Simone Dinnerstein, Joyce Yang and Conrad Tao; and a grand performance of George Gershwin’s masterpiece “Rhapsody in Blue” to celebrate its 100th birthday.
After the grand success of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” this season, we will continue to present exceptional, professional opera for the Northeast Florida community with Georges Bizet’s “Carmen.” We look forward to bringing back Gregory Keller, Stage Director for the Metropolitan Opera who staged our 2022 “La Bohème” opera, for this beloved production.
Our Paysafe Pops Series includes 10 riveting concerts that cover a wide spectrum of music ranging from rock to soul and everything in between. We open with “The Music of Earth, Wind & Fire” and follow with more tributes to other legendary artists like Prince, Elvis, Queen, Paul McCartney and so many more.
In December, our annual “Holiday Pops” performances will return along with Jacksonville’s other cherished traditions of the “First Coast Nutcracker,” presented by VyStar Credit Union, and “Handel’s Messiah.” These spectacles of the holiday season attract over 21,000 patrons to the Symphony each year.
For the Symphonic Night at the Movies Series, three blockbusters will come alive on the big screen while the Symphony plays their wonder-filled scores: “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Home Alone” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Concert.” As one of our most popular series, seats to these classics always fill fast.
Our stirring Friday morning Coffee Series offers eight concerts from the Symphony’s various series. Our Symphony in 60 Series, sponsored by PNC, offers captivating music in 60 minutes, a fun, casual cocktail hour prior to each concert and special collaborations including a marvelous performance with the Florida Ballet and the Jacksonville Dance Theatre. Dynamic organists Greg Zelek and Joshua Stafford also return to the Symphony for the Concert Organ Series, sponsored by JF Bryan, for three standout concerts.
On top of it all, our season lineup features a new addition: our very first Jazz Series, sponsored by Chase Bank. Curated by Principal Tubist James Jenkins, the Symphony is very proud to host a collection of amazing local and national talent, including superstar jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard. These three concerts encompass the magnitude of jazz with an invigorating big band concert, an intimate trio performance and a groundbreaking finale.
Finally, we will present two entertaining concerts as part of our Family Series, five performances by the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras and several other concerts featuring students and community members.
Together, our series span music across all genres, providing you with a way to hear your favorite pieces performed live by magnificent musicians all while you discover new pieces to love. We await our 74th season with great excitement and look forward to joining you on your symphonic journey very soon.