Pictures at an Exhibition: From Dali to Mussorgky
Saturday, October 24, 2026 – 7:30 PM & Sunday, October 25, 2026 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Open Rehearsal (free to the public): Friday, October 23, 2026 – 7 PM
Open the season with a feast for the senses as the full orchestra launches the year in spectacular fashion. This program transforms iconic works of visual art into sound—surreal, sweeping, and unforgettable. Michael Daugherty’s dazzling The Hallucinogenic Toreador bursts with color and wit, channeling the dreamlike world of Salvador Dalí, while Rachmaninoff’s haunting Isle of the Dead draws listeners into a darkly beautiful, hypnotic soundscape inspired by Böcklin’s mysterious painting. After intermission comes one of the greatest orchestral showpieces of all time: Pictures at an Exhibition, Mussorgsky’s vivid musical gallery, brought to blazing life in Ravel’s brilliant orchestration. Bold, immersive, and thrilling from the first note to the last, this season opener is a must-hear celebration of art, imagination, and orchestral power.
Pops! Goes the Holidays
Saturday, December 5, 2026 – 7:30 PM | Sunday, December 6, 2026 – 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Pops Goes the Holidays is a jubilant celebration of the season, blending beloved holiday classics, festive pops favorites, and symphonic sparkle into one unforgettable evening. This concert captures the warmth, nostalgia, and sheer joy that define the holidays, as the full orchestra brings new life to timeless carols and cherished winter melodies.
Sponsored by On Top of the World Communities
Enchanted: Swan Lake, Firebird, and Cinderella
Saturday, January 23, 2027 – 7:30 PM & Sunday, January 24, 2027 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Open Rehearsal (free to the public): Friday, January 22, 2027 – 7 PM
Step into worlds where magic is real, danger is overcome, and transformation is possible. This program brings together three beloved ballet scores—Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Stravinsky’s shimmering Firebird Suite, and Prokofiev’s enchanting Cinderella—each telling stories of curses broken, heroes tested, and impossible dreams made real. From the swan’s haunting theme to the Firebird’s blazing dance, from midnight’s chime to the final waltz, these are tales we return to again and again, not because they are simple, but because they remind us that wonder, courage, and hope are forces as powerful as any spell. Prokofiev’s Cinderella will be brought vividly to life with narration by Nell Page, a beloved fixture of the North Central Florida arts community, adding warmth and storytelling charm to this timeless fairy tale. Conducted by the Ocala Symphony’s Principal Guest Conductor, Raymond Chobaz, this concert invites you to rediscover the magic that lives in great orchestral storytelling.
The Long Arc
Saturday, February 27, 2027 – 7:30 PM & Sunday, February 28, 2027 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Open Rehearsal (free to the public): Friday, February 26, 2027 – 7 PM
The Long Arc follows powerful orchestral string music through four centuries, from baroque masterpieces to contemporary reimaginings. Violinist Isabela Diaz takes center stage in Philip Glass’s lyrical Violin Concerto No. 2 “The American Four Seasons,” where minimalist patterns evoke the changing landscape of a continent. After intermission, the world premiere of Gala Flagello’s Zeitgeist, a new work commissioned by the Ocala Symphony exploring music’s dual nature as both timely and timeless—how artists inevitably reflect the spirit of their age while creating art that transcends it, reminding us that the concert hall itself is a collective experience spanning generations. Arvo Pärt’s haunting Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten and Britten’s own charming Simple Symphony—written when he was just a teenager revisiting childhood melodies—complete this meditation on how music connects past and present, individual voices and shared humanity, in an unbroken arc of artistic expression.
Sponsored by AdventHealth Ocala
Fate Awakens
Saturday, March 20, 2027 – 7:30 PM & Sunday, March 21, 2027 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Open Rehearsal (free to the public): Friday, March 19, 2027 – 7 PM
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony opens the concert with an unmistakable surge of energy—music that transformed struggle into triumph and reshaped the symphonic tradition. From its iconic opening to its exhilarating conclusion, the symphony stands as a testament to resilience and artistic conviction. Performances by the winners of our 36th annual Young Artist Competition then bring fresh perspective and vitality to the stage, spotlighting the next generation of musical leaders. The concert closes with Carlos Simon’s WAKE UP!, a high-energy concerto for orchestra driven by propulsive rhythms and vivid orchestral color. The result is a powerful contemporary statement that feels immediate and alive.
Famous Last Words
Saturday, April 17, 2027 – 7:30 PM & Sunday, April 18, 2027 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Open Rehearsal (free to the public): Friday, April 16, 2027 – 7 PM
This season finale celebrates the full arc of a composer’s creative life—reminding us that while we often celebrate youthful brilliance and first masterpieces, we less often pause to honor the depth, clarity, and wisdom found in a composer’s final works. Mozart’s Magic Flute Overture opens the evening with vitality and wonder, a testament to imagination at its most exuberant. Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs, performed by soprano Shanelle Woods, glow with warmth and acceptance, offering a radiant reflection on life’s beauty rather than its end. The program concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, the Pathétique, whose unforgettable final movement transforms farewell into profound expression. Conducted by Matthew Wardell, these closing concerts invite us to listen not backward with sorrow, but forward with gratitude—for lives, voices, and music fully realized.
Special Concerts
Ocala Symphony Chorus: A Choral Portrait of America
Sunday, September 27, 2026 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
A Choral Portrait of America offers a reflective and richly textured exploration of the American choral voice, tracing how landscape, community, faith, and longing have shaped a shared musical language. Featuring works by composers such as Copland, Randall Thompson, Whitacre, Paulus, and Stephen Foster, this program presents America not as a single story, but as a chorus of voices—plainspoken and soaring, intimate and expansive. Rooted in folk melody, hymnody, and modern lyricism, the music invites listeners to hear the nation anew: not as an idea, but as a living, breathing sound shaped by the people who sing it.
Disney’s Aladdin in Concert
Saturday, November 7, 2026 – 7:30 PM & Sunday, November 8, 2026 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Disney’s Aladdin in Concert Live to Film transforms Disney’s beloved 1992 animated classic into an unforgettable live orchestral event. The Ocala Symphony performs Alan Menken’s Academy Award®-winning score in perfect synchronization with the full film projected on a cinema-quality screen above the stage. Under the baton of Maestro Matthew Wardell, more than 60 professional musicians bring every magical moment — from “Arabian Nights” to “A Whole New World” — vividly to life, while original dialogue and sound effects play seamlessly through the hall’s state-of-the-art system. Presented in the 700-seat AdventHealth Mainstage at the Reilly Arts Center and fully licensed through Disney Concerts, this spectacular, family-friendly production combines the wonder of the movies with the power of live symphonic music for a truly enchanting experience.
Funding provided by Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau
Ocala Symphony Chorus: Handel’s Messiah
Sunday, November 22, 2026 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
This concert presents the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah as a focused and radiant proclamation of hope, tracing the arc from prophetic longing to the joy of Christ’s birth. Beginning with the solemn promise of comfort and moving through moments of darkness, wonder, and exultant praise, these selected movements reveal the dramatic and theological clarity at the heart of Handel’s masterpiece. Heard in this distilled form, Messiah becomes both intimate and expansive—inviting listeners to linger in the mystery of the Incarnation before rising together in the triumphant acclamation of the Hallelujah Chorus.
Sponsored by AdventHealth Ocala
23rd Annual: Symphony Under the Lights
Friday, December 4, 2026 – 7:30 PM | Jenkins Outdoor Stage
Free Admission
Hot chocolate, family, friends, and festive music! What more could one ask for? The Ocala Symphony and members of the Ocala Youth Symphony bring this joyful annual free concert to the community under the incredible oaks of Tuscawilla Park. Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy!
Sponsored by Jenkins Auto Group
Nutcracker with the Ocala Symphony
Friday, December 11, 2026 – 7:00 PM & Saturday, December 12, 2026 – 8:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
After last season’s sold-out success, the Ocala Symphony reunites with Dance Alive National Ballet for Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Experience the thrill of a full live orchestra as Clara’s magical journey unfolds in this unforgettable holiday tradition, now offered in two performances!
In partnership with Dance Alive National Ballet.
36th Young Artist Competition Finals
Sunday, January 10, 2027 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
This special recital performance features the finalists from our 36th annual Young Artist Competition. These talented young musicians, from our junior and senior divisions, take the stage to perform their concerto with a pianist for a live audience. The winners will be selected live immediately following the performance and will go on to perform as soloists with the full Ocala Symphony at “Fate Awakens” on March 20 and 21, 2027.
Ocala Symphony Chorus: Mystical Songs
Sunday, March 7, 2027 – 3:00 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
Mystical Songs traces a spiritual journey shaped by intimacy, wonder, and proclamation. Schubert’s Mass in G opens the program with luminous restraint, offering prayer that is tender, human, and quietly assured. At the center, Vivaldi’s Magnificat in G gives voice to Mary’s song of awe and courage—faith spoken from the body and the heart, alive with rhythmic energy and joy. The program reaches its culmination in Vaughan Williams’s Five Mystical Songs, where inward devotion flowers into radiant affirmation, and private belief is transformed into song that dares to be sung aloud.
Steeln’ Peaches: An Allman Brothers Symphonic Experience
Saturday, April 3, 2027 – 7:30 PM | AdventHealth Mainstage
This special event brings the legendary sound of the Allman Brothers Band to life in a thrilling fusion of Southern rock and full orchestral power. One of the leading Allman Brothers tribute bands performing today, Steeln’ Peaches has built a devoted following for their electrifying musicianship and authentic, high-energy performances. Now, joining forces with the Ocala Symphony, they deliver classic hits reimagined with sweeping strings, bold brass, and symphonic depth. From soulful ballads to fiery jams, this dynamic collaboration transforms iconic rock anthems into a rich, immersive concert experience — where the spirit of the open road meets the grandeur of the symphony.
Music Box Series
The Music Box series offers an intimate chamber music experience unlike any other in Ocala. Set in the Reilly Arts Center’s Midgett Black Box Theatre, audiences sit just feet from the musicians, creating a rare sense of connection and immediacy. Featuring Ocala Symphony musicians and special guests, each concert pairs exceptional performance with engaging insight—inviting listeners inside the music. Music Box celebrates collaboration, curiosity, and the joy of live music shared up close.
Music Box 1: Cello & Ivory
Sunday, August 23, 2026 – 3:00 PM | Midgett Black Box
Celebrate the expressive voice of the cello in an afternoon of warmth, lyricism, and global color. OSO Principal Cellist Lyle Lamboley joins forces with pianist Alan Clark for a musical journey that travels across centuries and continents, exploring some of the most beloved melodies in the repertoire.
Music Box 2: All in the Family ft. Stewart Kitts
Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 3:00 PM | Midgett Black Box
Concertmaster Stewart Kitts leads a joyful celebration of musical family, joined by his daughters and siblings—many of whom regularly perform with the Ocala Symphony. Featuring beloved works by Bach and Vivaldi alongside special surprises, this program highlights the deep musical bonds formed through shared history and lifelong collaboration. Warm, spirited, and full of personality, All in the Family is chamber music at its most personal.
Music Box 3: Duo Sylvania
Sunday, November 15, 2026 – 3:00 PM | Midgett Black Box
Duo Sylvania—featuring Ocala Symphony Principal Second Violinist Tania Moldovan and guitarist Silviu Ciulei—presents a richly expressive program that spans centuries and cultures. From Bach and Paganini to Piazzolla, Bartók, and Romanian folk traditions, this concert explores the vibrant dialogue between violin and guitar. Intimate, colorful, and deeply engaging, Duo Sylvania brings chamber music’s conversational spirit vividly to life.
Music Box 4: OSO Percussion Ensemble
Sunday, February 7, 2027 – 3:00 PM | Midgett Black Box
Rhythm and energy take center stage as members of the Ocala Symphony Percussion section transform the Black Box into a dynamic world of sound. Featuring crossover works and classical percussion repertoire, this program highlights the astonishing range of color, texture, and excitement the percussion section can offer. Visually engaging and irresistibly fun, this concert promises surprises at every turn.
Music Box 5: Joshua and Hannah Mazur
Sunday, May 2, 2027 – 3:00 PM | Midgett Black Box
Two remarkable voices, one unforgettable afternoon. Ocala Symphony Chorus Director, Joshua Mazur (baritone) and soprano Hannah Mazur bring some of the most compelling vocal music to life in an intimate recital. You’ll experience the full emotional power of music as the Mazurs explore the voice’s ability to illuminate the deepest human emotions through songs, arias and duets from the masterworks of the repertoire.
