Dvorak & American Masterpieces
2019-02-10 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Discover the power of live music with our Altria Masterworks series. This concert proudly features American masterpieces alongside Dvořák’s Concerto for Violin in A Minor, Op.53, performed by Concertmaster Daisuke Yamamoto. With Guest Conductor George Manahan, the Richmond Symphony looks forward to presenting an inspiring evening of music.

Learn more about George Manahan, Guest Conductor.
Learn more about Daisuke Yamamoto, Concertmaster.
Program Notes

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Beethoven in Brandermill
2019-02-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Brandermill Church, 4500 Millridge Parkway, Midlothian, VA, 23112, United States
“How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes, woods, under trees, through grass and around rocks. No one can love the country as much as I do. For surely woods, trees, and rocks produce the echo which man desires to hear.” Beethoven spent his summers in the country and it was there he did his most productive work. Beethoven composed most of his Symphony No. 6, what he himself called his Pastoral symphony, in the “delicious wooded environs of Heiligenstadt.”
Mozart wrote the Overture to “Don Giovanni,” K. 527, the night the opera’s final dress rehearsal had been performed. As his wife told him stories to keep him awake and entertained, the composer dozed off, eventually falling into a deep sleep. Upon waking, Mozart wrote and completed the Overture within two hours. Mozart’s biographer Ernest Newman insists that the story is true. Composition for Mozart “meant developing the work in his head; he found the business of writing it out rather tiresome, and he would often postpone it as long as he could. . . . the Overture to Don Giovanni had been worked out in his head long before . . . all he had to do on that historic night was to put the notes on paper.”
The Symphony will also perform Avartan by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail.
Learn more about Reena Esmail, Guest Conductor.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Program Notes
This concert will be held at: The Brandermill Church, 4500 Millridge Parkway, Midlothian, VA 23112

Sponsored by Chesterfield County Parks & Recreation

Metro Collection 3
2019-02-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
Enjoy classical music in an intimate setting. Metro concerts feature smaller scale works from the classical repertoire and newer pieces by contemporary composers. Richmond Symphony musicians are often featured soloists.
Mozart wrote the Overture to “Don Giovanni,” K. 527, the night the opera’s final dress rehearsal had been performed. As his wife told him stories to keep him awake and entertained, the composer dozed off, eventually falling into a deep sleep. Upon waking, Mozart wrote and completed the Overture within two hours. Mozart’s biographer Ernest Newman insists that the story is true. Composition for Mozart “meant developing the work in his head; he found the business of writing it out rather tiresome, and he would often postpone it as long as he could. . . . the Overture to Don Giovanni had been worked out in his head long before . . . all he had to do on that historic night was to put the notes on paper.”
“How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes, woods, under trees, through grass and around rocks. No one can love the country as much as I do. For surely woods, trees, and rocks produce the echo which man desires to hear.” Beethoven spent his summers in the country and it was there he did his most productive work. Beethoven composed most of his Symphony No. 6, what he himself called his Pastoral symphony, in the “delicious wooded environs of Heiligenstadt.”

Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Learn more about Reena Esmail, Guest Composer.
Program Notes

Series Sponsor

Rachmaninoff 1 & Tchaikovsky 6
2019-03-09 20:00 - 22:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Experience the power of exceptional music with the Richmond Symphony and Guest Artist Adam Neiman, piano. This Altria Masterworks concert will feature Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.1 in F-sharp Minor, Op.1, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74, and Music Director Steven Smith’s Kataklysmos.
Grammy Award-nominee Adam Neiman has captured the attention of audiences and critics alike since his Los Angeles debut at age 11 at Royce Hall. He is hailed as one of the foremost pianists of his generation, with a distinguished international career and an encyclopedic repertoire that spans more than sixty concerti. Having performed with a number of leading orchestras and ensembles, Neiman is celebrated for his commanding musicianship and exceptional technique.
Rachmaninoff wrote and performed his First Piano Concerto while he was still a student at the Moscow Conservatory. After a disappointing initial reception, the composer eventually reworked the piece, refining its orchestral design, while maintaining its characteristically youthful enthusiasm. The piano’s dominant role in the piece was a clear vehicle to show off Rachmaninoff’s talent as a pianist. With effusive piano passages and sumptuous orchestral accompaniment, the listener will hear the emergence of all the musical skills the composer has become known and reputed for.
After he finished writing Symphony No. 6, “Pathetique,” Tchaikovsky confessed, “I consider this symphony the best thing I have ever done. In any case, it is the most deeply felt. And I love it as I have never loved any of my compositions.” In this piece, Tchaikovsky attempted to capture the essence of life and the fullness of human feeling. The first movement is characterized by an initial theme that is full of impulsive passion, followed by a second theme that is slow and hushed. The second and third movements divert from a traditional symphony, with a distorted waltz and an unexpected march, both based on descending melodic motives, giving it a brooding and sorrowful character. The symphony ends with the same gloominess with which it begins.
Richmond Symphony audiences know of Steven Smith as their Music Director. However, he is also an award-winning composer. Steven Smith says through his music, he attempts to convey the magnificence, breadth and life force of the natural world, “I believe in the inter-connectedness of all things. Through my compositions I hope to raise overall awareness of the importance of our environment, its residents, human and otherwise, and foster an appreciation and reverence for the world we all share.” Smith’s Kataklysmos was inspired by the ancient and continuing effects of geologic forces upon the earth’s landscape. Moving through volcanic eruption, stillness, evolution, and re-formation, the piece ends with boisterous rhythmic activity, reflecting emotions akin to childhood feelings of awe at being surrounded by such a magical natural realm.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Learn more about Adam Neiman, Piano.
Program Notes

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Guest Artist Sponsor
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Influence of the World: The Tucker-Boatwright Concert
2019-04-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
As a grand finale to conclude the University of Richmond’s Tucker-Boatwright Festival, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will present a concert of works inspired by non-Western traditions featuring the world premiere of a new work for chorus and orchestra by Reena Esmail as part of our Altria Masterworks series.
Despite disliking the term “impressionism” applied to his music, Debussy describes his three Nocturnes in almost painterly terms: Nuages (Clouds) renders the immutable aspect of the sky and the slow, solemn motion of the clouds, fading away in gray tones slightly tinged with white. Fetes (Festivals) gives us the vibrating, dancing rhythm of the atmosphere with sudden flashes of light. But the background remains persistently the same: the festival with its blending of music and luminous dust participating in the rhythm. Sirenes (Sirens) depicts the sea and its innumerable rhythm. Among the waves, silvered by moonlight is heard the mysterious song of the Sirens as they laugh and pass on. Work on the Nocturnes was not easy for Debussy. His personal life was a wreck. In financial trouble and broken up from his longtime mistress, he wrote, “The three Nocturnes have been infected by my private life, first full of hope, then full of despair, and then full of nothing!”
Like Debussy, Ravel is classified as an impressionist composer. His Rapsodie espagnole, is saturated with musical color; almost as breathtaking as the color of the impressionist painters. There is a certain vagueness of form in the music that is reminiscent of Monet and Turner. “Suggestion and atmosphere” are key ideas for the musical impressionists. Ravel’s fascination with Spanish culture is heard throughout the piece, permeated with the flavors of Spanish music.
In the late 1920s, the Canadian composer Colin McPhee “quite by accident heard [a] few gramophone records that were to change [his] life completely. The clear, metallic sounds were like the stirring of a thousand bells, delicate, confused, with a sensuous charm, a mystery that was quite overpowering.” McPhee moved to Bali where he quickly absorbed the culture. He started incorporating Balinese materials into his own music. Tabuh-Tabuhan was his first large-scale orchestral work to use Balinese musical material. Interested in fusing western orchestral traditions with Balinese motifs, McPhee considers it a purely personal work.
Learn more about Joanne Kong, Keyboard.
Learn more about Paul Hanson, Piano.
Learn more about Reena Esmail, Guest Composer.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Program Notes

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Concert Sponsor
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Influence of the World: The Tucker-Boatwright Concert
2019-04-14 15:00 - 17:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
As a grand finale to conclude the University of Richmond’s Tucker Boatwright Festival, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will present a concert of works inspired by non-Western traditions featuring the world premiere of a new work for chorus and orchestra by Reena Esmail, as part of our Altria Masterworks series.
Despite disliking the term “impressionism” applied to his music, Debussy describes his three Nocturnes in almost painterly terms: Nuages (Clouds) renders the immutable aspect of the sky and the slow, solemn motion of the clouds, fading away in gray tones slightly tinged with white. Fetes (Festivals) gives us the vibrating, dancing rhythm of the atmosphere with sudden flashes of light. But the background remains persistently the same: the festival with its blending of music and luminous dust participating in the rhythm. Sirenes (Sirens) depicts the sea and its innumerable rhythm. Among the waves, silvered by moonlight is heard the mysterious song of the Sirens as they laugh and pass on. Work on the Nocturnes was not easy for Debussy. His personal life was a wreck. In financial trouble and broken up from his longtime mistress, he wrote, “The three Nocturnes have been infected by my private life, first full of hope, then full of despair, and then full of nothing!”
Like Debussy, Ravel is classified as an impressionist composer. His Rapsodie espagnole, is saturated with musical color; almost as breathtaking as the color of the impressionist painters. There is a certain vagueness of form in the music that is reminiscent of Monet and Turner. “Suggestion and atmosphere” are key ideas for the musical impressionists. Ravel’s fascination with Spanish culture is heard throughout the piece, permeated with the flavors of Spanish music.
In the late 1920s, the Canadian composer Colin McPhee “quite by accident heard [a] few gramophone records that were to change [his] life completely. The clear, metallic sounds were like the stirring of a thousand bells, delicate, confused, with a sensuous charm, a mystery that was quite overpowering.” McPhee moved to Bali where he quickly absorbed the culture. He started incorporating Balinese materials into his own music. Tabuh-Tabuhan was his first large-scale orchestral work to use Balinese musical material. Interested in fusing western orchestral traditions with Balinese motifs, McPhee considers it a purely personal work.
Learn more about Joanne Kong, Keyboard.
Learn more about Paul Hanson, Piano.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Program Notes

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Concert Sponsor
Concert Partner
Media Sponsor

Metro Collection 4
2019-04-28 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
The Metro Collection offers audiences fantastic classical music in an intimate setting. Concerts feature smaller scale works from the classical repertoire and newer pieces by contemporary composers. This performance will feature David Lemelin, clarinet.
With works like Music for the Theatre, Aaron Copland paved the way for a truly American “classical” music. In the piece, you can hear the budding nationalism that comes to fruition in Copland’s later works. For the national element Copland turned to jazz, “I was preoccupied with the idea of adding to the great history of serious music something with an American accent, and jazz seemed to be a comparatively simple way of introducing the American note in an authentic way . . . It was an easy way to be an American.”
Schubert began work on his Symphony in C Major when he was only nineteen. The music of Gioacchino Rossini was currently the rage in Vienna and it seems that Schubert modeled much of this symphony on the light-hearted and almost facile style of that Italian composer. The slow introduction to the first movement begins dramatically enough, but soon melts into pure melody. The flutes introduce the main body of the movement with a jaunty little melody and from then on, it is all good-hearted mirth. The slower second movement is as melodic as an operatic aria, and the third movement is a lilting romp. The last movement is a succession of light-hearted tunes in contrasting tempos that eventually give way to a dramatic conclusion.
When Louis Spohr wrote his first concerto for clarinet, the instrument had only five keys, compared to the seventeen of a modern clarinet. He confessed that he really didn’t know what he was doing. Aside from the obvious virtuosic aspects of Spohr’s Clarinet Concerto No. 1, the piece contains some unusual elements. It is in a minor key, and the orchestra plays a slow introduction before fingerwork begins. The slow movement confines the accompaniment to just violins and cellos. In spite of the minor key, the third movement has a jaunty quality to it. Instead of ending with a technical flourish, there is a surprising and sudden fade to nothing.
Learn more about David Lemelin, Clarinet.
Learn more about Chia-Hsuan Lin, Conductor.
Program Notes

Media Sponsor
Concert Sponsor:
Mr. Ralph R. Crosby, Jr.

Carmen in Concert with Denyce Graves
2019-05-18 20:00 - 22:00 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Join the Richmond Symphony for a spectacular final event of their Altria Masterworks series, featuring Mezzo-Soprano Denyce Graves in a concert performance of Bizet’s Carmen (un-staged), in partnership with Virginia Opera.
Recognized worldwide as one of today’s most exciting vocal stars, Denyce Graves continues to gather unparalleled popular and critical acclaim in performances on four continents. USA Today identifies her as “an operatic superstar of the 21st century,” and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution exclaims, “If the human voice has the power to move you, you will be touched by Denyce Graves.”
Bizet’s Carmen was the most famous of the composer’s operas, introducing an unfamiliar element of realism to the form. Audiences were taken aback by the female protagonist’s unscrupulous behavior. Displays of crude femininity are augmented by staged knife fights and choruses of smoking cigarette-factory girls. Set in 19th century Spain, the opera presents themes of love, jealousy, and free will, as Carmen operates on her own agenda: seductive and intimate on one note, sardonic and hedonistic the next. Though she meets an untimely death at the hands of a discarded lover, this powerful character is immortalized in the operatic cannon; defined by her passionate nature, respected for strong will, and remembered for the music that carries her story.
Learn more about Denyce Graves, Mezzo-Soprano.
Learn more about Steven Smith, Conductor.
Slatten-MacDonald Fund of The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia

Series Sponsor
Media Sponsor

Single Tickets On Sale 8.1.19
2019-08-01 10:00 - 17:00 | VA
Don’t miss our exciting 19/20 season!
Single tickets go on sale Thursday, August 1st, at 10 am.
*Remember: You can secure your seats now and save up to 44% when you purchase a season subscription today!
Click here for 19/20 Season information or call Patron Services at 804.788.1212.

Opening Weekend: The Return of Marin Alsop
2019-09-21 20:00 - 22:30, 2019-09-22 15:00 - 17:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Learn more about Marin Alsop, Conductor.

Program Notes

Metro 1
2019-10-20 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
Welcome our first Music Director Candidate, Roderick Cox, as he leads small-ensemble favorites in an intimate setting at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland. The program includes Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, featuring the Richmond Symphony’s own David Lemelin; Dvořák’s Serenade in D Minor, Opus 44, for winds, cello and double-bass; and Mozart’s beloved Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 543.
Experience the majesty of the orchestral experience through symphonic masterpieces, contemporary works, and chamber concerts in traditional concert settings. Whether enjoying the mainstays of the orchestra repertoire, modern works for the full orchestra or chamber settings, Richmond Symphony Classics offer everything you expect from a symphony orchestra.

Learn more about Roderick Cox, Conductor.
Learn more about David Lemelin, Clarinet.
Program Notes
Special thanks to our media sponsor:

Altria Masterworks 2: Roderick Cox
2019-10-26 20:00 - 22:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Cheer on Music Director Candidate Roderick Cox as he leads the Symphony in an energizing program inspired by literature and dance. Soprano sensation Brandie Sutton is sure to impress on Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24, a work set on the prose poem by James Agee, and Depuis le jour from Charpentier’s musical novel, Louise. Also on the program are Tchaikovsky’s Fantasy Overture from The Tempest, inspired by Shakespeare’s revered play, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, Op. 45, an ode to the composer’s Russian homeland.
Join us for a free pre-concert talk by the conductor one hour before the performance.
Learn more about Roderick Cox, Conductor.
Learn more about Brandie Sutton, Soprano.
Program Notes

Metro 2
2019-11-10 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
Experience the intimate musical setting at Randolph-Macon College, as Associate Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin leads the Richmond Symphony in small-ensemble favorites. The program will feature the Symphony’s own Neal Cary on Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129, in addition to beloved works by Mozart, Elgar, and Beethoven.
Join us at 2pm for a free pre-concert talk at Brock Commons!
Learn more about Chia-Hsuan Lin, Conductor.
Learn more about Neal Cary, Cello.
Program Notes
Special thanks to our media sponsor:

Altria Masterworks 3: Chia-Hsuan Lin
2019-11-16 20:00 - 22:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Watch Colombian concert pianist Eduardo Rojas make his Altria Masterworks Series debut in Liszt’s unforgettable Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, led by Associate Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin. Also on the program are Brahms’ cherished Symphony No. 4, the composer’s last symphony, and Bartók’s uniquely orchestrated Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, a haunting work heard in the film The Shining.
Join us for a free pre-concert talk by the conductor one hour before the performance.
Learn more about Chia-Hsuan Lin, Conductor.
Learn more about Eduardo Rojas, Piano.
Program Notes

Altria Masterworks 3: Chia-Hsuan Lin
2019-11-17 15:00 - 17:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Watch Columbian concert pianist Eduardo Rojas make his Altria Masterworks Series debut in Liszt’s unforgettable Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, led by Associate Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin. Also on the program are Brahms’ cherished Symphony No. 4, the composer’s last symphony, and Bartók’s uniquely orchestrated Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, a haunting work heard in the film The Shining.
Join us for a free pre-concert talk by the conductor one hour before the performance.
Learn more about Chia-Hsuan, Conductor.
Learn more about Eduardo Rojas, Piano.
Program Notes

Handel’s Messiah
2019-12-06 19:30 - 21:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Music Advisor George Manahan will lead the Richmond Symphony and Richmond Symphony Chorus in Handel’s beloved “Messiah,” a hallmark work of the holiday season. Guest soloists Suzanne Karpov, soprano; Sarah Mesko, mezzo-soprano; Alexander McKissick, tenor; Aleksey Bogdanov, baritone; and Jonathan Moyer, harpsichord; will join in an energizing performance culminating in the iconic “Hallelujah!” chorus.
Tickets are $20-$60 for adults, and $14-$35 for children ages 3-18. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.richmondsymphony.com or call 804.788.1212.
Learn more about Suzanne Karpov
Learn more about Sarah Mesko
Learn more about Alexander McKissick
Learn more about Aleksey Bogdanov
Learn more about Jonathan Moyer
Program Notes

Altria Masterworks 4: Ankush Kumar Bahl
2020-01-11 20:00 - 22:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Learn more about Ankush Kumar Bahl, Conductor.

Program Notes

Mozart & Bruckner in Glen Allen
2020-01-12 15:00 - 17:00 | Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 11220 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059
This concert will be held at:
Mount Vernon Baptist Church
11220 Nuckols Road
Glen Allen, VA 23059
www.mvbcnow.org

Learn more about Anthony McGill, Clarinent
Learn more about Ankush Kumar Bahl, Conductor & Music Director Candidate
Program Notes

Tchaikovsky & Mahler in Midlothian
2020-01-31 19:00 - 21:00 | Midlothian High School, 401 Charter Colony Parkway, Midlothian, 23114, United States
Music Director Candidate Laura Jackson and the Richmond Symphony will travel to Midlothian for a special performance at the Midlothian High School. The program will include selections from Michael Gandolfi’s “The Garden of Cosmic Speculation,” a work inspired by the eccentric, physics-based garden in Scotland, and Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme featuring the talent of cellist Julian Schwarz. Closing the evening will be Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan,” a glorious work echoing nature and song.
This concert will be held at*:
Midlothian High School
401 Charter Colony Parkway
Midlothian, VA 23114
*Please note the venue was recently changed. The concert will NOT be held at Kingsway.

Learn more about Laura Jackson, Conductor & Music Director Candidate
Learn more about Julian Schwarz, Cello.

Sponsored by:

Altria Masterworks 5: Laura Jackson
2020-02-01 20:00 - 22:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Welcome Music Director Candidate Laura Jackson as she leads the Richmond Symphony in an electrifying program, beginning with selections from Michael Gandolfi’s The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, a work inspired by the eccentric, physics-based garden in Scotland. Concert cellist Julian Schwarz, who is also Assistant Professor of Cello at the Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, VA), will bring his incredible talent to Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme. Closing the evening will be Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan,” a glorious work echoing nature and song.
A pre-concert talk will take place by Laura Jackson at 7 p.m. in Carpenter Theatre.
Learn more about Laura Jackson, Conductor.
For more information about Julian Schwarz, please visit: www.julianschwarz.com.

Metro 3
2020-02-09 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
Savor small-ensemble favorites in an intimate setting at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va. Led by Music Director Candidate Laura Johnson, the program includes Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, K. 364, featuring Richmond Symphony Concertmaster Daisuke Yamamoto and Principal Violist Molly Sharp. Also on the program are string orchestra works with an international flair by Gabriela Lena Frank, Britten and Bartók.
General admission is $22 for adults; $20 for seniors and active military members; and $10 for children and college students. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.richmondsymphony.com or call 804.788.1212. Tickets can also be purchased onsite starting 90 minutes before the program.

A pre-concert talk will take place by Laura Jackson at 2 p.m. in Sun Trust Theater, Brock Commons (304 Henry St).

Learn more about Laura Jackson, Conductor.
Learn more about Daisuke Yamamoto, Violin.
Learn more about Molly Sharp, Viola.
Special thanks to our media sponsor:

Tribute to Uncommon Women
2020-03-07 20:00 - 22:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Discover Music Director Candidate Valentina Peleggi as she leads the Richmond Symphony in an program giving a nod to her Italian heritage, including Rossini’s overture to the opera La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie); Respighi’s beloved Pines of Rome, inspired by the Roman landscape; and Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini, Opus 32, a tone poem based on Dante’s Inferno. The program also celebrates women in music, with Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, Opus 7, performed by pianist Angela Cheng, and Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, No. 2, dedicated to Aaron Copland and “to women who take risks and are adventurous.”
Join us for a free pre-concert talk for all at 7pm.
Learn more about Valentina Peleggi, Conductor.
Learn more about Angela Cheng, Piano.
Program Notes

Tribute to Uncommon Women
2020-03-08 15:00 - 17:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
Discover Music Director Candidate Valentina Peleggi as she leads the Richmond Symphony in a program giving a nod to her Italian heritage, including Rossini’s overture to the opera La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie); Respighi’s beloved Pines of Rome, inspired by the Roman landscape; and Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini, Opus 32, a tone poem based on Dante’s Inferno. The program also celebrates women in music, with Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, Opus 7, performed by pianist Angela Cheng, and Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, No. 2, dedicated to Aaron Copland and “to women who take risks and are adventurous.”
Join us for a free pre-concert talk for all at 2pm.
Learn more about Valentina Peleggi, Conductor.
https://www.richmondsymphony.com/profile/angela-cheng/Learn more about Angela Cheng, Piano.

CANCELLED: Altria Masterworks 7: Farkhad Khudyev
2020-04-18 20:00 - 22:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
IMPORTANT UPDATE: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and concern for the well-being of our patrons, the Richmond Symphony has cancelled all performances of Altria Masterworks 7.
OPTIONS FOR TICKET HOLDERS:
OPTION 1: Exchange to Star Wars on Friday, June 19, 2020 @ 7:30pm. Please note, additional costs may apply.
OPTION 2: Support Your Richmond Symphony by Donating Your Tickets. Your ticket purchase helps fuel our ability to serve our community, in good times and in challenging times such as this. Concert cancellations and postponement will have a serious financial impact on our organization, and we hope that if you are unable to attend on the new date, or if no new date is available, you will choose to help by contributing your tickets back as a charitable gift (and receive a tax deduction for the total ticket value). Your generous tax-deductible donation today ensures that the Richmond Symphony will continue to share the joy of live music together in the future.
OPTION 3: Receive a credit for a future performance. If you are unable to attend on the new date, you may request a credit to be used for a Richmond Symphony 20/21 Season concert or subscription.
OPTION 4: You may receive a refund for your ticket. Please note, if you paid by credit card and request a refund, tickets will be refunded to the credit card used for the original purchase.
Please email Patron Services (patronservices@richmondsymphony.com) and let us know which option you choose. Be sure to include the name on the ticket order and phone number where we can reach you. Please be aware that Patron Services is responding to a high volume of emails and your inquiry may take longer than normal to answer. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

CANCELLED: Altria Masterworks 7: Farkhad Khudyev
2020-04-19 15:00 - 17:30 | Carpenter Theatre, 612 East Grace Street, Richmond , VA, 23219, United States
IMPORTANT UPDATE: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and concern for the well-being of our patrons, the Richmond Symphony has cancelled all performances of Altria Masterworks 7.
OPTIONS FOR TICKET HOLDERS:
OPTION 1: Exchange to Star Wars on Friday, June 19, 2020 @ 7:30pm. Please note, there may be additional costs.
OPTION 2: Support Your Richmond Symphony by Donating Your Tickets. Your ticket purchase helps fuel our ability to serve our community, in good times and in challenging times such as this. Concert cancellations and postponement will have a serious financial impact on our organization, and we hope that if you are unable to attend on the new date, or if no new date is available, you will choose to help by contributing your tickets back as a charitable gift (and receive a tax deduction for the total ticket value). Your generous tax-deductible donation today ensures that the Richmond Symphony will continue to share the joy of live music together in the future.
OPTION 3: Receive a credit for a future performance. If you are unable to attend on the new date, you may request a credit to be used for a Richmond Symphony 20/21 Season concert or subscription.
OPTION 4: You may receive a refund for your ticket. Please note, if you paid by credit card and request a refund, tickets will be refunded to the credit card used for the original purchase.
Please email Patron Services (patronservices@richmondsymphony.com) and let us know which option you choose. Be sure to include the name on the ticket order and phone number where we can reach you. Please be aware that Patron Services is responding to a high volume of emails and your inquiry may take longer than normal to answer. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Music Marathon
2020-04-25 10:00 - 19:30 | Facebook Live
Join us on Facebook LIVE this Saturday, April 25th at 10am for our Music Marathon virtual fundraiser. Tune in for a virtual marathon of continuous music from our musicians, staff, Board and League members, and youth orchestra playing for you LIVE from their homes to yours! We have surprise guests, fun facts, secrets you never knew, opportunities to interact and ask questions, fabulous classics and unknown gems in the repertoire and lineup for the day.
Help us continue to bring music to the Richmond community! Make a contribution in support of the Music Marathon here.
The recent concert cancellations from COVID-19 have had a dramatic financial impact and we are struggling to make ends meet while also supporting all of our musicians and staff. This is where you can help! Donations raised during the Music Marathon go to support our dedicated musicians as we continue to find ways of delivering the music we all love to the Richmond community and beyond during this time.
Alongside our musicians, staff, donors, and fans, we are weathering this storm together. Support this weekend’s Music Marathon and help us keep the music playing!

We play where you stay.
Click here for more information about RVA Symphony at home!

Thank you to those who supported the symphony during the Music Marathon:
Adam Hohl
Alana Carithers
Alexandra and Jeremy Byrum
Alice Kim
Alice McClure
Alison Bitner
Alison Eckis
Allen Higbee
Amanda Sirianni
Amanda Wells
Amarilys Irizarry
Amy Atticks
Amy Cook
Amy Wells
Andrew Town
Anjali Lind
Ann and Dave Voss
Ann Samford
Anna Bledsoe
Anne Creasy
Anne Hennessey
Anonymous (9)
Anya Campbell
Ardyth J. Lohuis
Ariel Gilley
Arlene Barkley
Ashley Moore
Barbara C. Batson
Barbara Hobbs
Barbara Jones
Ben Raydo
Beth Jones
Bethany Denlinger
Beverly McCormack
Blagoy Borissov
Bo Brown
Brad and Frazier Armstrong
Caitlin O’Dwyer
Carl and Elizabeth Schmidt
Carla Ruffin
Carly Griffith
Carmen V. Rodriguez
Carol Armstrong
Carol Lo
Caroline McNamara
Carolyn Pitts
Carolyn Pitts
Carroll Swenson
Casey Billups
Catherine S. Plotkin
Catherine Wagner
Cathleen Yablonski
Chad Gossett
Charity Myers
Charles Staples
Charlotte Roberts
Cheryl Zando
Chris and Tara Matthews
Christa Wright
Christopher Espy
Christopher Gilley
Christopher Hartnett
Christopher Lindbloom
Christopher W. Lindbloom and Nancy G. Powell
Claire Watts
Cole and Davis Gaucher
Corinne Crowley
D & C Porfilio
Daisy Hu
Dana and Adam Gresko
Daniel Keller
Daniel Moebs
Daniel Myssyk
Dave Anderson
David Dickson
Deborah Torp
Dennis Henson
Diane and Jim Stone
Diane Huss
Don & Shari Rethman
Donna Jacobi
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Gianfortoni
Dr. Elisabeth M. Wollan
Kathy & Gene Hickok
Ed Galloway
Elena Ferranti
Elisabeth Larson
Elizabeth Accashian
Elizabeth Do
Emily Eaton
Emily King
Emily Smith
Erin and Matt Lano
Erin Freeman
Ethan D. Lindbloom
Faye W. Holland
Fran Topper
Frances Sterling
Gail & David Robinson
Gail Henshaw
Gail Williams
Garret Westlake
Gary and Martha Smith
Gayle Hunter Haglund
Gerri Coggins
Gretchen Curreri
Heather Baldwin
Heather Beckmann
Helen Coulson
Helen Winn
Henry Ayon Paula Desel
Ian Baldwin
Ironclad Coffee Roasters
Jack Nelson
James Allen
James Loving
James Schuyler and Frank Dellinger
Jan Altman
Jan and Jane Hall
Jan Powell
Jane Kornegay Eng and Carl J. Eng
Janet Coon
Jared Miller
Jaron & Jennifer Clay
Jeanie Murrow
Jeanne and Alan Lapierre
Jeff & Jan Dowdell
Jeff Elhai and Wan-Ling Chiu
Jeffrey Baker
Jenna Lea Anderson
Jennifer Arnold
Jennifer Lawson
Jenny Anderson
Jeremy Hoffman
Jim and Peri Pearson
Jim Sundra
Joan Nelson
Joanna Hulsey
Jodi Valo Gray
Jody Bishop
Joe Murillo
Joe Shocket
Johanna Beaver
John & Benedicte Whitworth
John and Christina Gossett
John Bowman
John Richardson
John Stafford
Judith Lannan
Judy Smith
Kara Somers
Karen and David Soule
Karin Foster
Karine Gonçalves
Katherine Albrecht
Katherine Oliver
Katherine Stenner
Kathie Reinoehl
Kathleen Redmond
Kathy Jolley
Kathy Pritchard
Katie Cottrell
Kelley Lane
Kenna and John Payne
Kimberly Sparr
Krista Betteridge
Kristin Clarke
Laura Inscoe
Laura Lee Wills
Lauri Rotella
Lawrence and Rose Haake
Lawson and Joanne Sherman
Leslie Long
Leslie Sanford
Lilli Benko
Linda Castle
Linda Warren
Lindsay Beard
Lisa Burrs
Lisa Byrd
Lisa Lyons
Lisa Niemeier
Lisa Porter
Liz Tighe
Lori Smithson
Louise Bates
Ludi Webber
Luis Taboada
Lynn Spitzer
Marcia and Harry Thalhimer
Maria Elena Gallegos
Martha Cole Glenn
Mary and Joe Rotella
Mary Denny Wray
Mary Joliss Smith
Mary LaBarr
Mary Lloyd and Randy Parks
Mary Lou Sommardahl
Matt Edwards
Matthew and Susan Williams
Megan Vogel
Melissa Bingham Wolford
Melissa Gold
Melissa Hawks
Meredith Riley
Meta and John Braymer
Michael Boyd
Michael Simpson
Michael Wu
Michele Guyer
Michelle & Claiborne Irby
Mike O’Brien
Miriam Fogel
Mona Wu
Monika Patton
Mr. Al Casper and Mrs. Jill Casper
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Warren
Mr. and Mrs. Brent W. Klettke
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel L. Riddle
Mr. and Mrs. David Huddle
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Rennolds
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Wu
Mr. and Mrs. George L. Mahoney
Mr. and Mrs. James W. Norvelle
Mr. and Mrs. John Dowling
Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Fawley
Mr. and Mrs. Philip P. Burks Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Breakall
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Lannan
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Koertge
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Garner, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Schneider
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Smith III
Mr. Colin Henty
Mr. Dave Hensley
Mr. John Gotschalk
Mr. John Sarvay
Mr. Leland Lew
Mr. Mehmet C. Camurdan
Mr. P. Kellach Waddle
Mr. Paul Pietrowski
Mr. Pete Mathis
Mr. Prabir Mehta
Mr. Rick Fox
Mr. Timothy Clausing
Mr.Joshua and Dr.Susan Bennett
Mrs. Alison Hall
Mrs. Leslie Maloney
Mrs. Lisa Orlosky
Mrs. Marcey Webb Leonard
Ms. Ann Burdick
Ms. Barbara L. Baker
Ms. Candace Boyce and Mr. Peter Eisenhauer
Ms. Celeste Hope
Ms. Christy Pierce
Ms. Jennifer Paules
Ms. Judith C. Warrington
Ms. Karen Friend
Ms. Mary N. Boodell
Ms. Maura Scott & Mr. Brian Lansing
Ms. Molly Sharp and Ms. Linda Anderson
Ms. Nancy Hsu
Ms. Priscilla A. Burbank and Mr. Michael J. Schewel
Ms. Valentina Peleggi
Mr. & Mrs. Neal Cary
Nicoletta Moss
Pamela Seay
Pat Shutterly
Patricia Reddington
Paul C Tuttle
Paul Kondracki
Paul Neumann
Pedro Szalay
Peter McElhinney
Peter O’Connor
Phillip Johnson
Phyllis Gasser
Randy Wyckoff
Rhonda Laakso
Richard Zak
Rick Sample & Celia Refalko
Robert Harris and Kathleen Hunter
Robin Chamberlin
Roger, Rachel, & Prudense Reynolds
Ronald and Betty Neal Crutcher
Ronald Lannan
Ruth & Richard Szucs
Ryan Lannan & Susy Yim
Samantha Sawyer
Samuel Koo
Sandra and John Christian
Sandy Cooper
Sara and Andrew Henshaw
Sarah Gill
Sarah Johns
Sarah Russell-Hunter
Scott Dodson and Kara McCallum
Scott Hayes
Sharon Jadrnak and Kevin Kessler
Sharon Larkins-Pederson
Shawn Hatton and Chris Valdez
Sheila Chandler
Simon Sibelman
Soonjoo Uh
Stacy Matthews
Stephanie Mabry
Stephen Bae
Stephen Read
Suresh Madapoosi
Susan Bagot
Susan H. Williams
Susan Vandenhoff
Suzanne Makarem
Ted Heller
Thomas Gay
Thomas Jostlein
Tiffany Valvo
Veronica and Jerry Wauford
Victoria Davis
Victoria Hauser
Victoria Yoder
Vincent Esposito
Walker Rogers
Walter Bitner & Melanie Delvalle
William Miller
William Murphy

CANCELLED: Metro 4
2020-04-26 15:00 - 17:00 | Blackwell Auditorium at Randolph-Macon College, 204 Henry Street, Ashland, VA, 23005, United States
IMPORTANT UPDATE: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and concern for the well-being of our patrons, the Richmond Symphony has cancelled the Metro 4 concert.
OPTIONS FOR TICKET HOLDERS:
OPTION 1: Support Your Richmond Symphony by Donating Your Tickets. Your ticket purchase helps fuel our ability to serve our community, in good times and in challenging times such as this. Concert cancellations and postponement will have a serious financial impact on our organization, and we hope that if you are unable to attend on the new date, or if no new date is available, you will choose to help by contributing your tickets back as a charitable gift (and receive a tax deduction for the total ticket value). Your generous tax-deductible donation today ensures that the Richmond Symphony will continue to share the joy of live music together in the future.
OPTION 2: Receive a credit for a future performance. If you are unable to attend on the new date, you may request a credit to be used for a Richmond Symphony 20/21 Season concert or subscription.
OPTION 3: You may receive a refund for your ticket. Please note, if you paid by credit card and request a refund, tickets will be refunded to the credit card used for the original purchase.
Please email Patron Services (patronservices@richmondsymphony.com) and let us know which option you choose. Be sure to include the name on the ticket order and phone number where we can reach you. Please be aware that Patron Services is responding to a high volume of emails and your inquiry may take longer than normal to answer. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

A Century of American Sound
2020-09-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Dominion Energy Center, 600 E Grace St, Richmond, VA, 23219, United States
Showcasing musical contributions that helped define American classical music. Aaron Diehl, known for classical and jazz piano, will perform Gershwin, alongside works by Copland; award-winning composer Joseph Turrin; Adolphus Hailstork, a groundbreaking Virginian composer and Old Dominion University professor; and acclaimed Leonard Bernstein Award recipient Jessie Montgomery.

Click HERE to read more about George Manahan.
Click HERE to read more about Aaron Diehl.
Click HERE for information regarding our COVID-19 health & safety procedures.
Please note that all artists, programs, and prices are subject to change without notice.

Thanks to our concert sponsor Covington Travel

A Century of American Sound: Livestream or In-Person
2020-09-19 20:00 - 21:30 | Dominion Energy Center, 600 E Grace St, Richmond, VA, 23219, United States
Showcasing musical contributions that helped define American classical music. Aaron Diehl, known for classical and jazz piano, will perform Gershwin, alongside works by Copland; award-winning composer Joseph Turrin; Adolphus Hailstork, a groundbreaking Virginian composer and Old Dominion University professor; and acclaimed Leonard Bernstein Award recipient Jessie Montgomery.

Click HERE to purchase a Fall Masterworks livestream subscription.
Click HERE to read more about George Manahan.
Click HERE to read more about Aaron Diehl.
Click HERE for information regarding our COVID-19 health & safety procedures.
Please note that all artists, programs, and prices are subject to change without notice.

Livestream presented by Altria

Thanks to our concert sponsor Covington Travel
