As we look ahead to the Asheville Symphony’s 2026-2027 season, I am filled with a sense of pride in what this orchestra continues to become for our audiences, for our musicians, and for communities across Western North Carolina.
This season reflects who we are and where we are going. At its heart is a commitment to meaningful experiences that are connected to our home. From a collaboration with the Moogseum and Bob Moog Foundation, celebrating Asheville’s legacy of innovation through the U.S. premiere of Gabriel Prokofiev’s newly-commissioned Concerto for Minimoog Synthesizer and Orchestra, to a special centennial concert honoring our Masterworks home, First Baptist Church of Asheville, we are embracing the stories, partnerships, and people that define our region.
At the same time, the scope of what we offer continues to expand. Across concert halls, breweries, parks, and more, we are presenting music that spans genres, traditions, and audiences. This season you can find everything from classical masterpieces to Broadway and American Songbook, Balkan brass to NOLA jazz, and intimate soloist spotlights to large-scale immersive experiences. With performances throughout Asheville, Black Mountain, and beyond, including a dynamic collaboration with our Youth Orchestra at the Brevard Music Center, we are working to ensure that the Asheville Symphony is not only a cultural cornerstone of this city, but a regional asset for all of Western North Carolina.
A highlight of the season will be the return of the Asheville Amadeus Festival, bringing together world-class artists Kelli O’Hara and Aaron Diehl. The festival embodies what we strive for at our best: collaboration, creativity, and a sense of shared experience that extends well beyond the concert hall.
None of this would be possible without you. Your support through your attendance, your enthusiasm, and your generosity sustains this work and allows it to flourish. We are grateful to have you as part of this Symphony community, and we look forward to sharing this season with you.
Daniel M. Crupi Executive Director
Masterworks Series
Sibelius, Beethoven, two Prokofievs, a Minimoog, Saint-Saëns, Gershwin, and more.
Kelli O’Hara, Guest Artist Spotlights, Carmina Burana, Messiah, and more.
22 ALT ASO Series
Our hit genre-bending series expands to five concerts this season.
24 Asheville Amadeus Festival Returns
Co-headliners Kelli O’Hara and Aaron Diehl bring the bright lights of Broadway and the back-alley blues of New York to Asheville with the sixth iteration of our biennial festival.
giving benefits include the following:
FRIEND
$50 - $99
MEMBER
$100 - $249
CONTRIBUTOR
$250 - $499
PATRON
$500 - $999
IMPRESARIO
$1,000 - $2,499
Recognition in the program book
Asheville Symphony Society membership (gives you a vote and a voice at the Annual Meeting), plus all of the above
Invitations to special events, plus all of the above
Access to Patron receptions featuring musicians, guest artists, the conductor as available, plus all of the above
Access to the reserved Impresario-only parking section at Masterworks performances, plus all of the above
BENEFACTOR
$2,500 - $4,999
ORCHESTRA CIRCLE
$5,000 - $9,999
COMPOSER CIRCLE
$10,000 - $24,999
SEASON UNDERWRITER
$25,000+
Priority access to purchase ALT ASO tickets, invitation to an exclusive Season Reveal celebration each spring, plus all of the above
Exclusive social event with the Music Director and Executive Director, plus all of the above
Intimate dinner event with the Music Director and Executive Director, plus all of the above
Package of benefits tailored to your interests, plus all of the above
Visit AshevilleSymphony.org or contact our Development Team by email at development@ashevillesymphony.org or by phone at 828.254.7046 to learn more.
Season Overview
Symphony in the Park
September 6, 2026
Masterworks 1: Fellowship
September 26, 2026
ALT ASO @ Pisgah Brewing: Balkan Brass Meets NOLA
October 6, 2026
Masterworks 2: Nightfall
October 17, 2026
ALT ASO @ Highland Brewing: Jazz & Pop
November 2, 2026
Masterworks 3: Double Take
November 14, 2026
Solo Piano Showcase with Inna Faliks
November 17, 2026
ALT ASO @ The Orange Peel: Broadway & Great American Songbook
December 1, 2026
Handel’s Messiah
December 19, 2026
ALT ASO @ White Horse Black Mountain: From Bayou to Appalachian Roots
January 19, 2027
Carmina Burana
January 30, 2027
Masterworks 4: London
February 20, 2027
ALT ASO @ The Orange Peel: 80s Prom March 11, 2027
Masterworks 5: Dedication
March 20, 2027
Aaron Diehl Trio
April 15, 2027
Masterworks 6: Marquee
April 17, 2027
An Evening with Kelli O’Hara
April 22, 2027
Holst & Heldenleben
May 16, 2027
Masterworks 7: Homeland
May 22, 2027
Become a Masterworks
Series
Subscriber and experience more music, more savings, and more exclusive benefits!
The Masterworks Series is our flagship offering, with seven unforgettable performances that showcase the full power and range of your Asheville Symphony. Experience it all with a Masterworks Series subscription!
Exclusive Savings
Save up to 15% on single ticket prices and avoid extra fees.
First Access
Subscribers get early access to pops concerts and other add-ons before the general public.
Worry-Free Convenience
Change of plans? You can swap tickets to any other Masterworks performance.
Tax Deduction Perks
Donate unused tickets for a tax deduction upon request.
Don’t miss out on an unforgettable season — secure your seats today!
Visit AshevilleSymphony.org/Subscriptions or scan the QR code to subscribe online, use the form at the back of this brochure, or call the Asheville Symphony Box Office at 828.254.7046 to subscribe over the phone.
Get 15% off the entire seven-concert 2026-2027 Masterworks Series
Keep your favorite seats year after year when you renew your full subscription by June 26, 2026
Enjoy priority seating for the best available seats as a new subscriber
Plus all the subscriber benefits to the left.
Choose three or more Masterworks concerts and save up to 10%
Upgrade your Compose Your Own Subscription at any point during the season and save
The Masterworks Series is our signature — and only — subscription series. This is the Asheville Symphony at full force.
The Masterworks Series is the artistic heart of your Asheville Symphony: seven programs built around big repertoire, major guest artists, and an unparalleled acoustic experience at First Baptist Church of Asheville. From the myth and mystery of Tan Dun’s Wolf Totem concerto for contrabass to world-famous soloists like Zlatomir Fung and Aaron Diehl, this series is curated to showcase the full scope of orchestral sound — intimate, brilliant, and powerful.
Highlights
Masterworks 3: Double Take featuring Inna Faliks
First Baptist Church of Asheville November 14, 2026
Masterworks 4: London featuring Zlatomir Fung
First Baptist Church of Asheville February 20, 2027
Masterworks 6: Marquee featuring Aaron Diehl
First Baptist Church of Asheville April 17, 2027
Subscribers help make the Masterworks Series possible by supporting the Symphony’s most ambitious performances season after season. Join the Asheville Symphony as a Full Series or Compose Your Own subscriber this season and get the best seats, prices, and service (page 5 for details). Visit AshevilleSymphony.org to subscribe online, call 828.254.7046, or stop by our box office at 27 College Place in Asheville to subscribe in person.
MASTERWORKS 1
First Baptist Church of Asheville
September 26, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
Beethoven Symphony No. 7
What does genius look like? Often it looks like community. Brahms crafted his exuberant First Piano Concerto through years of collaboration with close friends and mentors, including Clara Schumann who inspired the concerto’s dreamy second movement. Beethoven’s relentless Seventh Symphony — a personal favorite of his with its unyielding rhythmic drive — premiered at a charity concert performed by an orchestra of friends and fellow composers. Both works emerged from profound creative kinship and community, proof that greatness rarely stands alone.
Jakob Aumiller, Piano
Praised for his dynamic range and subtle sense of color, Aumiller has played in important venues throughout the United States and Europe including performances in Munich, New York, Berlin, and more.
BRAHMS
MASTERWORKS 2
First Baptist Church of Asheville October 17, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Clyne This Midnight Hour
Tan Contrabass Concerto: Wolf Totem
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
There is a serene kind of beauty found only at twilight, when the landscape cedes to legend; this program lingers in these wild places at their most untamed and fragile. Anna Clyne’s stormy nocturne gathers “every shred of the luminous past” like “a naked woman running mad through the pure night.” Tan Dun’s spiritually cinematic Wolf Totem summons the mythical Mongolian wolf from the grasslands. Sibelius’s devastating Fifth conjures the inscrutable patterns of the aurora. Three works that find beauty in loss, solace in vast spaces, and mystery in the gathering dark.
Joe Conyers, Double Bass
Described by the Grand Rapids Press as “a lyrical musician who plays with authenticity that transcends mere technique,” Conyers has performed with numerous orchestras around the country as soloist in addition to performing regularly with the Philadelphia Orchestra as their principal bassist.
CLYNE TAN SIBELIUS
KABALEVSKY PROKOFIEV PROKOFIEV
MASTERWORKS 3
First Baptist Church of Asheville
November 14, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Kabalevsky Overture from Colas Breugnon
G. Prokofiev Concerto for Minimoog Synthesizer and Orchestra
S. Prokofiev Romeo & Juliet Suite
Some moments demand a double take: Romeo catching sight of Juliet across a crowded ballroom, a synthesizer taking the stage where the piano should be. This program explores impossible and intoxicating pairings. Sergei Prokofiev conjures Shakespeare’s star-crossed tragedy in all its beauty and brutality — forbidden love, violent delights, and violent ends. Grandson Gabriel Prokofiev offers his own unlikely pairing with the first-ever concerto for Asheville’s own Minimoog, where acid house collides with the classical and shattering convention becomes a family tradition.
PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH
Inna Faliks, Minimoog
This “adventurous and passionate” (The New Yorker) Ukrainian-born pianist is recognized as one of the most poetic and communicative artists of her generation, internationally renowned for her commanding performances of the standard repertoire and genre-bending projects.
MASTERWORKS 4
First Baptist Church of Asheville
February 20, 2027 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Britten Simple Symphony
Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1
Pärt Cantus in Memoriam
Benjamin Britten
Haydn Symphony No. 104, “London”
This program honors the British talent for holding gravity and levity in the same hand. Britten opens with melodies from his childhood, reimagined years later. Shostakovich’s cello concerto follows with biting intensity — lyrical, ruthless, and unapologetically demanding. Pärt offers an austere meditation on loss, inspired by the “unusual purity” of Britten’s music. Haydn closes with his final symphony, composed in London, ending not in sentiment, but in triumphant joy. Four composers, four sharply different voices, united by the British knack for making contradictions feel perfectly sensible.
Zlatomir Fung, Cello
The first American to win the Cello Division of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, Fung is widely recognized as one of the preeminent cellists of our time, astounding audiences world-wide with his boundless virtuosity and exquisite sensitivity.
BRITTEN SHOSTAKOVICHPÄRT & HAYDN
MASTERWORKS 5
First Baptist Church of Asheville March 20, 2027 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Respighi Gli Uccelli (The Birds)
Glière Concerto for Horn
Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, “Organ” “What I have here accomplished, I will never achieve again.” Saint-Saëns knew his Organ Symphony was his pinnacle: a monumental work that gathers everything he had to give and the perfect centerpiece for a centennial milestone. As First Baptist Church of Asheville marks its 100th anniversary, we celebrate with a program worthy of the occasion: Respighi’s Gli Uccelli (written the year the church was dedicated), Glière’s soaring horn concerto, and Saint-Saëns’ masterpiece on the sanctuary organ. With guest artists from our own community, we are proud to celebrate a century of artistry, faith, and connection.
Jeffrey Whaley, Horn
The Asheville Symphony’s own principal horn, Whaley also serves as principal horn of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony of the Mountains.
Tate Addis, Organ Organist at First Baptist Church of Asheville, Addis’ performances have been described as “spectacular” and acclaimed for their “deeply communicative musicality.”
MASTERWORKS 6
First Baptist Church of Asheville
April 17, 2027 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Styne Overture from Gypsy
Gershwin Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra
Bernstein Three Dance Episodes from On the Town
Gershwin Symphonic Picture from Porgy & Bess
New York isn’t just the setting, it’s a main character. Experience 1930s and 40s Manhattan through music that moves like the city itself: brassy, fast-talking, tender when it counts, and always on the move. Gershwin’s concerto for piano swings between Charleston rhythm and back-alley blues, while On the Town embodies subway rush, park-bench hush, and Times Square buzz. Gypsy lifts the curtain, and Porgy & Bess — a defining American work rooted in Black musical tradition — brings the program home, showcasing Broadway in its prime: glamour and grit, lights blazing, and the city wide awake.
Diehl, Piano
Praised for “melodic precision” (The New York Times) and “traditional jazz sound with a sophisticated contemporary spin” (The Guardian), Diehl has redefined the lines between jazz and classical and built a global career around his nuanced, understated approach to music-making.
STYNE GERSHWIN BERNSTEIN
Aaron
MASTERWORKS 7
First Baptist Church of Asheville May 22, 2027 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Kodály Dances of Galánta Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 1
Dvořák Symphony No. 7
Tradition doesn’t survive by accident; it survives by making itself heard. Dvořák channels formidable Czech pride into one of his most passionate and uncompromising symphonies. Kodály preserves Hungarian dance traditions in blazing orchestral color. Young Wieniawski claims his place among the great virtuosos with his swaggering first concerto, featuring a fearless Polish dance finale. Folk heritage transformed into orchestral power and cultural resistance — too vibrant to overlook, too fierce to forget.
Robert Lakatoš, Violin Serbian-born Lakatoš performs with orchestras around the world and has won several international competitions, including the Pablo Sarasate International Violin Competition, with his “gorgeous, confident tone.”
Go beyond the Masterworks with a diverse array of music that inspires and entertains across genre and style.
Get pre-sale access, first priority seats, and the best prices all season when you become a Masterworks Series subscriber (page 5 for details). Single tickets go on sale for all non-ALT ASO concerts on August 11, 2026, but you can order tickets early when you subscribe before June 26, 2026.
Highlights
Kelli O’Hara
A once-in-a-lifetime talent, Asheville Amadeus Festival co-headliner, and “Broadway musical’s undisputed queen” — backed by your Asheville Symphony for one unmissable performance.
Carmina Burana
Featuring projection art by Adam Larsen, experience this epic masterpiece in a uniquely immersive way.
Guest Artist Spotlights
Experience world-renowned soloists up close with unique and intimate programming designed to give you the opportunity to dive deeper into the music.
SPECIAL EVENTS & ADD-ONS
Symphony in the Park
Pack Square Park
September 6, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Join the Asheville Symphony for a spectacular night of music under the stars at the beloved Symphony in the Park! This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.
FREE GENERAL ADMISSION
Upgrade Your Experience
Reserve preferred seating and enjoy seating close to the stage, a reserved chair waiting for you to take home, and the satisfaction of helping keep this beloved concert free for the community.
Erica Gabriel, Voice
Returning for her third performance with the Asheville Symphony, Gabriel is an award-winning vocalist. Accomplished in a wide range of styles including jazz, musical theater, opera, and gospel, she has performed with orchestras across the country including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, and more.
Guest Artist Spotlights
Solo Piano Showcase with Inna Faliks
First Baptist Church of Asheville
November 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Described by The New Yorker as “adventurous and passionate,” our Masterworks 3 guest artist (page 10 for details) presents a program featuring works by Schumann, Beethoven, and Chopin, all showcasing her poetic and communicative style.
Aaron Diehl Trio
The Orange Peel
April 15, 2027 at 7:00 p.m.
Known from their Jazz at Lincoln Center performances, Diehl’s trio builds a program for piano, bass, and drums and explores the creation of musically diverse environments. The ensemble unites jazz standards with classical music, bringing them into focus and infusing them with Diehl’s trademark brilliance.
Handel’s Messiah
First Baptist Church of Asheville
December 19, 2026
2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Celebrate the holiday season with the might and emotional weight of Handel’s iconic Messiah, featuring the Asheville Symphony Chorus, four incredible soloists, and your Asheville Symphony.
Jessica Beebe, Soprano Kristen Dubenion-Smith, Alto Ben Gulley, Tenor Sam Dhobhany, Bass
SPECIAL EVENTS & ADD-ONS (CONT.)
Holst & Heldenleben
Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium
Brevard Music Center
May 16, 2027 at 3:00 p.m.
Join the Asheville Symphony as we return to Brevard Music Center for a program that celebrates both emerging talent and orchestral grandeur. In the first half, members of the Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestra perform side-by-side with the Symphony in selections from Holst’s The Planets. The afternoon culminates with the full Asheville Symphony performing Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, a bold and expansive work that showcases the power of a 100+ member orchestra.
Carmina Burana with Immersive Projection Art
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
January 30, 2027 at 8:00 p.m.
Join your Asheville Symphony and the Asheville Symphony Chorus for a truly unique and immersive way to experience Carl Orff’s epic masterpiece, one of the most popular and widely performed works of the 20th century.
Jana McIntyre, Soprano
Andrew Morstein, Tenor
Craig Verm, Baritone
Adam Larsen, Projection Art
An Evening with Kelli O’Hara & the Asheville Symphony
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium April 22, 2027 at 8:00 p.m.
Tony Award Winner, Emmy- and GRAMMY- nominee Kelli O’Hara performs a program of American Songbook classics and modern Broadway favorites, all backed by your Asheville Symphony.
Visit page 24 to learn more about the 2027 Asheville Amadeus Festival featuring co-headliners Kelli O’Hara and Aaron Diehl.
ALT ASO is where the Asheville Symphony gets weird in the best way: genre chaos, guaranteed.
These on-the-road concerts blend classical music with diverse genres, collaborators, and settings, creating unique concert experiences that are fresh, bold, and built for curious listeners.
ALT ASO performances are not available for purchase until eight weeks before each concert. Want early access? Annual Fund Benefactor-level donors receive guaranteed pre-sale access (visit page 3 to learn more about donor benefits). You can also follow @avlsymphony for Instagramexclusive pre-sales.
Series sponsors are what make ALT ASO happen — and they receive exclusive perks in return, including VIP experiences, complimentary tickets, reserved seating, and more.
To learn more about becoming a sponsor of the ALT ASO series, contact the Asheville Symphony Development Team at development@ashevillesymphony.org or 828.254.7046.
ASO @ Pisgah
Balkan Brass Meets
October 6, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
November 2, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
ALT
Brewing:
NOLA
ALT ASO @ Highland Brewing: Jazz & Pop
ALT ASO @ The Orange Peel: Broadway & Great American Songbook December 1, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
ALT ASO @ White Horse Black Mountain: From Bayou to Appalachian Roots January 19, 2027 at 7:00 p.m.
ALT ASO @ The Orange Peel: 80s Prom March 11, 2027 at 7:00 p.m.
Our biennial festival returns in April 2027, bringing the bright lights of Broadway to Asheville.
Asheville Amadeus is back for its sixth iteration, bringing two superstar coheadliners to Asheville: Kelli O’Hara and Aaron Diehl. Experience ten days of performances, education programs, special collaborations, and community events, inspired by the artistic energy of New York and the creative spirit of Asheville.
Kelli O’Hara
Hailed by The New York Times as “Broadway musical’s undisputed queen,” Kelli O’Hara has established herself as one of Broadway’s greatest leading ladies. A Tony Award winner and Emmy- and GRAMMYnominated performer, she has appeared in twelve Broadway shows for which she has garnered eight Tony nominations. Her credits include a number of renowned productions and revivals including The King and I, Kiss Me Kate, The Bridges of Madison County, and South Pacific. A oncein-a-lifetime talent, O’Hara made history in 2015 as the first artist to make the crossover from Broadway to opera with her Metropolitan Opera debut in Léhar’s The Merry Widow, opposite Renée Fleming.
Aaron Diehl
Pianist Aaron Diehl has quietly redefined the lines between jazz and classical and built a global career around his nuanced, understated approach to music-making. Praised for his “traditional jazz sound with a sophisticated contemporary spin” (The Guardian), Diehl is a leader in contemporary jazz and has performed with musical giants such as Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Philip Glass. As a soloist, he has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and more. His expansive, orchestral, lyrical approach to the piano channels genre predecessors like Ahmad Jamal, Art Tatum, and Jelly Roll Morton.
Support the Festival
The Asheville Amadeus Festival is a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and community, bringing together artists and audiences from across Western North Carolina and beyond.
Ticket sales cover less than 35% of the Festival’s cost. Your support helps make this vibrant, multi-day experience possible while sustaining the partnerships and programming that define it.
Join the 1756 Society to deepen your connection to the Festival and enjoy exclusive access to special events and artist experiences. Visit AshevilleSymphony.org or contact our Development Team at development@ashevillesymphony.org or 828.254.7046 to learn more.
2026-2027 SEASON TICKET PRICING & VENUES
Masterworks Performance
First Baptist Church of Asheville Adult/Youth Ticket
Save up to 15% when you subscribe to three or more Masterworks performances!
Sections beginning with B in diagram indicate
Note: Single letters in diagram indicate balcony sections; please note that there is no elevator access. Scan the QR code below for performancespecific pricing and seating areas. THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM
Youth pricing valid for ages 18 and under. All Masterworks performances will take place in First Baptist Church of Asheville. Renewing 26-27 subscription seats is only available to Full Series subscribers who mail in their order form or renew over the phone prior to June 26, 2026. New seating requests are addressed based on availability and in the order in which they’re received. All subscription orders are subject to a $20 venue fee, plus applicable tax.
Youth pricing valid for ages 18 and under. Area 4 at Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium indicates a general admission lawn seating area; chairs are not provided. Ticketing fees are waived only when purchased with a subscription. Please refer to the appropriate seating map for each venue when selecting a seating area, which you can find at AshevilleSymphony.org/tickets.
SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM
STEP ONE
Build your subscription!
Select your concerts to build your subscription package. Select all seven to become a Full Series subscriber. Use the pricing tables to the left to select price based on seating area. Indicate your seating preferences below.
Seating Preferences All Full Series subscribers are guaranteed to renew their 25-26 seats up to the renewal deadline (June 26, 2026).
☐ Masterworks 1: Fellowship
September 26, 2026
☐ Masterworks 2: Nightfall
October 17, 2026
☐ Masterworks 3: Double Take
November 14, 2026
☐ Masterworks 4: London
February 20, 2027
☐ Masterworks 5: Dedication
March 20, 2027
☐ Masterworks 6: Marquee
April 17, 2027
☐ Masterworks 7: Homeland
May 22, 2027
STEP TWO
Calculate your subscription discount
STEP THREE
Choose early access tickets to add on (optional)
As a perk of being a Masterworks subscriber, you can get early access to pops concerts and recitals. Otherwise, these performances are available for purchase starting August 11, 2026 for non-subscribers. You also save on single ticket fees when you bundle these with your subscription!
