SALISBURY, N.C. — The Salisbury Symphony has announced its 2026–2027 season, a dynamic collection of performances that celebrate imagination, heritage, community, and the enduring power of live orchestral music. Featuring masterworks, holiday traditions, contemporary voices, and collaborative performances with students and community partners, the season continues the Symphony’s nearly sixty-year commitment to enriching the cultural life of Rowan County through music of the highest quality.
Under the leadership of Music Director Daniel Wiley, the season explores themes of identity, celebration, light, resilience, and humanity. Audiences can expect programs that move seamlessly between beloved classics and fresh discoveries while reflecting the Salisbury Symphony’s ongoing dedication to education, accessibility, and community engagement.
¡MASQUERADE!
September 26, 2026
The season opens with a vibrant evening of spectacle, elegance, and theatrical storytelling. Inspired by the traditions of courtly festivals and masked celebrations, ¡Masquerade! immerses audiences in a world where music, dance, and visual pageantry converge. Featuring music by Lully, Bach, and Purcell, the concert explores themes of disguise, ceremony, and performance. Guest artist Dwight Parry, Principal Oboe of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, joins the Symphony for Bach’s Oboe d’Amore Concerto in A Major, while youth dancers bring selections from Purcell’s Abdelazer to life through movement and storytelling.
THE MESSIAH
November 29, 2026
One of Salisbury’s most beloved holiday traditions returns as the Salisbury Symphony presents Handel’s Messiah. Filled with moments of grandeur, reflection, and joy, this timeless masterpiece continues to inspire audiences through its message of hope and renewal.
HOLIDAY POPS
December 19, 2026
The Salisbury Symphony’s Holiday Pops returns with festive favorites, seasonal classics, and family-friendly entertainment. Designed to bring audiences together during the most joyful time of year, the concert blends orchestral tradition with holiday cheer.
AURORA
January 31, 2027
Aurora explores the many forms of light: emerging, flickering, searching, and radiant. The program opens with Emilie Mayer’s Overture No. 2 in D Major, followed by Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 3. Together, the works create a journey from darkness toward clarity and resolution.
MOTOWN, SOUL, & SYMPHONY
March 13, 2027
The energy, passion, and timeless appeal of Motown take center stage as the Salisbury Symphony celebrates some of the most iconic music ever written. Featuring powerhouse vocalists and symphonic arrangements of beloved classics, this concert honors the artists and songs that shaped generations.
LETTERS OF HUMANITY: BEETHOVEN’S NINTH
May 22, 2027
The season concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, one of the most powerful statements in all of music. Joined by chorus and community voices, the Symphony brings audiences together in a celebration of hope, unity, and shared humanity.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Education remains at the heart of the Salisbury Symphony’s mission. Through the Salisbury Symphony Youth Orchestra, Young People’s Concerts, In-School Mini-Concerts, Summer Music Camp, After-School Strings, Adult Strings, and Side-By-Side Concerts, thousands of students and community members engage with music each year.
Founded in 1966 through a partnership between Livingstone College, Catawba College, and the Salisbury City School System, the Salisbury Symphony remains one of the region’s most enduring cultural institutions.
Season subscriptions and individual tickets are available now.
For tickets, season information, and educational opportunities, visit salisburysymphony.org.
