The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera announced the return of its Masterworks Series and First Horizon Foundation Pops Series for the 2021/22 season. After reformatting its 2020/21 season to focus on smaller ensemble performances and limiting audience sizes as a precaution against COVID-19, the CSO's upcoming 89th season will mark the organization's first full orchestral performances since March 2020.
Programming will include classical works from Beethoven, Ravel, and
Stravinsky alongside modern works from contemporary composers, as well as highly anticipated Pops Series concerts
Home for the Holidays and
Revolution: The Music of The Beatles.
“I am looking forward to re-introducing the CSO to the community after a year of ‘socially distanced’ concerts during the 2020/21 season,” said Kayoko Dan, CSO music director. “The new season will open with fun and exciting works, including Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol and Marquez's Danzon No. 2, along with reflective and beautiful pieces like George Walker's Lyric for Strings, which we will perform in memory of those lost to COVID-19. We are also proud to continue featuring many Chattanooga artists, including CSO Principal Timpani Alex Wadner, CSO Principal Piccolo Amelia Dicks, and Lee University's Jonathan Jung on piano, and we’re excited to collaborate once again with the CSO Chorus and Chattanooga Ballet.”
The Masterworks Series will feature beloved classical works and exciting new pieces from contemporary composers throughout the season. Audiences will experience renowned pieces such as Beethoven's Eroica, Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The season will also feature talented guest artists such as Elena Urioste on Samuel Coleridge -Taylor's Violin Concerto in G Minor and Jonathan Jung on Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major, as well as a must-see collaboration with the Chattanooga Ballet as they bring their original choreography to Stravinsky’s Apollo. The CSO will also continue to highlight female and BIPOC composers with pieces from Julia Perry, Gabriela Lena Frank, Anne Guzzo, and more.
The First Horizon Foundation Pops Series will bring back popular annual events such as the beloved holiday concert Home for the Holidays and the Valentine's weekend program Big Band Fever. Talented Broadway vocalists will join the CSO to perform hits from Hamilton, Wicked, and more during Broadway Tonight!, while Lights! Camera! Pops! will bring to life classic scores from blockbuster films. The Pops Series will close with Revolution: The Music of The Beatles, featuring top vocalists in a symphonic tribute to the Fab Four.
“We’re thrilled to be returning to a more normal concert season after making it through the worst of the pandemic,” stated CSO Executive Director Samantha Teter. “While our Masterworks and Pops Series are the most well-known of our concerts, we look forward to introducing more community-based events in the near future.”
By subscribing, patrons earn several special benefits, including 10% off regular single ticket prices, free exchanges, and advance purchasing for special events. Subscribers will also have first opportunity to pick their seats at Memorial Auditorium, the CSO's new home for the 21/22 season, and they can stop by and explore their seating options and get to know members of the CSO’s administrative and artistic staff during the Subscriber Seating Event at Memorial Auditorium on June 24, from 3-6 p.m.
Patrons can subscribe online at chattanoogasymphony.org/subscriptions, by phone at 423 267-8583, or in-person at the CSO Box Office at 736 Georgia Ave., Suite 101. The box office is currently open for limited hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.