Learn more about our April 12-14 concert weekend, Boundless Beauty! Hear from members of the Madison Symphony Chorus, who will be featured on this concert weekend, as they describe Verdi’s “Requiem” and what it means to them to be able to perform this piece with the Madison Symphony Orchestra.   The Madison Symphony Chorus Describes Verdi’s “Requiem” Members of the MSO Chorus briefly describe the Requiem Watch on Vimeo Chorus Members answer the question “What does Verdi’s “Requiem” mean to you?”, discuss the rehearsal process, and what they love about the piece Watch on Vim ..read more

Discover more about our March 15-17 concert weekend, Favorites of Mine and Your Choice! Hear from our MSO Marketing Associate Sebastian Jimenez as he talks about the inspiration for Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” and discuss the life of Jennifer Higdon and the idea behind her piece “Loco”.   Sebastian Jimenez on Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” and Higdon’s “Loco” Learn about the inspiration behind Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 including spirituals, folk songs, and American architecture. Watch on Vimeo Hear about Jennifer Higdon’s life, her studies of com ..read more

Go behind the music of our SOLD OUT February 24 concert, MSO at the Movies: Pixar in Concert! Hear from our Associate Conductor Kyle Knox about his experience in conducting the Madison Symphony Orchestra through 25 years of the music and animation of Disney and Pixar films.   Interview with Kyle Knox Kyle Knox discusses his experience in rehearsing with the Madison Symphony on film music versus classical music, the magic and impact of film music in general, live versus electronic collaboration, and his favorite Pixar film. Watch on Vimeo The post MSO at the Movies: Pixar in Conce ..read more

We invite you to read through Michael Allsen’s program notes for the February 20th Organ Concert Series No. 3. Learn more about these concerts and buy tickets. Program Notes This third program of our Overture Concert Organ Series features Chelsea Chen, in a program dominated by French music. She opens with the brilliant Litanies by Jehan Alain, and then presents arrangements of two well-known piano miniatures by Debussy: The Girl With the Flaxen Hair and Arabesque No. 2. Ms. Chen plays her own Three Taiwanese Folksongs before closing the first half with ..read more

Go behind the music of our January 19-21 concerts, A Perfect Pair: Mozart and Mahler! Discover more about our featured piano soloist, Joyce Yang, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor as she discusses growing up as a pianist, touring with management, and her mindset during performances. Take a further look at Insights from Sebastian Jimenez, MSO Marketing Associate about Mozart, Mahler, and the background of the works for this concert. Learn More & Buy Tickets Interview and Q&A Videos with Joyce Yang These videos were captured at an MSOL member event during Joyce Ya ..read more

by Sebastian Jimenez, MSO Marketing Associate Our January 19-21 concerts, “The Perfect Pair: Mozart & Mahler” feature two breathtaking works by two monumental composers. Discover more about each piece below, and join us to experience this program live in Overture Hall! Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 Mozart composed his Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor around 1786, during a time when he was at the height of his creative powers. This period in music history, known as the Classical era, was marked by elegance, balance, and emotional restraint in compositions. What’s interesting is that Mozar ..read more

The Madison Symphony Orchestra was thrilled to welcome pianist Johnathan Biss to Overture Hall for our November 17, 18 and 19 concerts of Symphony Gems. Read reviews from the concert weekend, hear what the audience had to say, and view pictures below! Madison Symphony Orchestra invigorates four centuries of classics Noah Fellinger // The Cap Times The Madison Symphony Orchestra debuted their latest “Symphony Gems” concert Friday evening in Overture Hall, a stunning medley of classic compositions spanning four centuries of musical history. Music Director John DeMain returned to cond ..read more

We invite you to read through Michael Allsen’s program notes for the May 1, 2, and 3 performances of Fiesta Finale Learn more about these concerts and buy tickets. Plus, listen to a playlist of these pieces on Spotify! Program Notes Our final program is a celebration of music from Mexico and Spain, opening with José Pablo Moncayo’s Huapango, a joyful take on a folk dance from the Mexican state of Veracruz. Making his Madison Symphony Orchestra debut at these concerts, the brilliant young Mexican pianist Rachid Bernal plays Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Manuel de Falla. This work was i ..read more

We invite you to read through Michael Allsen’s program notes for the April 12, 13, and 14 performances of Boundless Beauty Learn more about these concerts and buy tickets. Plus, listen to a playlist of these pieces on Spotify! Program Notes This program is dedicated to a single great work: Verdi’s Requiem. One of the most dramatic settings of the Latin Mass for the Dead, it captures a huge range of emotions in this traditional text. The Madison Symphony Chorus and Orchestra welcome four distinguished vocal soloists for this work: soprano Alexandra LoBianco, mezzo-soprano Margaret Gawrysia ..read more

We invite you to read through Michael Allsen’s program notes for the March 15.16, and 17 performances of Favorites of Mine and Your Choice Learn more about these concerts and buy tickets. Plus, listen to a playlist of these pieces on Spotify! Program Notes This program opens with two works that are heard for the first time at these concerts.  Jennifer Higdon’s Loco is a colorful and intensely rhythmic work…inspired by a commuter train. Cellist Steven Isserlis last appeared with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in 2007, performing the Schumann Cello Concerto. We welcome him back to Over ..read more