WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Peter Askim, today announced its 2026-2027 season, anchored by a mix of orchestral masterworks, American classics, and contemporary voices that together create a journey across time, place and imagination.
Titled “Journeys,” the season is intended to reflect on music’s enduring role as a force that shapes history and identity. From beloved European repertoire to music by living composers, audiences will experience programs that span Wilmington’s own shores to far-reaching musical landscapes.
“As America enters its 251st year, we honor the past even as we move forward together,” Askim said in a press release. “Whether traveling from darkness to light in Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony,” journeying through [Antonín] Dvořák’s “New World,” celebrating Wilmington through Barbara Gallagher’s musical portrait of azaleas, or venturing to the edge of the galaxy with [Gustav] Holst’s “The Planets,” we remain grounded in the musicians, composers, performers, and stories that make this city our home. Wilmington is our point of departure and our constant – no matter how far these journeys take us, they always lead us home.”
Opening Night: Three Generations of American Music — Sept. 26, 2026
The season kicks off with a program honoring America 250 and tracing Dvorak’s legacy through three generations of American music. The opening night on Saturday, September 26, 2026 will feature the following pieces:
- Carlos Simon’s “Festive Fanfare and Overture”
- Samuel Barber’s “Violin Concerto” with soloist Stefan Jackiw
- Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 9 in E minor From the New World”
“From the New World” is a piece that encouraged American composers to seek inspiration in African American and Native American musical traditions and helped lay the foundation for a distinctly American musical voice that continues to resonate today.
Journeys: Beethoven’s 5th — Nov. 14, 2026
Songs featured include:
- Amadeus Mozart’s “Overture to The Magic Flute”
- Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Escaramuza”
- Jeff Scott’s “The Journey”
- Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67”
America at 251: A Journey into the Future — Jan. 16, 2027
Songs featured include:
- Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s “Chokfi”
- A new work by University of North Carolina Wilmington Assistant Professor Chelsea Loew, commissioned for the Wilmington Symphony’s July 4th celebration
- Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings”
- Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” performed with the Cape Fear Chorale
- William Grant Still’s “Symphony No. 1, ‘Afro-American'”
Music of the Natural World: Brahms Symphony No. 2 — March 13, 2027
Music of the Natural World explores nature as a source of inspiration and includes:
- Wilmington composer Barbara Gallagher’s “Suite from The Flowers”
- Ryan Lindveit’s “Desire Lines”
- Johannes Brahms’s “Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73”
The evening also showcases winners of the 2026-27 Richard R. Deas Young Artist Competition, highlighting the next generation of talented young musicians.
Schumann Cello Concerto and Selections from “The Planets” — May 1, 2027
The season conclusion features Pulitzer Prize–winner and North Carolina resident Jennifer Higdon’s “Blue Cathedral” and Cape Fear Community College instructor Ernesto Ferreri’s “Hymnus ad Cosmos” paired with Robert Schumann’s “Cello Concerto” performed by 2026 Sphinx Competition Laureate Andres Sanchez. This is followed by selections from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.”
At Port City Daily, we aim to keep locals informed on top-of-mind news facing the tri-county region. To support our work and help us reach more people in 2026, please, consider helping one of two ways: Subscribe here or make a one-time contribution here.
We appreciate your ongoing support.
