Ocala Symphony Orchestra kicks off new season on June 30 with Red, White and OSO Blue

Maestro Matthew Wardell leads the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. [Photo courtesy Reilly Arts Center]

The Ocala Symphony Orchestra will usher in a new season with a Red, White and Ocala Symphony Orchestra Blue concert on Sunday, June 30, at the Reilly Arts Center, in a special concert salute to veterans.

The OSO’s Special Concert series also will include a unique live performance of the 1927 sci-fi silent film “Metropolis,” a community “Messiah” sing along and a grand performance of Beethoven’s “9th Symphony.”

Maestro Matthew Wardell, music director and conductor of the OSO, will lead the lineup of timeless masterworks and world premieres. The season will feature six subscription concerts and seven special concerts.

“This 49th season features incredible collaborations between the orchestra, the Ocala Symphony Chorus, CF’s Patriot Singers, and renowned soloists—those collaborations will reach their zenith with Beethoven’s monumental ‘9th Symphony,’ an ode to joy and brotherhood that promises to be a transcendent experience next April. Our subscription concerts will be some of the best yet, including works by Mason Bates, Tchaikovsky, Anna Clyne, Beethoven, Dvořák, Leanna Primiani, Strauss, Rimsky-Korsakov and more. Also not to be missed is our ‘Messiah’ sing along, inviting you to lend your voice to Handel’s immortal masterpiece in a celebration of community and music” said Wardell in the news release.

Subscription concerts:

“Fate, Goblins, and the Mothership”

Oct. 19 and 20 (free open rehearsal Oct. 18)

Mason Bates’ “Mothership” invites you on an interstellar journey combining electronica with the orchestra. The adventure continues with Dvořák’s “Water Goblin,” which weaves a tale of love, tragedy, and a supernatural world beneath the waves. Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4” rounds out this performance.

“Pops! Goes the Holidays”

Dec. 7 and 8

Featuring your favorite music from Mannheim Steamroller, “Home Alone,” the “Nutcracker” and more, with vocalists from the Ocala Symphony Choir.

“Vive la France!”

Jan. 25 and 26 (free open rehearsal Jan. 24)

Join principal guest conductor Raymond Chobaz on a musical journey to France with Debussy’s “Trois Nocturnes” and Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Africa” with Kevin Sharpe on piano. OSO concertmaster Stewart Kitts will play “Introduction” and “Rondo Capriccioso,” culminating in Maurice Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2” and the Ocala Symphony Chorus.

“Sound and Fury”

Feb. 15 and 16 (free open rehearsal Feb. 14)

Set off with Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture” before delving into the contemporary narrative and emotion of Anna Clyne’s “Sound and Fury,” featuring Ocala Civic Theatre Artistic Director, Greg Thompson. The tour ends with Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony.

“Youth, Tricksters, and Metamorphosis”

March 8 and 9 (free open rehearsal March 7)

Featuring performances by two young concerto competition winners, the night will showcase Richard Strauss’s “Till Eulenspiegel” and Paul Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes” by Carl Maria von Weber.”

“The West meets Scheherazade (and Godzilla, too)”

April 12 and 13 (free open rehearsal April 11)

The grand finale begins with Michael Daugherty’s “Rio Grande,” with a glimpse at the world of Scheherazade told through Leanna Primiani’s “1,001.” Eric Whitacre’s “Godzilla Eats Las Vegas” will feature Joshua Mazur and the OSO. After intermission, the orchestra will transport you to the world of “Scheherazade” in Rimsky-Korsakov’s four movements.

Special concerts:

“METROPOLIS: Silent Film + Orchestra”

Oct. 26

The OSO continues its tradition of performing live with film in concert: Fritz Lang’s classic science fiction drama, “Metropolis.”

“Messiah Community Sing-Along”

Nov. 24

The inaugural Handel’s “Messiah” sing-along is for seasoned singers, enthusiastic newcomers and listeners who simply wish to bask in hundreds of voices at once.

“Symphony Under the Lights”

Dec. 6 (free admission)

Hot chocolate, family, friends, and festive music from the OSO and members of the Ocala Youth Symphony.

Young Artist Competition Finals

Jan. 12, 2025

This recital features finalists from the 34th annual Young Artist Competition.

“Opera at the Reilly: Puccini Love and Laughter!”

Feb. 23

The University of Florida Opera Theatre and OSO present Giacomo Puccini’s “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi.”

“Ode to Joy: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony”

March 30

The OSO, with the College of Central Florida Patriot Singers and Ocala Symphony Chorus, led by Joshua Mazur, will join with four world-class soloists. The concert will open with Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture,” lead to his “Ninth Symphony” and culminate with “Ode to Joy.”

Coffee & Cocktails with the Conductor 

These free, educational and engaging sessions give audiences the opportunity to learn more about each concert repertoire, the history behind the pieces and composers, and participate in an informal Q&A with Wardell. Dates and locations vary.

To learn about season subscriptions, individual tickets and more, go to reillyartscenter.com