EarRelevant Staff | 12 MAR 2025
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky— The Louisville Orchestra has announced its 2025–26 season, featuring a diverse lineup of classical masterworks, world premieres, and performances by renowned soloists. Music Director Teddy Abrams, now in his twelfth season with the orchestra, will lead six programs in the Classics Series, including Mahler’s Ninth Symphony, the return of pianist Yuja Wang, and new works by the orchestra’s Creators Corps composers.
Wang, who recently won a Grammy for her collaboration with Abrams and the orchestra on The American Project, will perform Ligeti’s Piano Concerto on November 21 and 22. The season also includes the world premiere of a violin concerto by Lisa Bielawa, written for soloist Tessa Lark, alongside works by Beethoven and current Creators Corps members Anthony R. Green and Chelsea Komschlies (October 24 and 25). Other highlights include a performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue paired with John Luther Adams’ An Atlas of Deep Time and a new work by Green (April 24 and 25).
Abrams will also conduct pianist Jonathan Biss in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9, featured in a program celebrating American music with works by Charles Ives, William Billings, and William Schuman (February 20 and 21). Additionally, the Louisville Ballet will join the orchestra for a fully staged performance of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring (April 11).
Guest conductors in the season’s Classics Series include Robert Spano, who will lead a performance featuring pianist Tony Siqi Yun in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, as well as works by Claude Baker and Christopher Theofanidis (October 4). Grammy-winning composer Eric Whitacre will conduct a program of his own music with violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and the Louisville Chamber Choir (March 7).
The season also features an expanded fall edition of the “In Harmony” tour, which will include performances in Kentucky’s Appalachian region. The tour will showcase Copland’s Appalachian Spring, along with works by Bielawa, Komschlies, and Green.
The Louisville Orchestra’s 2025–26 Classics Series concerts are listed below. Complete season details and ticket information are available on the orchestra’s website at louisvilleorchestra.org. ■
Louisville Orchestra 2025-26 Classics Series:
- Sat, October 4, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Robert Spano, conductor; Tony Siqi Yun, piano.
Claude BAKER: The Glass Bead Game
Christopher THEOFANIDIS: On the Bridge of the Eternal
Sergei RACHMANINOFF: Piano Concerto No. 3 - Saturday, October 25, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Tessa Lark, violin.
Anthony GREEN: Ev’ry Time I Blink
Chelsea KOMSCHLIES: A Hidden Sun Rises
Lisa BIELAWA: Violin Concerto No. 2: “Pulse” (World Premiere)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 - Saturday, November 22, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Yuja Wang, piano.
Franz LISZT: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
György LIGETI: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Béla BARTÓK: Concerto for Orchestra - Saturday, January 17, 2026 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Teddy Abrams, conductor.
Gustav MAHLER: Symphony No. 9 - Saturday, February 21, 2026 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Jonathan Biss, piano.
William SCHUMAN: “Chester” from New England Triptych
William BILLINGS: Part-Songs and Fuguing Tunes
W.A. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 9
Charles IVES: A Symphony: New England Holidays - March 7, 2026 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Eric Whitacre, conductor; Anne Akiko Myers, violin; Louisville Chamber Choir, Kent Hatteberg, director.
Eric WHITACRE: Prelude in C
Eric WHITACRE: The Pacific Has No Memory
Eric WHITACRE: The Seal Lullaby
Eric WHITACRE: October
Eric WHITACRE: Equus
Eric WHITACRE: Deep Field - Saturday, April 11, 2026 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Time for Three; Louisville Ballet.
Chelsea KOMLISCHES: New Work (LOCC World Premiere)
Mason BATES: Concerto for String Trio
Aaron COPLAND: Appalachian Spring - Saturday, April 25, 2026 @ 7:30 PM
Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center
Teddy Abrams, conductor.
Anthony GREEN: New Work (LOCC World Premiere)
George GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue
John Luther ADAMS: An Atlas of Deep Time
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Louisville Orchestra: louisvilleorchestra.org
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