Louisville Orchestra Reveals 2026-2027 Season - Leslie Odom, Jr., Verdi’s Requiem and More

The Louisville Orchestra has revealed its 2026–27 season, continuing the exceptional momentum of one of the nation's most dynamic arts organizations. Following unprecedented growth over the past several years, including record subscription and single-ticket sales that exceeded pre-pandemic levels, the Louisville Orchestra enters the new season with expanded offerings, major collaborations, world premieres, and an ambitious artistic vision rooted firmly in Louisville. Subscriptions are on sale now offering audiences access to a wide range of performances across five different series: Classics, Pops, Coffee, NightLites, and Teddy's Picks – all available at LouisvilleOrchestra.org or by phone at 502-587-8681.

Under the direction of Music Director Teddy Abrams, the season brings together major symphonic works, internationally recognized guest artists, world premieres, Louisville Orchestra commissions, and ambitious collaborations. Highlights include Verdi's Requiem, Sibelius's Symphony No. 2, Brahms's Symphony No. 4, Mahler's Symphony No. 1 “Titan,” and a Beethoven Piano Concerto Marathon featuring Stewart Goodyear performing all five Concertos across two performances. Guest artists throughout the season include violinists Ray Chen, and Kerson Leong, with guest conductors Earl Lee, Peter Oundjian, and Mélisse Brunet.

A season highlight, Richard Strauss's Salome will be presented in collaboration with Kentucky Opera, bringing a semi-staged operatic production to Whitney Hall. Rhapsody Reimagined features Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue transformed through Latin Jazz by Cuban pianist, Ahmed Alom.

New music remains central to the Louisville Orchestra's identity. The 2026–27 season features a full-orchestra presentation of Julia Wolfe's Anthracite Fields, newly commissioned for the Louisville Orchestra, New Symphony by Timo Andres, Teddy Abrams's Seasons in America for violin and orchestra, and world premieres by Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps Composers Susanna Hancock and Seare Ahmad Farhat. Additional premieres by KiMani Bridges and Chelsea Komschlies, Creators Corps Alumna (25-26), continue the Orchestra's long-standing commitment to living composers and new work.

“The Louisville Orchestra's 2026-27 season reflects the extraordinary energy of our musicians, the passion of our audiences, and the strength of our community,” said Teddy Abrams, Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra. “Our Orchestra has reached a level of national prominence for our creative programming and artistry, and our new season will show off our capabilities in every way - from virtuosity to sublime beauty, with massive collaborations and intimate, life-changing moments. This is our most daring, exciting, dramatic season that we've programmed since I've arrived!”

The Pops Series, led by Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, continues to drive audience growth with performances built around instantly recognizable music and star power. Highlights include A John Williams Halloween, featuring iconic film scores, a symphonic performance by Grammy and Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr., Michael Feinstein celebrating the music of Johnny Mathis and Henry Mancini, and Ledisi honoring the legacy of Nina Simone and Dinah Washington.  

The NightLites Series returns to the Ogle Center at Indiana University Southeast and expands from four to five Friday evening concerts, focusing on defining orchestral works by Prokofiev, Brahms, Haydn, Mozart, Bizet, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Ravel, Vivaldi, and Beethoven. The series features performances by Associate Concertmaster Julia Noone, Concertmaster and Resident Conductor Gabriel Lefkowitz, and guest conductors Ziwei Ma, Na'Zir McFadden, and Molly Turner.

The series Teddy's Picks returns for the 2026–27 season as a proven guide for new audiences and a focused subscription option highlighting the performances that define the year. Personally selected by Music Director Teddy Abrams, the four-concert package includes Ledisi, Brahms's Fourth paired with Seasons in America, Salome with Kentucky Opera, and Bizet and Mendelssohn.

In addition to subscription concerts, the Louisville Orchestra will present free community events announced throughout the year, reaching audiences across the region through initiatives including In Harmony – The Commonwealth Tour, Music Without Borders, and family-focused programming. The Orchestra also welcomes a growing number of students from Jefferson County Public Schools and Southern Indiana to concerts throughout the season. Through these collective efforts, the Louisville Orchestra serves more people through free programming than paid performances each year reinforcing the Orchestra's role as a civic and cultural resource.

LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA 2026-27 SEASON

Classics and Coffee Series

Verdi’s “Requiem”

Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17, 2026
Whitney Hall
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ben Robinson, director
Giuseppe Verdi: Requiem

Teddy Conducts Music of the Mines

Saturday, January 16, 2027
Whitney Hall
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Louisville Chamber Choir and Cardinal Singers
Music by Copland, Ruggles, Schubert, Jean Ritchie, Julia Wolfe, and a world premiere by LO Creators Corps Alumna Chelsea Komschlies

Sibelius Symphony No. 2

Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30, 2027
Whitney Hall
Earl Lee, conductor; Chris Choi, timpani
Music by Franck, Daugherty, and Sibelius

Brahms Symphony No. 4

Friday, February 26 and Saturday, February 27, 2027
Whitney Hall
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ray Chen, violin
World premiere by KiMani Bridges; World premiere of Seasons in America by Teddy Abrams; Brahms Symphony No. 4

Mahler Symphony No. 1 “Titan”

Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6, 2027
Whitney Hall
Peter Oundjian, conductor; Kerson Leong, violin
World premiere by LO Creators Corps Composer Seare Ahmad Farhat; Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires; Mahler Symphony No. 1

Beethoven Piano Concerto Marathon

Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3, 2027
Whitney Hall
Mélisse Brunet, conductor; Stewart Goodyear, piano
Beethoven Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 over two performances

Rhapsody Reimagined

Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24, 2027
Whitney Hall
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ahmed Alom, piano
World premiere by LO Creators Corps Composer Susanna Hancock; Latin jazz reimagining of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Ahmed Alom; Timo Andres New Symphony

Salome

Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8, 2027
Whitney Hall
Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ben Robinson, director; Kentucky Opera
Richard Strauss: Salome

Pops Series

A John Williams Halloween

Friday, October 30, 2026
Whitney Hall
Bob Bernhardt, conductor

Leslie Odom, Jr.

Saturday, January 23, 2027
Whitney Hall
Bob Bernhardt, conductor; Leslie Odom, Jr., vocals

Michael Feinstein — “My Celebration” The Music of Johnny Mathis and Henry Mancini

Saturday, March 27, 2027
Whitney Hall
Bob Bernhardt, conductor; Michael Feinstein, vocals

Ledisi — Music of Nina Simone and Dinah Washington

Wednesday, April 14, 2027
Whitney Hall
Bob Bernhardt, conductor; Ledisi, vocals

NightLites Series

Prokofiev & Brahms

Friday, September 25, 2026
Ogle Center at Indiana University Southeast
Ziwei Ma, conductor; Julia Noone, violin

Haydn & Mozart

Friday, October 9, 2026
Ogle Center at Indiana University Southeast
Teddy Abrams, conductor

Bizet & Mendelssohn

Friday, November 20, 2026
Ogle Center at Indiana University Southeast
Na’Zir McFadden, conductor

Vivaldi & Beethoven

Friday, February 19, 2027
Ogle Center at Indiana University Southeast
Gabriel Lefkowitz, violin and conductor

Debussy & Ravel