Subscriptions are on sale throughout July for Asheville Symphony’s 2025-2026 season featuring celebrated guest artists, a repertoire of classical favorites and newly commissioned works, and collaborations with the Western North Carolina community. “We always present the big hits, and this season is no exception,” says Asheville Symphony music director Darko Butorac. “You will hear Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem and works by Tchaikovsky, Haydn and Brahms.” Additional highlights include premieres by composer Karena Ingram and by Amber Ferenz, a bassoonist with the Asheville Symphony, and a collaborative program with the Black Mountain College Museum celebrating John Cage, an American composer and musical pioneer who taught at Black Mountain College in the 1950s.
Photo by Alex Avramchuk
The Symphony’s Masterworks Series kicks off on September 20, with legendary pianist Emanuel Ax performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Masterworks 1: Eroica will commemorate the community’s resilience and continued renewal in the year since Hurricane Helene. “A portion of the proceeds from our season-opening Masterworks concert will benefit the River Arts District Artists (RADA) Foundation, an organization doing vital work to sustain the arts in Asheville,” says Asheville Symphony executive director Daniel Crupi. “By supporting professional resources for artists in the River Arts District, RADA is helping to rebuild and reimagine the artistic heart of our city. We’re proud to stand with them in this effort.”
Another highlight of the season will be the hosting in March of internationally acclaimed vocalist Isabel Leonard as the featured artist for the second Asheville Symphony Artist Residency. The biennial artist residency presents performances and educational events that focus on a particular aspect of music. This year’s theme is “the power of the human voice.”
Leonard’s time in Asheville will include headlining Masterworks 5: Nightingale, leading a performance with the Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestra and participating in audience engagement events. “Known for her magnetic stage presence and vocal brilliance, Leonard brings a distinctive artistry that defies genre boundaries,” says Crupi. “Over the course of three unique performances and a series of community and educational events, she will offer Asheville audiences an immersive look at what makes her one of today’s most compelling musical storytellers.”
Asheville Symphony performances continue to be held at various venues throughout Asheville, including the First Baptist Church of Asheville. “The space is magical,” Butorac says. “The acoustic is excellent and the round shape of the space creates an incredible bond between the performers and the audience. It is very special, one of my favorite spaces I have ever performed in.”
On Sunday, August 31, at 7 p.m., don’t miss the Pops Series’ free, family-friendly Symphony in the Park. Held at Pack Square Park, this year’s program includes Symphony performances with Asheville’s own GRAMMY-winning hip-hop artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo as well as renowned guest artist soprano Elizabeth Baldwin performing opera and Broadway classics.
Learn more about the 2025-2026 season and purchase tickets at AshevilleSymphony.org or by phone at 828.254.7046. The First Baptist Church of Asheville is located at 5 Oak Street, Asheville.
