It has been a hectic time for the Nashville Symphony over the past few weeks, as a serious crisis emerged and has seemingly been solved. The world awoke to the shattering news that the Symphony would cancel it’s 2026-27 season and furlough its musicians and most of its staff. Then after a few agonizing days, it was seemingly saved. Through it all, one event was never in doubt, and it is an amazing show I encourage you to attend on Saturday, October 17.

“A Symphonic Celebration: Verdi, Mozart, and Marsalis,” featuring Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violin, will be presented by the Nashville Symphony in their home, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center at 7:30 PM on Saturday, October 17. In celebration of the return of the Nashville Symphony’s 2026/27 season, Music Director Leonard Slatkin offers an evening of joy and exhilaration fitting for Music City.

Wynton Marsalis is America’s jazz ambassador, and his Violin Concerto expands what an orchestral concerto can sound like. Rooted in swing, blues, and the American fiddle tradition, it sounds like nothing else. And you’ll never forget the night Kelly Hall-Tompkins played it in Nashville. Acclaimed by The New York Times as “the versatile violinist who makes the music come alive,” Hall-Tompkins brings her signature lyricism and verve to this performance.

The whole evening is filled with memorable melodies, from the ominous opening and sweeping drama of Verdi’s Overture to La forza del destino to Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, one of three major symphonies he composed in a single summer. The Program is Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino; Mozart: Symphony No. 39; and Marsalis: Violin Concerto.

Please note that a concerto is a piece that features a soloist stepping into the spotlight of a full orchestra, showcasing their virtuosity and prowess in a spellbinding musical conversation with all the other instruments around them. The 2026/27 season highlights 10 concertos, many of them by American composers, to celebrate the extraordinary musicianship of your Nashville Symphony musicians and guest artists.

An Update from the Nashville Symphony

“Dear Friends, One week ago, we wrote to you with difficult news: the Nashville Symphony was suspending the remainder of our 2026/27 season and taking other difficult steps to address a serious financial challenge,” wrote Mark Tillinger, the new President and CEO, Nashville Symphony, on October 4.

“Today, it is with immense joy and gratitude that we share a different kind of update.

Oracle has made a $10 million gift to the Nashville Symphony. Because of this extraordinary partnership, our 2026/27 season will resume, and the furloughs of full-time staff and musicians previously announced will not occur.

Ticket holders affected by the previously announced cancellations will receive an email outlining their options and any next steps.

The past week has been difficult for our musicians, staff, and community. The uncertainty was real, and we recognize the concern and frustration it caused. We heard from many of you about what the Nashville Symphony means to you. As we restart our season, we know we have work to do to rebuild confidence, and we’re committed to earning it through our actions.

What has not changed is the excellence of this orchestra. Our musicians are extraordinary, and we are overjoyed that their performances will continue.

This gift from Oracle is a profound vote of confidence in the Nashville Symphony and the important role we play in the cultural fabric of our city. We are deeply grateful for their generosity, which gives us time and momentum to address our longer-term financial challenges. We will honor that investment through the difficult but necessary work of restructuring our operations, bringing our costs and revenue into balance, and strengthening our financial foundation for a sustainable future.

Nashville deserves a flourishing orchestra, and sustaining it requires an ongoing commitment from our community. This is your orchestra. Oracle’s extraordinary gift gives us the opportunity to move forward, but continued financial support from individuals, businesses, and community partners remains essential to our future.

We’ll keep you informed as this work progresses, and we look forward to welcoming you back to Schermerhorn Symphony Center for a phenomenal season.

With gratitude,

Mark Tillinger

President and CEO

Nashville Symphony