As part of our season long observance of America 250, this concert takes a look at the role music played in one of the most tumultuous times in the history of the world. At 1945’s Potsdam Conference, works by Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Kreisler, and others were one of the only things that united the assembled Allies–represented by President Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. In this new production, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra & Chorus will incorporate storytelling to show just how powerful music can be, and how Hampton Roads played a part in this pivotal moment.

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Finding Peace at Potsdam

Chrysler Hall Norfolk

Ferguson Center for the Arts

Featuring pianist Albert Cano Smit, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy is an uplifting and familiar predecessor, in both melody and message, to his Ode to Joy, uniting virtuosic piano writing with chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra. Sibelius’s heroic Second Symphony has been described as a moving depiction of Finland’s struggle for independence from Russia at the start of the 20th century.

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy & Sibelius’s Second Symphony

The Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the Virginia Children’s Chorus take the stage for one of the most epic works ever written! Join us for Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana – an uproarious and intoxicating depiction of a raucous

Carmina Burana

Chrysler Hall

Sandler Center for the Performing Arts

The Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus returns for the time-honored tradition of Handel’s Messiah. This year will feature the full Christmas portion in addition to selections from the second and third parts of this sacred masterpiece which are sure to inspire.

Messiah

First Baptist Church

Harrison Opera House

Regent University

Join us for the must-see holiday tradition of the season – Holiday POPS! There’s no better way to lift your spirits than with seasonal songs and traditional carols delivered in full sound and spectacle by the Virginia Symphony and special guests. Holiday POPS will have all the magical elements you’ve come to expect and more – high energy, familiar carols, and lots of holiday warmth! And we’ll even throw in a surprise or two! We can’t wait to celebrate the 2023 holiday season together!

Holiday POPS!

Principal Guest Conductor Thomas Wilkins returns alongside the beloved Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus to perform Brahms’ hauntingly beautiful Song of Destiny. Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7 is his most dramatic and austere, written with high aspirations. Of its composition, he wrote “my new symphony must be as such to make a stir in the world.”

Brahms & Dvořák with Thomas Wilkins

Gather your party and join the Virginia Symphony Orchestra for an epic adventure through the music of Lord of the Rings and more. Perfect for film music lovers, this concert will transport you to another world!

Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus

29 - 30 May, 2026

Finding Peace at Potsdam

3 - 4 Oct, 2025

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy & Sibelius’s Second Symphony

Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus