This season, the Columbus Symphony invites audiences to immerse themselves in a trifecta of unforgettable musical experiences. From a contemporary twist on Mozart’s Requiem to the live orchestral accompaniment of the film 'Amadeus,' and culminating with Orff's 'Triumph of Aphrodite,' each event offers a unique celebration of classical and modern music. Join us at the Ohio Theatre to witness these extraordinary performances that blend centuries-old traditions with modern artistry.

Columbus Symphony: A Season of Timeless Masterpieces

Experience the profound beauty of Mozart’s unfinished masterpiece, now reimagined with a contemporary twist by acclaimed American composer Gregory Spears. Spears’ music seamlessly blends echoes of Bach and Mozart with Romantic harmonies and modern nuances to complete the Requiem with its missing Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei.  Join us for this unforgettable performance that bridges centuries of musical tradition with innovative artistry.

EPSG:4326

Mozart’s Requiem

Ohio Theatre

The Columbus Symphony brings magic to the Ohio Theatre in December, transforming it with a show of lights, festive music, heavenly voices, and seasonal cheer!  The Columbus Symphony Chorus, Columbus Children’s Choir and special guests join to present the most-loved holiday songs and carols!

Holiday Pops

Mozart’s orchestration of Handel’s Messiah offers a new way of presenting this masterpiece. The reimagining of the oratorio allows for an expansion of sounds through additional instruments. In collaboration with the CSO Chorus, the brass section amplifies the triumphant energy of the Hallelujah Chorus, elevating its grandeur to new levels.

Messiah

Experience Benjamin Britten’s powerful War Requiem, a testament to Britten’s lifelong pacifism. This massive work is scored for full symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, three soloists, choir, boys’ choir, and organ, with texts from the Latin Requiem Mass and anti-war poems by Wilfred Owen, an English soldier killed in battle during World War I. Written for the reconsecration of the Coventry Cathedral, a monument destroyed during World War II, the War Requiem was premiered in 1962.

Britten War Requiem

Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, the transcendent ‘Resurrection,’ features the return of radiant soprano Jessica Rivera and the CSO debut of mezzo-soprano Ronnita Miller. Colossal in both length and orchestration, Mahler’s second symphony offers a profound reflection on life and redemption.

Mahler 2

Experience the grandeur and tradition of Messiah, Handel’s exultant masterpiece, featuring the Columbus Symphony Chorus. The iconic ‘Hallelujah’ chorus is a highlight of this beloved oratorio.

Handel’s Messiah

Mozart’s sublime Mass in C minor was, like his Requiem, left unfinished at the time of his death. Numerous scholars have published reconstructions of the work. The edition used for these concerts is a new completion by German musicologist Ulrich Leisinger, premiered in Germany in 2019.

Mozart’s Mass in C minor

Originally titled by the composer as "Recollections of Country Life,” Beethoven’s beloved “Pastoral” symphony musically depicts an idyllic landscape. Gabriela Lena Frank’s Conquest Requiem is inspired by the true story of Malinche, a Nahua woman from the Gulf Coast of Mexico who was given to the Spaniards as a young slave, with text by Pulitzer-Prize winning author Nilo Cruz.

Beethoven Pastoral Symphony

Celebrate the end of an era as Ronald Jenkins takes the podium for his last concert as Chorus Director of the Columbus Symphony Chorus. For 41 years, Mr. Jenkins built the all-volunteer chorus to become a mainstay of Columbus Symphony programming. The closing concert of the Masterworks season will feature music from Great Britain, with favorites such as "Nimrod" from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The program will also honor Memorial Day with Vaughan Williams’s powerful cantata, Dona Nobis Pacem.

Welcome to Spring

“Extravagantly talented… the audience’s response was raucous… everything he touches turns fantastical and memorable.”

Mighty Morton Organ Festival with Cameron Carpenter

 A tour de force opens the new season. Carl Orff’s iconic and scandalous Carmina Burana will come alive in full splendor and opulence with a grand orchestra and the angelic voices of the Columbus Symphony Chorus and the Columbus Children’s Choir.

Carmina Burana

Celebrate the 270th anniversary of Mozart’s birth and experience the Academy Award-winning film like never before!  A breathtaking fusion of cinema and symphony, this is a must-see event for music and film lovers, with the soundtrack brought to life by Principal Pops Conductor Stuart Chafetz and the Columbus Symphony and Chorus.

Amadeus Live

Our season concludes with this vibrant finale featuring the Columbus Symphony musicians and Chorus, and dancers from BalletMet. Dvořák’s The American Flag is a spirited blend of nationalism and folk elements that celebrates the composer’s expressions of American patriotism and freedom. Orff’s Trionfo di Afroditi is the final installment of a musical trilogy that opens with the well-known Carmina Burana. This spectacular work showcases the full power of the chorus and orchestra, explores love and beauty, and embraces the listener in its powerful climaxes.

Columbus Symphony Chorus

6 - 7 Mar, 2026

Amadeus Live

1 - 2 May, 2026

Orff: Triumph of Aphrodite

23 - 24 Jan, 2026

Mozart’s Requiem

5 - 7 Dec, 2025

Holiday Pops

Articles & News

Columbus Symphony Chorus