Join us on a melodious journey with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra as they present a series of enchanting concerts. From the youthful vigor of Grant Cooper leading a holiday celebration to the symphonic dialogues between Mozart and Shaw, each event offers a unique blend of classical and contemporary works. Experience the magic of birdsong through music in 'Flight of Fancy', explore artistic translations in a season finale, and enjoy masterful performances in 'Fauré and Britten' and the 'Schubert Octet'. Let the orchestral symphonies guide your soul through a captivating musical voyage.

An Orchestrated Journey: Soulful Symphonies and Artistic Translations

Embark on a sonic odyssey with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's extraordinary concert series. From the harmonious blend of Mozart and Shaw to the world premiere of Seare Farhat's composition, this season promises to be a captivating journey through soundscapes and cultural narratives. Experience the evocative connections between birdsong and music, and witness the musical interplay of art and history. With an impressive lineup of performances and talented musicians, each event is a celebration of the intricate beauty of music.

Exploring the Rich Tapestry of Sound with Cayuga Chamber Orchestra

The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra is set to captivate audiences with its diverse 2025 season lineup, featuring a spectrum of musical events ranging from the elegance of classical works by Mozart and Britten to contemporary pieces by emerging composers. With performances at iconic venues like the Ithaca Commons and the First Congregational Church in Berkeley, this season promises to be a rich tapestry of sound and emotion. Join us as we explore the artistry, creativity, and cultural significance of these remarkable performances.

A Journey Through Sound: Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's 2025 Season

Embark on a musical journey with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra as they present an array of captivating performances that weave together the beauty of birdsong, the vitality of art-inspired compositions, and timeless classics. Experience the virtuosity of artists like Christina Bouey and the innovative sounds of emerging composer Seare Farhat. This series of events, featuring works by Haydn, Vaughan Williams, Schumann, and others, promises to be a feast for the senses, celebrating the power of music to translate and inspire across ages.

Cultural Soundscapes: Celebrating Musical Narratives with Cayuga Chamber Orchestra

The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra is set to dazzle audiences with its 2025 season featuring four remarkable events that celebrate the powerful connection between music, art, and nature. From the melodious 'Flight of Fancy' to an extraordinary world premiere in 'Translations,' then journeying through the emotive 'Fauré and Britten,' and culminating in the grand 'Schubert Octet,' this season promises a feast for the senses. With performances by acclaimed musicians like Christina Bouey and Orion Weiss, each event offers a unique exploration of musical narratives and artistic inspirations.

A Symphony of Arts: The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's Captivating 2025 Season

The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra invites you to embark on a musical journey across diverse landscapes and eras, offering a rich tapestry of sounds that range from the evocative landscapes of Romanticism to the bold explorations of contemporary compositions. This season's performances, spanning from September 2025 to May 2026, celebrate the timelessness of classical music while showcasing innovative works by modern composers. Join us as we explore the emotional depth and cultural significance of these remarkable concerts, featuring renowned soloists and a dynamic orchestra under the skilled baton of Guillaume Pirard.

Harmonies Across Time: Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's Musical Journey

In 2026, the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra delivers an awe-inspiring journey through classical music with its thoughtfully curated series of concerts. From chamber music that intertwines the works of Martinů and Mozart to orchestral tributes that honor legendary figures like Nadia Boulanger and Richard Wagner, each event promises a unique exploration of musical heritage and innovation. Featuring works by esteemed composers such as Toru Takemitsu, Reena Esmail, and Lera Auerbach, the season showcases a rich tapestry of sound, emotion, and creativity that will captivate audiences throughout Ithaca, NY.

A Symphony of Heritage and Innovation: The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's 2026 Season

Prepare to immerse yourself in a rich tapestry of sound with Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's 2026 concert series. From the intricate chamber music of 'Martinů and Mozart' to the evocative orchestral tones of 'From the Cradle,' this series promises a captivating journey through diverse musical landscapes. With performances ranging from celebrated classical works to innovative premieres, this season showcases the talents of renowned composers and performers, weaving together tradition and innovation in a spectacular celebration of music.

Exploring a Symphony of Sounds: Highlights from Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's 2026 Concert Series

Join us on an auditory journey through life's stages with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra's captivating series of concerts. From Wagner's celebration of new life to Boulanger's influence on modern music, these events promise to stir the soul. Featuring renowned conductor Guillaume Pirard and a talented ensemble, each performance weaves a narrative of growth, tradition, and innovation. Highlights include Feldman's poignant homage, Copland's lyrical landscapes, and a chamber music series that brings together the timeless works of Gershwin, Dvořák, Mendelssohn, and Auerbach.

Sonic Journeys: Exploring Life's Tapestry Through Music

Program: W. A. Mozart: Don Giovanni Overture, K. 527; Jesse Jones: Concerto for Mandolin, "Tunebook"; K. Husa: Fantasies; S. Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25, "Classical". Running time 1 hour and 40 minutes including intermission. Pre-concert chat with Maestro Pirard and Jacob Jolliff one hour before the concert.

EPSG:4326

Fantasies

Ithaca College

Some of the most searching music is of the diminutive kind. Tonight's program follows one such thread: Bach's intimate concerto for nine strings and continuo, Ravel's orchestral arrangement of his piano hommage, Christina Courtin, who's giant-proof, and our dear Schubert, another songwriter, who shows that our need for grand finales may be well overstated.

Giant-Proof

Mendelssohn and   Auerbach

Downtown Ithaca Alliance (The Ithaca Commons)

Gershwin and Dvořák

This program is the first in a series of tributes to the far-reaching influence of Nadia Boulanger, one of the 20th century’s most legendary music pedagogues. From Thea Musgrave’s dynamic Points of View to Aaron Copland’s lyrical Appalachian Spring, we hear the imprint of her guidance—clarity, structure, and emotional truth. Mozart’s Horn Concerto reflects the ideals Boulanger championed, searching in tradition the possible paths for novel expressions.

Boulangerie 1

From first breath to final memories. Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, composed to celebrate the birth of his son, glows with intimate joy and new life while a new piece by Laura Cetilia will see its first performance. Morton Feldman’s Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety is a hushed farewell to his dear piano teacher. Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, restless and unresolved, stands outside time—at once youthful and haunted.

From the Cradle

Martinů and Mozart

Maestro Pirard takes the podium to lead the CCO and the Cayuga Vocal Ensemble in a stirring performance of Handel's timeless masterpiece, joined by acclaimed soloists Rachel Schutz, Brenda Iglesias, Noah Unser, and Marc Webster. Celebrate the season with this cherished holiday tradition.

Handel's Messiah

Journey through the sweeping landscapes of Romanticism in this evocative program of Mendelssohn and Brahms. The concert opens with Felix Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides, a musical postcard from the rugged Scottish coast. The mood turns inward with Mendelssohn’s beloved Violin Concerto in E minor, a work of lyrical intimacy and soaring virtuosity, performed by 2024 McArthur Grant Fellow Johnny Gandelsman. After intermission, we plunge into the profound depths of Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4, his final and most introspective symphony—an autumnal masterpiece that blends classical form with searing emotion.

Ebb and Flow

From the quiet lyricism of Grieg’s Elegiac Melodies to the haunting grace of Sibelius’s Valse triste, this program traces an emotional journey across Northern Europe and its diaspora. Arvo Pärt’s fearless First Symphony meets the deeply personal voice of Estonian-American composer Lembit Beecher, whose Tell Me Again—featuring acclaimed cellist Karen Ouzounian (Silk Road Ensemble, the Knights)—meditates on memory, identity, and the echoes of family stories.

Northern Lights

Poulenc and Chausson

Schubert Octet

Ithaca Commons

Fauré and Britten

First Congregational Church

Chamber music concert featuring works by Mel Bonis, Benjamin Britten, and Gabriel Fauré. Running time approximately 75 minutes, including a 10-minute intermission.

Cortland Chamber Concert

Rose Hall


Join the CCO for the season finale with a world premiere composition by emerging composer, Seare Farhat.   Maestro Pirard and Atkinson present their artful arrangement of Schumann’s piano quintet for the Orchestra.  Experience Judith Weir’s musical connection with Paul Klee’s brush strokes and energy, and Thomas Adas’ 21st century take on the Baroque.  Hear and see how art over the ages translates, impresses and inspires.

Translations

Revel in the connection between birdsong and music.  From the puckish Haydn to the moving Jocelyn Morlock, from the Vaughan Williams, featuring our very own virtuosic Christina Bouey, to recorded sounds of the Arctic Circle in the Eijanu Rautavaara, take a musical journey in celebration of birds in flight.

Flight of Fancy

Back by popular demand, our Valentine's event, Songs of Love, returns to offer an evening of warmth, live music and delicious food and drink.

Songs of Love

Museum of the Earth

Mozart and Shaw

Grant Cooper returns to the podium to lead the CCO and the CCO Youth Orchestra in a Side-by-Side celebration for the holidays, with 2022 CCO Youth Concerto Competition winner Catalina Wooldridge performing two movements of the Haydn Cello Concerto.

Holiday Concert

Brahms and Schoenberg

Opening with inquisitive and stubborn Byzantine scales in the Maric, follow Boccherini through an evening of 18th century Madrid street sounds. The Mozart, featuring brilliant soloist Orion Weiss, and the Mendelssohn, with its groovy "Saltarello" finale, round out this celebration of the ostinato—the persistent, repeating musical phrase upon which musicians have improvised for centuries.

Ostinato

Much like an opera overture, CCO" class="css-u850" data-mark-multiple="true">CCO’s first concert will explore the various themes of our season.  From the repeated rhythmic or melodic figure (ostinato) of the Ives to the interweaving of the French Baroque and Middle Eastern themes of the Osvaldo Golijov, from the full ballet treatment of the Ravel (its own flight of fancy), to Haydn’s blockbuster, with the extraordinary Billy Ray Hunter of the Metropolitan Opera, join the CCO for Opening Night and sample the season ahead.

Overture

Passing The Baton: The Four Seasons

First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca

Brahms And Glière

The program features a rich selection of works, starting with Jessie Montgomery's "Banner," followed by Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63, with the incredibly talented Lara St. John on the violin. The highlight of the evening will be Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, promising an experience filled with emotional depth and exquisite musicality.

Beethoven's Fourth

Beethoven's Second

Mozart And Schumann

Händel's Messiah

Dvořák And Debussy

Beethoven's Eighth

Cayuga Chamber Orchestra

Beethoven's Sixth

Nielsen and Fauré

There is nothing quite like witnessing young people finding joy in music. This afternoon, we have the added pleasure of making music with them. Please join us in welcoming the musicians of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Youth Orchestra, the Ithaca High School Chorale, and the Lee Strebel Memorial Youth Concerto Competition winners. Whether on stage or in the audience, this concert is a celebration of our community and of the young artists who represent its present and future.

Side-by-Side with CCOYO and IHS Chorale

Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Ithaca High School Chorale, and Lee Strebel Memorial Youth Concerto Competition winners perform together.

Holiday Side by Side

Ithaca venue (name not stated)

Prokofiev and Beethoven

Gabriela Lena Frank opens with Escaramuza—not the Mexican equestrian display, but a kachampa, the athletic warrior dance of the Peruvian Andes. Our concertmaster, Christina Bouey, joins us for Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, Astor’s answer to Antonio Vivaldi. The Sinfonietta reveals another side of Piazzolla’s genius, and, as with Aaron Copland, one senses behind his assurance in the orchestral medium the encouraging presence of Nadia Boulanger. Manuel de Falla—or simply Falla, as his friends called him—closes the evening with flamenco, farce, and fury. All of this under the masterful baton of the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra chief conductor David Hayes.

¡Bailemos!

Miri Yampolsky—one of the great pianists of her generation and, how fortunate we are, an Ithacan—joins us for Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, a singular masterpiece. From its hushed opening to its extraordinary second movement, where sensibility responds to authority, and on to its delightful final Rondo, the work reveals Beethoven at his most inventive and profound. The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra also has the honor of giving the world premiere of a new work by Loren Loiacono, continuing our commitment to standing at the forefront of new creation. Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, with its haunting Allegretto framed by music of irrepressible exuberance, brings our 50th season to a fitting close.

Cayuga Chamber Orchestra

Nov 15, 2026

Nielsen and Fauré

Dec 19, 2026

Side-by-Side with CCOYO and IHS Chorale

Dec 19, 2026

Holiday Side by Side

Jan 17, 2027

Prokofiev and Beethoven

Feb 13, 2027

¡Bailemos!

Oct 10, 2026

Fantasies

Sep 19, 2026

Giant-Proof

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Cayuga Chamber Orchestra