Schedule
2026-27 SEASON
at a glance
Renewal for current subscribers: May 11-June 15
New subscribers: July 1
Single tickets: August 1
Contact us with any questions you may have.
A NIGHT OF FIRE & FANTASY
SEP 22, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Williamsburg Community Chapel
Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30-7:00 PM
Music Director: Michael Butterman
Guest Artist: Evren Ozel, piano
SEPTEMBER 22, 2026
WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY CHAPEL
7:30pm
A Night of Fire & Fantasy
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Guest Artist: Evren Ozel, piano
Two worlds. One unforgettable night. The evening begins with Anna Clyne’s PIVOT, a musical depiction of the sparkling/rousing/delightful Edinburgh Festival. Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, played by 2026 Van Cliburn Competition medalist Evren Ozel, delivers sweeping emotion and pianistic brilliance that has captivated audiences for generations. Finally, Stravinsky’s Petrushka shatters expectations with its bold rhythms, kaleidoscopic textures, and cinematic storytelling. This is music that changed everything—don’t miss it live!
PROGRAM:
Clyne, PIVOT
Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 2
Evren Ozel, piano
Stravinsky, Petrushka
PRE-CONCERT TALK
6:30-7:00PM
SONIC PORTRAITS
OCT 13, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Williamsburg Community Chapel
Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30-7:00 PM
Music Director: Michael Butterman
Guest Artist: Rachel Barton Pine, violin
OCTOBER 13, 2026
WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY CHAPEL
7:30pm
SONIC PORTRAITS
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Guest Artist: Rachel Barton Pine, violin
Music becomes a voice for resilience, identity, and purpose in this compelling program. Inspired by Romare Bearden’s multi-media collage, The Block, Carlos Simon paints a vivid sonic portrait of neighborhood life energized by rhythm and character. World-renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine takes center stage in the Brahms Violin Concerto, weaving passion and poetry into one of the most beloved works for violin. Exploring an artist’s creative responsibility in turbulent times, Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler Symphony brings the evening to a powerful and intriguing close.
PROGRAM:
Simon, The Block
Brahms, Violin Concerto
Rachel Barton-Pine, violin
Hindemith, Mathis der Maler
PRE-CONCERT TALK
6:30-7:00PM
SERENADE TO MUSIC
NOV 10, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Williamsburg Community Chapel
Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30-7:00 PM
Music Director: Michael Butterman
Guest Artists: Johannes Moser, cello
NOVEMBER 10, 2026
WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY CHAPEL
7:30pm
SERENADE TO MUSIC
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Guest Artist: Johannes Moser, cello
An evening of timeless English masterworks. Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, inspired by lines from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, enchants with its serene beauty and lyrical, melodic writing. Haydn’s Symphony No. 104, the “London,” showcases the composer at the height of his symphonic powers—brilliant, inventive, and full of life. Elgar’s Cello Concerto adds a deeply expressive dimension, with its introspective voice making it one of the most beloved works in the cello repertoire.
PROGRAM:
Vaughan Williams, Serenade to Music
Elgar, Concerto in E minor, Op. 85
Johannes Moser, cello
Haydn, Symphony No. 104 ("London")
Pre-concert talk
6:30-7:00 PM
Specialty Concert
HOLIDAY POPS
DEC 5 & 6, 2026
1:30 PM &. 3:00 PM DAILY
Kimball Theatre
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Celebrate the season with the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra playing holiday classics.
DECEMBER 5 & 6, 2026
KIMBALL THEATRE
1:30 & 3:00 PM, DAILY
HOLIDAY POPS
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Celebrate the season with the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra in the charming and historic Kimball Theatre. From heartwarming classics to joyful surprises, this magical afternoon will fill you with the holiday spirit and create memories to last all season long. Don’t miss this beloved tradition in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg!
The running time for each concert is approximately 55 minutes. Tickets: Adults $40/Children $20
Concert requires an additional ticket and is not included in season subscription.
Specialty Concert
CABARET & COCKTAILS
STELLA COLE
JAN 24, 2027 | 8:00 PM
Williamsburg Lodge
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Featuring Stella Cole
JANUARY 24, 2027
WILLIAMSBURG LODGE, VIRGINIA BALLROOM
8:00 pm
STELLA & STRINGS
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Guest Artist: Stella Cole & Trio
Tickets: $115/$90/$70
(Ticket price includes one drink ticket)
Concert requires an additional ticket and is not included in season subscription.
MW BONUS
RICK STEVES' EUROPE:
A SYMPHONIC JOURNEY
FEB 16, 2027 | 7:30 PM
Williamsburg Community Chapel
Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30-7:00 PM
Music Director: Michael Butterman
BONUS: FEBRUARY 16, 2027
WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY CHAPEL
7:30pm
RICK STEVES' EUROPE:
A SYMPHONIC JOURNEY
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Rick Steves, America's leading authority on European travel, teams up with The Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Michael Butterman for an inspiring musical journey. Beginning in the U.S. and then touching down in eight different European countries, the concert celebrates music's power to stir the patriotic soul. As a musical tour guide, Steves offers customized, pre-recorded video spots drawing on his extensive knowledge of European history and culture to set the context for each piece. Then, with the help of evocative video images from his public television series, the orchestra performs a selection of stirring 19th-century anthems by Romantic-era composers including Grieg, Smetana, Strauss, Saint-Saëns, Elgar, Wagner, and Verdi. Each selection honors a particular nationality, while the finale, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" (Europe's official anthem), pays homage to the continent's motto of "United in Diversity" and its passion for freedom.
USA Ward – America the Beautiful
Austria Strauss II – Emperor Waltz, Op. 437
GermanY Richard Wagner – "Prelude to Act III" from Lohengrin
Czech Republic Smetana – "Die Moldau" from Má vlast
Britain Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance, March No. 1 in D major, Op. 39 No. 1
- Intermission
Spain Rimsky-Korsakov – Capriccio Espagnole, Op. 34 mvts. 4-5 (to illustrate “Exoticism”)
Italy Verdi – Nabucco: Overture
Norway Grieg – "Morning Mood" from Peer Gynt, Op. 23
France Saint-Saëns – "March militaire française" from Suite algérienne, Op. 60
European Finale Beethoven – "Ode to Joy" from Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125
PRE-CONCERT TALK
6:30-7:00PM
BEETHOVEN REIMAGINED
APR 13, 2027 | 7:30 PM
Williamsburg Community Chapel
Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30-7:00 PM
Music Director: Michael Butterman
Guest Artist: Claire Huangci, piano
APRIL 13, 2027
WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY CHAPEL
7:30pm
BEETHOVEN REIMAGINED
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Guest Artist: Claire Huangci, piano
Experience Beethoven from a fresh perspective. His rarely performed Piano Concerto in D major, Op. 61a—an ingenious transformation of his iconic Violin Concerto—reveals new colors, virtuosity, and daring invention. Paired with the irresistible dynamism of Symphony No. 7, this program celebrates Beethoven’s boundless creativity and enduring influence in a powerful tribute to a man who changed music forever.
Beethoven, Piano Concerto in D major, Op. 61a
Claire Huangci, piano
Beethoven, Symphony No. 7
PRE-CONCERT TALK
6:30-7:00PM
LEGENDS, DREAMS, & NEW VOICES
MAY 4, 2027 | 7:30 PM
Williamsburg Community Chapel
Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30-7:00 PM
Music Director: Michael Butterman
Guest Artist: Mak Grgic, guitar
MAY 4, 2027
WILLIAMSBURG COMMUNITY CHAPEL
7:30pm
LEGENDS, DREAMS, & NEW VOICES
Michael Butterman, Music Director
Guest Artist: Mak Grgic, guitar
Step into a world of imagination and discovery. The radiant overture to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner opens the program with grandeur and wit. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade spins tales of adventure and romance, its lush orchestration bringing ancient stories to life. The evening also features a bold new “interactive” commission by GRAMMY-nominated composer Austin Wintry, performed by GRAMMY-nominated guitarist Mak Grgić—a vibrant new voice alongside timeless masterworks.
Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Wintory, *NEW COMMISSION*
Mak Grgic, guitar
Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade
PRE-CONCERT TALK
6:30-7:00PM
we want to see you
YOUR PRESENCE AT OUR CONCERTS MEANS MORE THAN YOU KNOW.
By purchasing an in-person ticket, you directly support our dedicated musicians, whose passion and talent bring our performances to life. Your attendance not only enhances your own experience but also ensures the vibrancy and energy of the concert. If you cannot attend in person, the live stream is a good option, but if you have the choice, we would love to see you in the concert hall. Your presence matters.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
granting agencies
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.