arts & entertainment

As Season 17 becomes history, the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra is already looking ahead to Season 18, a seventeen-concert series running June 2026 through May 2027 across Indian River and Brevard Counties. Season 18 features nine world premieres, nationally recognized guest artists, and a programming commitment in which more than half of every concert is dedicated to American composers — including works by composers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

Season 18 introduces a fresh way to experience every concert, with programming shaped into four distinct series. THE EPIC places the full orchestra center stage in major works and powerful musical storytelling. THE LIVE PLAYLIST brings film scores, Broadway, jazz, and popular music to life. LIMITED EDITION showcases special guest artists and one-of-a-kind collaborations. And CLOSE UP offers more personal, immersive musical experiences for audiences of all ages.

The season opens Sunday, June 21 at 3:00 PM at The Emerson Center in Vero Beach. Season 18 highlights include:

• Sinatra & the Wonderful World of Oz — The SCSO Jazz Orchestra pairs the wonder of The Wizard of Oz with the cool of the American Songbook, opening the season with swing, style, and a guest vocalist
• America, Together — A free patriotic concert featuring the SCSO Wind Orchestra, three world premieres, and a program honoring military service members past and present
• Lights Up on Broadway — Gershwin’s An American in Paris with newly restored film, Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Julian Bond, and the world premiere of Bond’s Rhapsody for a Blue Clarinet, by George!
• Landscapes & Legends — The U.S. premiere of Kenneth Fuchs’ Cloud Slant, pianist Jacob Craig in MacDowell’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Respighi’s Pines of Rome
• Gilbert & Sullivan Unbuttoned — A sparkling tour through The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, and more, with an all-star vocal cast and trumpeter Robert Chambers in Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto
• Heroes of the Silver Screen — World premieres by Kevin Wilt and Farhad Poupel alongside iconic scores from Rocky, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Back to the Future, How to Train Your Dragon, and The Avengers
• Beethoven’s Seventh — Daniel Perttu’s Appalachian Vistas, Brahms’ Double Concerto with violinist Evgeny Komarnitskiy and cellist David Calhoun, and one of the most electrifying symphonies ever written
• Christmas with Emmet Cahill — The beloved Irish tenor returns for a holiday program of sacred masterworks and cherished favorites
• Jazz the Halls — The SCSO Jazz Orchestra swings through the season with Duke Ellington’s legendary Nutcracker Suite and holiday favorites reimagined with groove and style
• Messiah Sing-Along — The 19th Annual tradition returns, with the (Brevard) audience joining the orchestra and soloists in Central Florida’s ultimate free holiday concert
• Music of the Night — The music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim, performed by two world-class singers, soprano Michelle Knight and tenor Cesar De La Rosa
• American Masters — An unforgettable program featuring the music of Omar Thomas, Duke Ellington, and Wynton Marsalis. The SCSO presents the Florida premiere of Marsalis’ new Violin Concerto with Evgeny Komarnitsky — a concert that will be remembered for years to come
• Guys and Dolls in Concert — An all-star cast of fifteen singers backed by a full orchestra brings Broadway’s most charming score to life in a stunning concert production
• Fire, Song & Spirit — Violinist Ilana Zaks performs Prokofiev’s riveting Violin Concerto No. 1, alongside the world premiere of Christopher Marshall’s Presence and one of the most powerful and poetic works ever written, Elgar’s Enigma Variations
• John Williams’ America: Side By Side — Celebrated soprano Tesia Kwarteng presents the Southeast U.S. premiere of Seven for Luck from the most popular composer of our time, John Williams. The SCSO also presents the world premiere of Mark Piszczek’s The Song of Arion, and over seventy-five student musicians join the orchestra on stage to close the season with a bang

Concert dates and venues for both Brevard and Indian River Counties will be online after June 1.

Season packages are now available. Single tickets become available June 1. Tickets start at $35, with free admission for all concertgoers 18 and under and all college students. Through the orchestra’s Symphony for Everyone program — an innovative pay-what-you-can initiative that has distributed more than 38,590 tickets and foregone over $684,000 in revenue since 2014 — significantly discounted tickets are always available to ensure that anyone who wants to attend a concert can. Full season information and tickets are available at SpaceCoastSymphony.org or by calling 855-252-7276.

“I’ve always believed that the right concert can make someone a lifelong fan of live music,” said Conductor and Artistic Director Aaron T. Collins. “Season 18 is full of those moments — music you already know and love, stories told by a live orchestra, and experiences you simply can’t get anywhere else.”

The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra is one of only a handful of U.S. orchestras to perform year-round. In addition to the seventeen-concert season, the SCSO will announce outreach programming including the Once Upon an Orchestra series, chamber series, and additional special events. The orchestra is also actively seeking partnerships with businesses and organizations who share a commitment to the arts and community, and welcomes those conversations.

For more information about Season 18 or the Symphony for Everyone ticket program, visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org or call (855) 252-7276.

ABOUT THE SPACE COAST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA — The SCSO is a lively and passionate Central Florida orchestra comprised fully of professional musicians and music educators from throughout the Sunshine State. Many of its musicians also perform with other prestigious orchestras in Florida and the United States. Each season, select students are invited to participate in the SCSO’s Mentorship program, giving them the unique opportunity to perform alongside their professional counterparts on designated concerts. The Orchestra was formed by Conductor and Artistic Director Aaron T. Collins with a simple mission: to provide year-round professional concerts at genuinely affordable prices.

The SCSO is dedicated to supporting the work of living composers and shining a light on new music. Since 2009, the SCSO has presented dozens of World Premieres and Southeastern U.S. Premieres and actively promotes diversity by programming works by BIPOC composers. Aaron T. Collins is a past recipient of the Richard A. Stark Award for cultural leadership from the Cultural Council of Indian River County and has been recognized by LEAD Brevard as one of their “4 under 40” Young Professionals.

School-aged children 18 years and under are admitted free of charge, as are college students with a valid ID. More information about upcoming concerts, ticket sales, venues, and sponsorship opportunities is available at SpaceCoastSymphony.org or by calling (855) 252-7276.