Letter from the Music Director

Greetings and welcome to the 2024-2025 season of the Waco Symphony and my first season as your new Music Director. We promise to deliver powerful, emotional and scintillating performances all season!

From the appearance of violinist superstar Ray Chen to a performance of the movie Jurassic Park, the very first live film in concert by the WSO, our season has much to look forward to. We will visit the classics like Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica,” as well as newer voices, including Missy Mazzoli and Quinn Mason.

I can’t wait to see you at the concert hall!

Classical Season

Individual performance tickets are on sale now.

October 3, 2024

Rhapsody in Blue

The opening concert of Maestro Lawrence Loh’s first season as Music Director celebrates the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Orli Shaham. In addition to performing with orchestras all over the world, Shaham is the co-host of NPR’s From the Top, a winner of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and a faculty member at The Juilliard School.

Our concert will explore new frontiers with the rhythmic Danzón No. 2 by Mexican composer Arturo Márquez. Aaron Copland’s powerful Third Symphony remains one of the most iconic American symphonies and features his popular Fanfare for the Common Man. Embark on this musical journey that will delight the soul!

Opus Classical Season Sponsor

November 7, 2024

Jon Nakamatsu Plays Rachmaninoff

Winner of the Gold Medal at the 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Jon Nakamatsu will be featured on the ever-popular Piano Concerto No. 2by Rachmaninoff. The inventive and talented Dallas-based composer Quinn Mason will delight audiences with his 2023 work called Inspiration! – Festive Overture. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” is inspired by the memory of a hero and is one of the most revolutionary symphonies ever written.

Opus Classical Season Sponsor

January 21, 2025

Violin Superstar Ray Chen

Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, violinist Ray Chen has exploded on social media over the past decade where he has nearly a million fans on Instagram! His creative and hilarious videos have sparked a new generation of music lovers.

He is the very definition of a 21st Century classical music superstar. Ray will be joining Maestro Loh and the Waco Symphony to perform Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Missy Mazzoli’s Sinfonia for Orbiting Spheres features the full orchestra along with a set of harmonicas and, you guessed it, a boom box. Prokofiev’s massive Symphony No. 5, written during World War II, will be performed on the second half. It is a symphony inspired by humanity’s pure and noble spirit.

Opus Classical Season Sponsor

April 3, 2025

From Yellowstone to the Mountaintop

Our season finale will take us on a scenic journey! Principal Clarinet of the New York Philharmonic Anthony McGill performs Richard Danielpour’s Clarinet Concerto From the Mountaintop” inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., and the orchestra will perform Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 “Organ” featuring the Dallas Symphony’s Resident Organist and Baylor graduate, Bradley Hunter Welch. This symphony has been featured in several television shows and films, most famously in Babe (1995). Conveying a pioneering spirit, the orchestra will also perform Brian Tyler’s theme to Yellowstone from the hit TV series!

Opus Classical Season Sponsor

Special Performances

Individual special performance tickets are on sale now.

December 14 and 15, 2024

The Nutcracker

With toy soldiers, dancing snowflakes, and the Sugar Plum Fairy, you won’t want to miss The Nutcracker — a treasured holiday tradition and the only production with live orchestra in Central Texas. Back by popular demand, Ballet Frontier returns to Waco to inspire a childlike wonder in all of us.

With its cast comprised of professional dancers, talented local students, dazzling costumes, world-class choreography, and the Waco Symphony playing Tchaikovsky’s beloved score under the baton of Maestro Beau Benson (Music Director/Conductor of the Temple Symphony Orchestra and the Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra), the stage is set for an unforgettable experience for all ages!

Visit the Nutcracker Market in the lobby to purchase nutcrackers and themed ornaments. Sales benefit the Waco Symphony.

March 22, 2025

Jurassic Park in Concert

“Welcome…to Jurassic Park!” Celebrate the 31st Anniversary of Jurassic Park by experiencing this film live in concert. The WSO will perform John Williams’s iconic film score while you watch the full-length film projected in HD on a giant screen above the musicians. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, the action-packed adventure of Jurassic Park is sheer movie magic 65 million years in the making; it pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Don’t miss this unique and entertaining concert experience, an epic first for the Waco Symphony. Visit the website for other fun details.

Note: The concert will last 2.5 hours with intermission.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Explore our exciting sponsorship opportunities for the 2024-2025 season, featuring a range of performances from classical concerts to pops and holiday events. Our sponsorship packages offer opportunities for corporate, individual and family donors with extensive benefits designed to achieve your goals. Whether you choose to support our classical season, the enchanting Nutcracker performance, or the thrilling Jurassic Park in Concert, you will receive prominent recognition across various media platforms, exclusive event invitations, premium seating, and more. To learn more about how you can partner with the Waco Symphony and make a significant impact, click download our detailed sponsorship packet.

Season Brochure

Explore the exciting performances we have planned for our “New Frontiers” 2024-2025 season. View our season brochure to learn more about the world-class performances that await you.

Explore Our Season

Letter from the Music Director

Classical Season

Special Performances

Sponsorship Opportunities

Season Brochure