With just a few months left in its milestone 60th anniversary season, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra is looking ahead with its newly released 2026-2027 lineup, a diverse program designed to “connect, enrich, inspire and advance Arkansas through the power of music.”
The season again follows the ASO’s three major concert series — Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks, First Orion Pops and River Rhapsodies — but is bookended by concerts that focus specifically on Arkansas heritage, local talent and cultural partnerships.
Opening the season is a show commemorating America’s 250th anniversary and showcasing Little Rock native Florence Price’s “Ethiopia’s Shadow in America.” Price was the first Black woman to have a work performed by a major American orchestra, and the ASO will be the first professional American orchestra to record this work for later release.
Read more: An Overdue Ovation for Florence Price
The symphony will close the season with a joint production of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” with frequent collaborator Ballet Arkansas, returning to the iconic work’s origins as a ballet score.
The season also sees the return of favorites like the annual Home for the Holidays production and several Broadway favorites.
“This season reflects exactly who we are,” ASO CEO Christina Littlejohn says. “We open by honoring Florence Price — an Arkansas composer whose music connects our local heritage to the national story of America — and we close with a bold collaboration that brings our artistic community together on one stage. Throughout the season, you see our commitment to serving Arkansans of all ages, showcasing the extraordinary musicians who call this state home and creating experiences where families and communities gather together. That is the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.”
Without further ado, here’s the lineup for the 2026-2027 season.
Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks
Robinson Center
- Oct. 3-4: “Opening Night: America 250”
- Nov. 14-15: “Beethoven & Blue Jeans”
- Jan. 30-31: “Mozart & Brahms”
- Feb. 27-28: “Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony”
- April 3-4: “Crouching Tiger Concerto”
- May 1-2: “The Rite of Spring” with Ballet Arkansas
First Orion Pops
Robinson Center
- Oct. 17-18: “Halloween Spooktacular”
- Dec. 18-20: “Home for the Holidays” featuring the ASO Children’s Choir
- Feb. 13-14: “To Whitney, with Love, a tribute to Whitney Houston” starring LaKisha Jones from “American Idol”
- May 8-9: “Bravo Broadway”
- March 12-14: Disney’s “The Lion King in Concert”
River Rhapsodies
ASO Stella Boyle Smith Music Center
The full chamber series program has yet to be announced, but here are the dates to keep in your calendar.
- Oct. 5: Artist of Distinction Stewart Goodyear on piano
- Nov. 17-18
- Jan. 12-13
- Feb. 2: Artist of Distinction Blake Pouliot on violin
- March 16-17
- April 13-14
Ticket sales are open now for season subscriptions and will open to the general public this summer.
For more information on the upcoming season and community events, visit the ASO website, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest.
More for the fam: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Announces New Family Concert Series
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