Columbus Symphony Orchestra at Ohio Theatre

Music is the universal language that unites people, bridges social divisions, inspires us to be the best we can be, and elevates our aspirations. Come along for an evening of astonishingly excellent music, with sounds performed by some of the worlds most incredible artists. Any night at the Orchestra is an absolutely unmissable event, Columbus Symphony Orchestra performances are full of curated experiences, passionate music making, and remarkable guest artists. Prepare to be dazzled by the talents and music! With each of their annual programmes individually tailored to introduce you to notable music, they are planned to outline unexpected connections between the pieces on each program, and highlight thematic threads that flow through the season.

Columbus Symphony Orchestra Tickets:

Columbus Symphony Orchestra is the oldest performing orchestra in the city of Columbus, with a repertoire of performances ranging from classical music through to our hot POPS concerts. Performing out of their home in the historic 1928 movie palace the Ohio Theatre since 1951! The world’s best musicians perform with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, with each season presenting twelve classical Masterwork concert performances annually, usually one or two concerts will also feature an Opera performance. These will be followed by a special event featuring a musical icon singing a varied selection of classical and popular music for one night only with the Columbus Symphony. During the summer Columbus Symphony Orchestra will bring you three festivals that will connect artistic, philosophical, and musical ideas, giving a total of six pops performances and two performances for the kids, catch “Picnic with the Pops” and “Popcorn Pops” concert series which continue to delight audiences with exceptional performances on the lawn of Columbus Commons. The Columbus Symphony Orchestra also serve as the orchestra for the Opera Columbus and the Ballet Met.

More than just a musical performance, the Columbus Symphony is a force for good. Come along to support them, and help them to make a difference in the community. In addition to performances, the Columbus Symphony is proud to serve central Ohio through a diverse range of education and community engagement programs. These include Young People’s Concerts in the Ohio Theatre, six youth orchestras, free In-School Concerts for Columbus elementary schools, and the new Columbus Symphony Cares initiative, an innovative approach to community service through partnerships with non-profit human service organizations and public-school districts.

No matter what performance you book to see, the night will be filled with top notch talent conducted by excellent conductors. The Columbus Symphony Orchestra has welcomed its first-ever woman Concertmaster, Joanna Frankel, as well as two new conductors: Stuart Chafetz, Principal Pops Conductor, and Andrés Lopera, Assistant Conductor. With 53 full time musicians they have enough to cover every note from Beethoven to Milonov and then there’s the 130-member Chorus, comprised entirely of volunteer singers from central Ohio, performs major works from Bach through the 21st century.

Masterworks

Each season will be individually tailored and feature a new theme, this theme will run for the entirety of the year and will seamlessly blend all of the twelve Masterwork performances and the one or two annual Opera performances, performed with Opera Columbus, additionally each season is brought to a triumphant finale with a special event featuring a well-known musical icon singing a varied selection of classical and modern popular songs for one night only with the Columbus Symphony, so be sure to catch them all for the full Columbus Symphony Orchestra experience! Each season not only with great music, but also with fresh, new experiences, providing you with multifaceted opportunities to immerse yourself in the broader context of the works to be performed. Past season Masterwork showcases have performed many of the world’s great composers, including Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Handel, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Mussorgsky and of course, Mozart and Beethoven. Besides the classic old masters, works by some of the most intriguing modern composers can be heard on the Ohio Theatre stages in concert with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, as well as many new world-class soloists, providing the star power that you expect to hear and be inspired by.

Throughout the season a variety of events accompany the Masterworks concerts, each Masterworks performance will include a 30-minute, Prelude or pre-concert discussion featuring either Rossen Milanov the current Music Director for Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Purdy from WOSU Classical 101, the evening featured guest artist, the evenings featured guest Conductor or a guest speaker from The Ohio State University. Preludes take on a unique twist when professors from The Ohio State University and other local universities give engaging lectures that connect the evening’s music with related topics. Each Prelude takes place in the theatre beginning at 6:30pm. As well as Preludes, some special concerts will feature Postludes where patrons will be invited to stay after the concert and enjoy Columbus Symphony musicians in chamber music mini-concerts and special opportunities to meet the artists up close and ask questions in a Talk Back session.
Mozart to Matisse The Columbus Symphony and Columbus Museum of Art will collaborate in a series of afternoon lectures that pair chamber music performances by Symphony musicians with works from the CMA art collection. The presentation will focus on specific periods in upcoming Masterworks concerts and explore the common themes and aesthetic influences between music and visual art. These events will take place at the CMA.

Picnic with the Pops

Picnic with the Pops is your chance to see some of today’s most popular modern music entertainers performing with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra for an extraordinary price so be sure to book your patch of lawn as soon as it comes up. The casual outdoor evening performances are a great opportunity to gather with friends, family, and co-workers. So, pack your picnic basket, grab you blankets and get ready to share and enjoy a fun and memorable experience at the Columbus Commons. If you have lawn tickets, it is recommended to bring lawn chairs and/or a blanket with you to enjoy the concert. You can bring your own food, beverages, alcohol, and coolers, so you can make it a more affordable outing. Food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) can also be purchased from on-site vendors. Join us for the best season yet!

Columbus Symphony Orchestra Reviews

Russian Winter Festivals: BalletMet dancers, pianist Babayan add to wonders of Russian fest
By Peter Tonguette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Last night in the Ohio Theatre, for its second of its two Russian Winter Festivals, the Columbus Symphony performed the work of two master composers who called the country home: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Prokofiev. A second performance will take place Saturday. In the process, the symphony played one challenging, formidable piece after another. Under the commanding guidance of conductor Rossen Milanov, the musicians were more than up to their musical voyage. The concert opened with Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty Suite.” In the first section, Milanov encouraged a lilting tempo redolent of a pleasant dream. Other passages were performed with such quickness and dash that they were sure to waken any sleeping beauty. A wonderful treat came with the pas de deux: BalletMet dancers Caitlin Valentine-Ellis and Miguel Anaya emerged from the wings to perform selections from BalletMet’s version of “Sleeping Beauty” as the symphony accompanied them. Two-and-a-half years ago, BalletMet presented the ballet to prerecorded music, but last night’s excerpt, albeit brief, reminded audiences of the potent combination of dancing and live music. With their top-notch technique and superior musicality, two more able dancers than Valentine-Ellis and Anaya are difficult to imagine. Choreography that called for the ballerina to dive into Anaya’s arms was all the more impressive for being performed in confined quarters on a stage shared with the symphony. Guest pianist Sergei Babayan joined the symphony for Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto No. 1.” The native of Armenia and former student at the Moscow Conservatory immediately attacked the piece with a pyrotechnic passion that clearly impressed the audience. Yet Babayan navigated the flowery sections of the concerto without unnecessary flourishes. His style was decisive yet subtle — and always brilliant. Following an intermission, the melodious marvels of Tchaikovsky gave way to the more combative, chilly sounds of Prokofiev’s “Symphony No. 5.” Here, the symphony’s stamina was most in evidence: The work included passages of volcanic beauty, with string playing that seemed to swirl, duck and dive. Concertmaster Joanna Frankel led her section with authority and intensity.

The Ohio Theatre

Located in Downtown Columbus on the site of the old Columbus City Hall, The Ohio Theatre’s lush interior, excellent acoustics, and state-of-the-art stage facilities and seating available for 2,779 patrons have made it a favorite of our guest artists and conductors. The breathtaking details including the 21-foot-high chandelier and opulent Spanish-Baroque architecture and design make any night out at the Ohio an event to remember. Known as the “Official Theatre of the State of Ohio”, the historic 1928 movie palace was saved from demolition in 1969 and completely restored. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977 as one of the nation’s finest surviving grand theaters.