Louisville Orchestra’s Teddy Abrams reads baseball book ‘Teammates’
Abrams, music director for the Louisville Orchestra, reads “Teammates,” a book about baseball, Jackie Robinson and Louisville native Pee Wee Reese.
Courtesy Teddy Abrams
- The Louisville Orchestra has announced its 2026-27 season, featuring expanded offerings and major collaborations.
- Highlights include a performance by “Hamilton” star Leslie Odom, Jr., and a collaboration with the Kentucky Opera on “Salome.”
- The season will feature world premieres, including new works from the Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps composers.
- The Pops Series will showcase tributes to John Williams, Johnny Mathis, Henry Mancini, Nina Simone, and Dinah Washington.
The 2026-27 Louisville Orchestra season has been announced, bringing with it expanded offerings, major collaborations, world premieres, and “an ambitious artistic vision rooted firmly in Louisville,” a news release states.
Following growth over the past several years, including record subscription and single-ticket sales, the season, under the direction of Music Director Teddy Abrams, brings together major symphonic works, internationally recognized artists, world premieres, and more, including, a symphonic performance by Grammy and Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr., who originated the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical “Hamilton.”
Highlights of the classics series include “Verdi’s Requiem,” “Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2,” “Brahms’ Symphony No. 4,” “Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 ‘Titan,'” and more. Guest artists throughout the season include violinists Ray Chen, and Kerson Leong, with guest conductors Earl Lee, Peter Oundjian, and Mélisse Brunet, the release states.
Other highlights include Richard Strauss’ “Salome,” which will be presented in collaboration with Kentucky Opera, bringing a semi-staged operatic production to Whitney Hall, and “Rhapsody Reimagined,” which features Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” transformed through Latin Jazz by Cuban pianist, Ahmed Alom.
New music will also be a featured part of the 2026–27 season, including Julia Wolfe’s “Anthracite Fields,” “New Symphony” by Timo Andres, Teddy Abrams’ “Seasons in America,” plus world premieres by Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps Composers Susanna Hancock and Seare Ahmad Farhat.
“The Louisville Orchestra’s 2026-27 season reflects the extraordinary energy of our musicians, the passion of our audiences, and the strength of our community,” Abrams said in the release. “Our orchestra has reached a level of national prominence for our creative programming and artistry, and our new season will show off our capabilities in every way — from virtuosity to sublime beauty, with massive collaborations and intimate, life-changing moments.”
The Pops Series, led by Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, continues to showcase performances built around recognizable music and star power. This year, those include the aforementioned performance by Odom, Jr., plus “A John Williams Halloween,” Michael Feinstein celebrating the music of Johnny Mathis and Henry Mancini, and Ledisi honoring the legacy of Nina Simone and Dinah Washington.
In addition to subscription concerts, the Louisville Orchestra will present free community events throughout the year through initiatives including In Harmony – The Commonwealth Tour, Music Without Borders, and family-focused programming, the release states.
“People are seeking real, shared experiences,” Nathaniel Koch, interim executive director, said in the release. “This season reflects who we are as an organization: confident, growing, and deeply connected to our city. We are investing in artistic excellence, expanding access points, and continuing to serve more of our community through free events and educational programming than ever before. Louisville is showing up for this orchestra, and we’re meeting that enthusiasm head-on.”
Subscriptions are on sale now at LouisvilleOrchestra.org/subscribe or by phone at 502-587-8681. Here’s what else to know about the 2026-27 Louisville Orchestra season.
2026-27 Louisville Orchestra season
All performances take place at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Whitney Hall, 501 W. Main St., unless otherwise noted.
Classics and Coffee Series
Verdi’s ‘Requiem’
CREDITS: Giuseppe Verdi: “Requiem.” Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ben Robinson, director
WHEN: Oct. 16-17
Teddy Conducts Music of the Mines
CREDITS: Music by Copland, Ruggles, Schubert, Jean Ritchie, Julia Wolfe, and a world premiere by LO Creators Corps Alumna Chelsea Komschlies. Teddy Abrams, conductor; Louisville Chamber Choir and Cardinal Singers
WHERE: Jan. 16, 2027
Sibelius Symphony No. 2
CREDITS: Earl Lee, conductor; Chris Choi, timpani. Music by Franck, Daugherty, and Sibelius
WHEN: Jan. 29 and 30, 2027
Brahms Symphony No. 4
CREDITS: World premiere by KiMani Bridges; World premiere of “Seasons in America” by Teddy Abrams; Brahms Symphony No. 4. Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ray Chen, violin
WHEN: Feb. 26 and 27, 2027
Mahler Symphony No. 1 ‘Titan’
CREDITS: World premiere by LO Creators Corps Composer, Seare Ahmad Farhat; Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires; Mahler Symphony No. 1.Peter Oundjian, conductor; Kerson Leong, violin
WHEN: March 5 and 6, 2027
Beethoven Piano Concerto Marathon
CREDIT: Beethoven Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 over two performances. Mélisse Brunet, conductor; Stewart Goodyear, piano
WHEN: April 2 and 3, 2027
Rhapsody Reimagined
CREDITS: World premiere by LO Creators Corps Composer, Susanna Hancock; Latin Jazz reimagining of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Ahmed Alom; Timo Andres New Symphony. Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ahmed Alom, piano
WHEN: April 23 and 24, 2027
Salome
CREDITS: Richard Strauss: “Salome.” Teddy Abrams, conductor; Ben Robinson, director; Kentucky Opera
WHEN: May 7 and May 8, 2027
Pops Series
A John Williams Halloween
CREDITS: Bob Bernhardt, conductor
WHEN: Oct. 30, 2026
Leslie Odom, Jr.
CREDITS: Bob Bernhardt, conductor; Leslie Odom, Jr., vocals
WHEN: Jan. 23, 2027
Michael Feinstein: ‘My Celebration’ The Music of Johnny Mathis and Henry Mancini
CREDITS: Bob Bernhardt, conductor; Michael Feinstein, vocals
WHEN: March 27, 2027
Ledisi: Music of Nina Simone and Dinah Washington
CREDITS: Bob Bernhardt, conductor; Ledisi, vocals
WHEN: April 14, 2027
NightLites Series
All performances take place at the Ogle Center at Indiana University Southeast, 4201 Grant Line Road, New Albany, Ind.
Prokofiev & Brahms
CREDITS: Ziwei Ma, conductor; Julia Noone, violin
WHEN: Sept. 25
Haydn & Mozart
CREDITS: Teddy Abrams, conductor
WHEN: Oct. 9
Bizet & Mendelssohn
CREDITS: Na’Zir McFadden, conductor
WHEN: Nov. 20
Vivaldi & Beethoven
CREDITS: Gabriel Lefkowitz, violin and conductor
WHEN: Feb. 19, 2027
Debussy & Ravel
CREDITS: Molly Turner, conductor
WHEN: March 12, 2027
Reach lifestyle and entertainment reporter Kirby Adams at [email protected]
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.courier-journal.com ’
