Florida State University’s College of Music 2026-27 University Musical Associates (UMA) Concert Season will feature more than 30 performances that showcase the breadth of the college’s nationally recognized programs in orchestral, choral, band, opera and jazz music.

The season, which runs from September through May, includes major ensemble performances, guest artists, opera productions and collaborations with Opening Nights. Audiences can experience everything from Bach’s Mass in B Minor and music by John Williams to jazz celebrations, new musical theater works and performances by internationally acclaimed artists.

The University Musical Associates play a vital role in supporting the College of Music through concert attendance, advocacy and philanthropy. Their support helps sustain world-class music education and performance opportunities for students while bringing a diverse range of concerts and guest artists to the university and community.

“This season highlights the extraordinary talent and creativity of our students and faculty while creating opportunities for audiences to experience a wide range of musical traditions and artistic voices,” said Greg Jones, associate dean of the College of Music. “From beloved masterworks to new and innovative performances, these concerts reflect the excellence that defines the College of Music.”

Among the season’s highlights is FSU Opera’s production of Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men (Oct. 30 and Nov. 1). The performance marks the centennial of Floyd’s birth and places FSU Opera alongside Houston Grand Opera, Kansas City Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera as the only collegiate member of a consortium producing the work.

Other featured performances include the Housewright Virtuoso Series presentation A Vocal Mosaic (Sept. 10), a celebration of jazz, Broadway, art song and opera; the University Wind Orchestra’s performance of music by John Williams (Sept. 25); and a presentation of Bach’s Mass in B Minor by the University Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir (April 10).

Jazz audiences can look forward to Celebrating Women in Jazz (March 9), featuring acclaimed saxophonist Tia Fuller with Jazz Ensemble I, while flutist Jasmine Choi, former principal flutist of the Vienna Symphony, will perform as part of the Housewright Virtuoso Series.

The season also includes Preview@FSU: Strange Tails (Jan. 29-30), offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look at a new musical in development; the newly dedicated Jim Croft PRISM Concert (Dec. 1-4); and Seasonal Celebration (Dec. 6), featuring the university’s choral ensembles.

The College of Music will continue its partnership with Opening Nights, bringing internationally recognized performers to Tallahassee. Collaborative performances this season include The “President’s Own” United States Marine Band (Oct. 11), Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (Jan. 28) and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Feb. 25).

Tickets for College of Music performances go on sale June 23 through the FSU Fine Arts Ticket Office. Tickets for Opening Nights collaborative events must be purchased separately through the Opening Nights box office.

UMA members enjoy special access, reserved seating and other benefits throughout the season while helping support the College of Music’s educational and performance mission.

For more information about tickets or UMA membership, visit tickets.music.fsu.edu or call (850) 644-6500. The complete season schedule and more details about the performers are available here.

2026-27 season at a glance

Sept. 10 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: A Vocal Mosaic | Opperman Music Hall

Sept. 18 — University Symphony Orchestra: Celebration! | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Sept. 25 — Wind Orchestra: Music of John Williams | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Oct. 2 — Landscapes of Sound: Chamber Music from Latin America | Opperman Music Hall

Oct. 8 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: Members of the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra | Opperman Music Hall

Oct. 10 — University Symphony Orchestra: Sounds of Courage | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Oct. 11 — The “President’s Own” United States Marine Band* | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Oct. 12 — Honors Jazz Combo with John Allred, trombone | Opperman Music Hall

Oct. 23 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: Studying Music in the Post-Truth Era | Longmire Recital Hall

Oct. 29 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: FSU Choirs with André van der Merwe | Trinity United Methodist Church

Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 — Fall Opera: Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Nov. 4 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: ModernMedieval Voices: The Living Word | Opperman Music Hall

Nov. 5-6 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: Kristan Toczko, harp/electronic music | Location TBD

Nov. 8 — University Singers: Hear My Cry | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Nov. 17 — Wind Ensemble: Time and the Winds | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Dec. 1-4 — Jim Croft PRISM Concert | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Dec. 6 — Seasonal Celebration | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Jan. 22 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: Beethoven: A Life in One Evening | Opperman Music Hall

Jan. 27 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: Triple Cortado Trio | Opperman Music Hall

Jan. 28 — Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis* | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Jan. 29-30 — Preview@FSU: Strange Tails | Conradi Studio Theatre

Feb. 20 — University Symphony Orchestra: The Beethoven Effect | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Feb. 25 — Audra McDonald: Audra Goes Hollywood* | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

March 9 — Jazz Ensemble I: A Celebration of Women in Jazz | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

April 2 and 4 — Spring Opera: Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica | Opperman Music Hall

April 3 — University Singers and Levana: Cor Amoris, Cor Unum | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

April 7 — University Philharmonia: Fireworks! | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

April 10 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: Jasmine Choi, flute | Opperman Music Hall

April 10 — University Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir: Bach’s Mass in B Minor | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

April 13 — University Wind Orchestra | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

April 17 — Rainbow Concert / 40th Mas N Steel | Opperman Music Hall

April 21 — Wind Ensemble: A Symphony of Symphonies | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

April 21-24 — Housewright Virtuoso Series: Bryan Powell, Music Education | Location TBD

May 28-29 — Summer Opera: Britten’s The Turn of the Screw | Opperman Music Hall

*Presented in collaboration with Opening Nights. Support for these performances is provided by City Bank (“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band); Ken Kato and Nan Nagy (Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis); and Les and Ruth Akers in partnership with The Louise Ireland Humphrey Fund (Audra McDonald).

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The University Philharmonia, a premier ensemble within the Florida State University College of Music, will perform the U.S. premiere of Arthur Barbosa’s “Variations in Search of a Theme by Matos Rodríguez.”

The concert is free and open to the public and will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, in Opperman Music Hall.

The concert marks the beginning of guest composer Barbosa’s residency, a project initiated by Guilherme Leal Rodrigues, a doctoral candidate and graduate associate conductor of the University Philharmonia. Rodrigues also serves as the music director of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras.

“It is such a pleasure to welcome advanced graduate students like Guilherme who can contribute to the rich cultural life of our campus and community,” said Alexander Jiménez, professor of conducting and director of orchestras. “It is also tremendous to work at an institution like the College of Music that offers students a wide range of opportunities to refine and expand their craft in creative ways.”

The performance serves as the culmination of Rodrigues’ doctoral thesis — the first in-depth research and performance analysis of the iconic tango “La Cumparsita” conducted in the United States.

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Florida State University’s College of Music presents the world premiere of “Fallen Angels – A Choral Symphony,” inspired by the tragic events at South Florida’s Parkland High School in 2018.

Originally titled “Parkland Choral Symphony,” the work was renamed “Fallen Angels” to honor all victims of gun violence, acknowledging that the issue extends far beyond individual incidents. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in FSU’s Ruby Diamond Concert Hall and will be uploaded to YouTube.

The composition, written by Steve Lebetkin, takes listeners through the three stages of grief experienced by those who have lost loved ones to gun violence. It will be performed by the Florida State University Philharmonia, led by Director of Orchestral Activities Alexander Jiménez, in collaboration with the Florida State University Singers, prepared and directed by Professor of Choral Conducting and Ensembles Kevin Fenton.

“The primary purpose of ‘Fallen Angels Choral Symphony’ is to evoke feelings of empathy, not sympathy, from listeners,” Lebetkin said. “Music has the power to do this in ways that mere words cannot achieve; the elusive common ground resides in the empathic feelings for those who have lost loved ones due to senseless gun violence and other acts of terrorism.”

Lebetkin is an American composer and one of the few composers who carry on a unique and significant tradition of Central European composition.

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The Florida State University College of Music presents the University Philharmonia, featuring student soloist and Young Artist’s competition winner, harpist Isabelle Scott.

The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at the Opperman Music Hall. 

“The College of Music is home to two full symphony orchestras that feature talented students as ensemble members and, via a vigorous competition, as soloists,” said Gregory Jones, associate dean for outreach and engagement in the College of Music. “The college hosts a doctoral level concerto competition for an opportunity to perform with the University Symphony, and we also provide the Young Artists Competition for master’s and undergraduate level students for a performance with the University Philharmonia.” 

The performance includes Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8; Gabriel Pierné’s “‘Concertstück’ for Harp and Orchestra,” featuring harpist Isabelle Scott, the 2023-2024 FSU Young Artists Concerto Competition winner; and FSU Professor of Contemporary Media Brian Gaber’s “Three American Voices.” 

Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 highlights influences from the Czech folk music from his home. The four-movement symphony was written as a celebration of his 1891 induction into the Prague Academy of Performing Arts by Emperor Franz Josef.  

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