The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has announced its 2026-27 season, a nine-concert lineup marking the orchestra's 80th year of performing for the South Plains. The season opens Sept. 3 with Prokofiev and Shostakovich, featuring Van Cliburn International Piano Competition finalist Clayton Stephenson, and closes May 4 with a live-orchestra screening of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, one of the most requested programs in the orchestra's recent history.
Between those two nights, the season brings the LSO's core Masterworks series, the Chamber Orchestra series, the annual Home for the Holidays concert, and a side-by-side performance with the Lubbock Youth Orchestras. All performances take place in the Helen DeVitt Jones Theater or Crickets
Theater at The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences.
“For 80 years, Lubbock and our surrounding communities have supported the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, and we look forward to another 80 years of beautiful music here on the South Plains,” said Heather Hocker, LSO President & CEO. “We are fortunate to have so many generous, supportive and passionate friends who support the Lubbock Symphony, and 100 percent of this support stays right here in Lubbock to continue bringing world-class professional symphonic music to West Texas.”
The season's centerpiece falls on Oct. 15, when the LSO performs Verdi's Messa da requiem alongside the Lubbock Chorale and guest soloists. The orchestra selected the piece specifically to mark its 80th anniversary. Founded in October 1946 by a group of musicians, educators and community members who believed Lubbock deserved access to orchestral music without a drive to Dallas, the LSO has grown into one of the region's longest-running cultural institutions. Verdi’s Messa da requiem, one of the largest and most demanding works in the choral-orchestral repertoire, was chosen to reflect the scale of that milestone.
“Maestro William A. Harrod, our founding conductor, radiated the love and vision to offer eclectic concerts every season for audiences of all ages and backgrounds,” said Music Director David Cho, who is entering his 15th season conducting the LSO. “Our 80th season of the Lubbock Symphony certainly will reflect the history of the storied flagship orchestra of West Texas.”
The season also includes Opera's Funniest Romance, a semi-staged performance of Donizetti's Don Pasquale with English supertitles, and Ride of the Valkyries, which brings top students from the Lubbock Youth Orchestras onstage with the LSO in the orchestra's annual side-by-side performance. LSO and Ballet Lubbock will collaborate in October to present Benjamin Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra to local elementary school children.
The season closes May 4, 2027, with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert, pairing a full screening of the film with a performance of John Williams' score. The concert is presented in association with Disney Concerts and Warner/Chappell Music.
Single tickets and season packages for the 2026-27 season are available now at lubbocksymphony.org/subscribe.
2026-27 Season Schedule
- Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026: Prokofiev & Shostakovich
- Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026: Classical Icons
- Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026: Verdi’s Messa da requiem (80th Anniversary Performance)
- Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026: Home for the Holidays
- Friday, Jan. 22, 2027: Brahms: Double Concerto
- Friday, Feb. 26, 2027: Opera's Funniest Romance
- Friday, April 2, 2027: Fantasy and Enchantment
- Friday, April 16, 2027: Ride of the Valkyries (Lubbock Youth Orchestra Side-by-Side)
- Tuesday, May 4, 2027: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert
About the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1946, the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra is a nonprofit organization serving as the primary orchestral ensemble for the South Plains region. Each year, the LSO presents a full season of Masterworks, Chamber Orchestra, holiday and special event concerts at The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences. The LSO houses education and outreach programs, including the Lubbock Youth Orchestras, the Young Audiences of Lubbock Teaching Artist program, and chamber ensembles in both the community and schools
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock Symphony Orchestra announces 2026-27 season lineup
