The Amarillo Symphony begins its Centennial Season

AMARILLO, Texas – The Amarillo Symphony begins its 100^th season on September 15 and 16, 2023, continuing through April 2024. Under the direction of Music Director and Conductor George Jackson, the season will feature world-renowned guest artists, collaborations with the Amarillo Master Chorale and the Harrington String Quartet, new music commissions, and powerful works commemorating the history of the orchestra while also looking toward the future.

Patrons interested in purchasing a season subscription to the Amarillo Symphony's Centennial Season may call the Symphony office at 806.376.8782. Visit amarillosymphony.org for more information.

Single tickets for each concert start at $27 (just $10 for students) and can be purchased online at amarillosymphony.org, over the phone by calling (806) 376-8782, or in person at the Amarillo Symphony office at 301 S Polk Street, Suite 700, or at the Amarillo Civic Center Box office. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on the night of the performance.

2023-2024 Season Concerts:

• Rhapsody in Blue – An American-inspired program featuring pianist Michelle Cann on Gershwin's classic work and Aaron Copland's Friday-Saturday, September 15-16 at 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
• ¡Celebraciones! – A celebration of the region's rich Hispanic heritage featuring Mariachi singer Nayelli Peña, Trio Los Reyes, the Glenwood Elementary Dancers, and the Amarillo Symphony Youth Orchestra. Friday-Saturday, October 13-14 at 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
• Brahms and Bluegrass – A mix of music genres featuring Brahms's Symphony No. 1 and soprano Sara Hershkowitz singing Barber's Knoxville Summer of 1915 and a Bluegrass surprise. Friday-Saturday, November 17-18 at 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
• HAPPY Holiday Pops – An Amarillo holiday tradition with carols, classics, and sing-a-longs, sponsored by Happy State Bank. Saturday, December 16, at 2:00PM and 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
• Bach to Bartók – A dual showcase featuring Mahan Esfahani on harpsichord performing Bach's Concerto in D minor and the Amarillo Symphony featured in Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra. Friday-Saturday, January 19-20 at 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.

• Mahler's Fifth Symphony – A collaboration with the Amarillo Master Chorale in a new composition by Amarillo College professor Dr. Nathan Fryml, and a performance of Mahler's magnificent Symphony No. 5. Friday-Saturday, February 23-24 at 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
• A Spring Symphony – A spring opener featuring Schumann's fitting "Spring" Symphony and violinist Aubree Oliverson on Dvorák's Violin Concerto. Friday-Saturday, March 8-9 at 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.
• Beethoven's Ninth Symphony & HSQ – The Centennial Season finale featuring the Amarillo Master Chorale and special guest solo vocalists in a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, plus new music written for the Harrington String Quartet by Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Theofanidis. Friday-Saturday, April 19-20 at 7:30PM in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.

Brief History of the Amarillo Symphony

The Amarillo Philharmonic Club, one of at least three women's music clubs active in Amarillo, Texas, in the 1920s, presented its first concert featuring a "Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra" in October of 1924, initiating the just about the one-hundred year-long history of what would in 1950 become known as The Amarillo Symphony, an institution that continues to thrive as the largest and most active performing arts organization in the heart of the Texas Panhandle today.

The history of this organization was shaped in no small part by many folks who readily cultivated a rich musical ecosystem in the small city they called home in the opening decades of the twentieth century. Even during the years of the Dustbowl, the Great Depression, World War II, and its aftermath, the organization kept on keepin' on, presenting concerts, producing remarkable spectacles, and presenting acclaimed guest artists, even if they had to roll butcher paper on stage so the musicians could perform without dirtying their fancy gowns with Panhandle dust, according to one recollection.

After years of performing in Amarillo's Municipal Theater, the orchestra moved its performances to the newly constructed Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium in 1968, where it played for almost four decades. In 2006, it made its debut in the world-class Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, a proscenium theater carefully designed to visually resonate with the natural features of America's High Plains.

Since its inception, the Symphony has increased its ranks of musicians, raised its artistic level, and established outstanding community and educational programs. In addition to a seven-concert subscription series, the Symphony performs two Holiday Pops concerts and a HODGETOWN Pops Concert each year. It also facilitates the Amarillo Symphony Youth Orchestra program and administers additional education programs that reach over 16,000 students across the Panhandle each year. Additionally, the Symphony partners with the Lone Star Ballet to present The Nutcracker Ballet each December and regularly collaborates with Amarillo's many other outstanding arts organizations. Recently, the Amarillo Symphony started hosting the Greater Southwest Music Festival, and managing Chamber Music Amarillo, which presents six concerts each season and celebrated its 25th anniversary in the 2022–2023 season. The Amarillo Symphony will celebrate its 100th season in 2023-2024.