Press Release: Modesto Symphony Orchestra Announces 2026-27 Season
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Contact:
Caroline Nickel
cnickel@modestosymphony.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / April 29, 2026
Click to download high-resolution photos. (Pictured from left to right: top row: Nicholas Hersh, music director; Janice Carissa, piano; Capathia Jenkins, guest artist; bottom row: MSO Chorus; Picnic at the Pops, Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert)
Modesto Symphony Orchestra Announces 2026-27 Season
The MSO’s 96th season features outstanding programming, world-renowned guest artists, and the MSO Chorus.
The Classics Series will feature the works of Beethoven, Haydn, Coleman, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, John Williams, and more.
The Pops Series will feature Holiday Pops! and Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert.
Picnic at the Pops! will feature Country Hits: Songs from Nashville.
MODESTO, CA – The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO) presents their 96th season led by Music Director Nicholas Hersh. The MSOA’s season will kick off in September with Picnic at the Pops! Country Hits: Songs from Nashville.
The Classics Series will have four concerts with performances on Friday at 7:30 PM and Saturday at a new start time of 2:00 PM at the Gallo Center for the Arts. The MSO will perform works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Valerie Coleman, Ludwig van Beethoven,John Williams,Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky,Joseph Haydn, and more.
"Our 96th Season is designed to inspire and ignite your emotions," says MSO Music Director Nicholas Hersh. "You'll experience larger-than-life classics like Beethoven's immortal Fifth Symphony, some of John Williams' most magical movie scores and the pieces that inspired them, and the power of the MSO Chorus on Haydn's epic The Creation. I'm also thrilled that the MSO will be joined on stage by our friends at Central West Ballet for what promises to be a remarkable performance of Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet Swan Lake. I truly cannot wait to share this spectacular season with our community!"
Additionally, the Boyett Petroleum Pops Series, led by Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray, will include Holiday Pops featuring Capathia Jenkins and Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert.
“We’re so excited to share our upcoming season with the community,” says Caroline Nickel, President & CEO of the MSOA. “From Picnic at the Pops, to the monumental power of the MSO Chorus performing Hadyn’s The Creation, this season is a celebration of our shared connection as a community. And we will have an incredible range of orchestral artistry from Janice Carissa performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 to the nostalgic melodies of Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert. We’re always deeply grateful for the support of our community and we look forward to sharing and creating another thrilling year of music with everyone.”
MODESTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2026-27 SEASON OVERVIEW
Classics Series
Four concerts performed on Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 2:00 PM in the Mary Stuart Rogers Theater at Gallo Center for the Arts conducted by Music Director Nicholas Hersh.
The MSO begins their Classics Series on November 13 & 14, 2026 with Beethoven & Rachmaninoff.Valerie Coleman’s Seven O’Clock Shout, a moving tribute to human connection through isolation, will be followed by Rachmaninoff’s heartachingly beautiful Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring soloist Janice Carissa. The program concludes with Beethoven’s groundbreaking and triumphant Symphony. No. 5.
February 12 & 13, 2027,celebrate the legacy of John Williams with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra! This concert features the iconic film scores that resonate through our hearts long after the credits roll and the classical masterpieces that inspired them. From the powerful melodies of Holst’s The Planets and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 to the heroic themes of Harry Potter and Star Wars, you’ll discover a landscape of sounds that has inspired composers and music lovers alike.
March 5 & 6, 2027, join Central West Ballet and the Modesto Symphony Orchestra in a magnificent anniversary celebration of Swan Lake, the world-renowned ballet that has captured imaginations for 150 years! With Tchaikovsky's timeless score performed on stage by the MSO and a spellbinding performance by CWB, you'll be immersed in a journey of love, magic, and wonder. Get your tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime evening celebrating the superb ballet and symphonic masterpiece, Swan Lake.
The MSO’s Classics Series will conclude on May 7 & 8, 2027 with a radiant performance of Haydn’s The Creation. From the mysterious opening notes that erupt into the earth-shattering moment where light first breaks, this breathtaking oratorio is a brilliant celebration of life and nature. Experience the staggering power of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and Chorus as they bring this ageless story to life.
Boyett Petroleum Pops Series
Two concerts with performances on Friday evenings at 7:30 pm and Saturday matinee performances at 2 pm, performed in the Mary Stuart Rogers Theater at the Gallo Center for the Arts conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray.
The Boyett Petroleum Pops Seriesbegins with a celebration of the Holiday Season with the ever-popular Holiday Pops! concert. The MSO will be joined by the MSO Chorus and Capathia Jenkins on December 4 & 5, 2026.
Join the MSO on June 4 & 5, 2027 for Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert! Experience this iconic film like never before as the Modesto Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ legendary Oscar®-winning score live to the film. Fans will experience the scope and grandeur of this beloved film 50 years after its release in a live symphonic concert experience. © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Presentation Licensed by Disney Concerts in association with Warner/Chappell Music.
Special Community concerts
Picnic at the Pops on September 12, 2026 and the Holiday Candlelight Concert on December 15, 2026.
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra will present their annualPicnic at the Pops! on September 12, 2026 with Country Hits: Songs from Nashville! Grounds open at 5 pm and the concert begins at 7:30 pm at the GALLO Winery.
MSO Chorus Director Dr. Daniel R. Afonso Jr. once again leads the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, plus the Opus Handbell Ensemble in a special concert that has become a treasured community tradition, the Holiday Candlelight Concert on December 15, 2026 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.
Tickets
Subscription packages and single tickets for the MSO’s 2026-27 season will be on sale starting June 1, 2026 online, by phone, and at the Gallo Center Ticket Office. Visit ModestoSymphony.org for full details.
Gallo Center Ticket Office
1000 I Street, Modesto CA 95354
Hours: Monday through Friday 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturdays 12:00pm to 6:00pm.
Phone: 209.338.2100
MSO 2026-27 SEASON LISTING
Nicholas Hersh, Music Director
CLASSICS SERIES
BEETHOVEN & RACHMANINOFF
Resilience & Triumph
Friday, November 13, 2026, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 2:00 pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Janice Carissa, piano
Coleman: Seven O’Clock Shout
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
A TRIBUTE TO JOHN WILLIAMS
Iconic Inspirations & Film Scores
Friday, February 12, 2027, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 13, 2027, at 2:00 pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Members of the MSYO, side-by-side
This concert will feature selections from the iconic film scores like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Jaws. Plus, some of the classical masterpieces that inspired Williams, like Holst’s The Planets and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9.
SWAN LAKE
In Collaboration with Central West Ballet
Friday, March 5, 2027, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 6, 2027, at 2:00 pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
Central West Ballet, René Daveluy, artistic director
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
HAYDN’S THE CREATION
Featuring the MSO Chorus
Friday, May 7, 2027, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 8, 2027, at 2:00 pm
Nicholas Hersh, conductor
MSO Chorus, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., chorus director
Haydn: The Creation
BOYETT PETROLEUM POPS SERIES
Ryan Murray, Principal Pops Conductor
HOLIDAY POPS!
Friday, December 4, 2026, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 2:00 pm
Ryan Murray, conductor
MSO Chorus, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., chorus director
Capathia Jenkins, guest artist
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE IN CONCERT
Full Film to Live Orchestra
Friday, June 4, 2027, at 7:30 pm
Saturday, June 5, 2027, at 2:00 pm
Ryan Murray, conductor
© & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Presentation Licensed by Disney Concerts in association with Warner/Chappell Music.
Special Community Concerts
PICNIC AT THE POPS! Country Hits: Songs from Nashville
Saturday, September 12, 2026
GALLO Winery Grounds
Grounds open at 5:00 pm
Concert starts at 7:30 pm
Ryan Murray, conductor
Rick Brantley, guest artist
Sarah Darling, guest artist
HOLIDAY CANDLELIGHT CONCERT
Tuesday, December 15, 2026, at 8:00 pm
St. Stanislaus Catholic Church
Daniel R. Afonso Jr., conductor
MSO Chorus, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., chorus director
Opus Handbell Ensemble, Lisa Traughber, Opus Handbell Ensemble director
###
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is a Resident Company of The Gallo Center for the Arts. The DoubleTree Hotel is the official hotel of the MSO.