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Springfield Symphony Orchestra opens its 91st season

Springfield Symphony Orchestra

SSO Conductor and Music Director Kyle Wiley Pickett talks to KSMU Arts Producer Jimmy Rea about this year’s programs, including Saturday’s opening concert, “Don Juan," part of a season focused on storytelling.

The 2025-2026 season, coined “Bingeworthy,” will run from September 13, 2025 to May 9, 2026 and will feature music from what Springfield Symphony Orchestra labeled “some of the world’s greatest composers” in a statement.

“What the heck is Bingeworthy? You know, what does that mean? And what that means this year is that all of our concerts have really, really compelling stories on them," said Kyle Wiley Pickett. "The music is storytelling, music, and that can mean a variety of things in classical music and orchestral music. But a lot of the music that we're playing this year is called program music, which means it tells the story of something in music."

Among the programs will include a classical series, pop series and a family series, as well as several specialist guests. Guest performances will include acclaimed violinist Aubree Oliverson and the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition winner (to be announced) as well as many more.

The Orchestra also plans to collaborate with the St. Louis Ballet for the 4th year in a row with Cinderella as well as with the Missouri State University Musical Theatre program to showcase the work of Broadway legends Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim.

Season subscriptions and individual concert tickets are now available. For ticketing, call the box office at 417-836-7678 or visit springfieldmosymphony.org.

Jimmy Rea is a proud Ozarkian with deep ties to the music community. With 2 decades of creative entrepreneurship underfoot, Jimmy has toured coast to coast and around the world with acoustic acts The HillBenders and Keller Williams. Spearheading numerous musical groups, recording projects, and live music events, Rea’s work in the Springfield music scene is a passion and lifestyle. Happily married to wife Melissa and father to Archie, they enjoy life together with 2 dogs and a cat. In his downtime you can find Jimmy fishing for bass in the crisp rivers, creeks, and streams of the Ozarks.