Paul Bhasin, conductor
Bright and Bold, Holiday Brass is a sound to behold. Featuring the VSO brass and percussion sections, this festive concert is full of finesse, flourish and a touch of flair! You’ll enjoy music from a variety of styles that have made this concert a new holiday tradition across Hampton Roads!
Robert Shoup, conductor
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Showcasing the brightest and best of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Holiday POPs! is the holiday tradition that keeps on giving! Enjoy holiday hits of today “where the lovelight gleams” and bring the holidays home with beloved classic carols “and presents on the tree” Embrace the sounds of the season and finish your 2026 holiday season at home with the VSO .
Robert Shoup serves as Chorus Master and Staff Conductor of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. His national and international conducting credits include the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Festival Orchestra, ensembles from the Prague Radio Orchestra and Czech State Philharmonic, and numerous choral ensembles. He serves as the Music Director at Second Presbyterian Church of Norfolk, and is the founding Artistic Director of the Norfolk Street Choir Project.
The 26/27 season marks the 37th anniversary of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and its 30th under the direction of Chorusmaster Robert Shoup. In addition to regular appearances with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the chorus has performed to sold-out houses as far afield as Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Leipzig, Munich, Salzburg and closer to home at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
A Conversation in Music
Grace Park, leader and soloist
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major
Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 5
Witness the intimacy and immediacy of chamber music brought to life on the symphony stage! VSO Concertmaster Grace Park steps into dual roles in this program as conductor and soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto in A Major and leads the orchestra from the concertmaster position in Schubert’s sparkling Fifth Symphony.
VSO Concertmaster Grace Park is a violinist celebrated for her artistry, passion, and virtuosity. Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle as “fresh, different and exhilarating” and by Strings Magazine for her “intensely wrought and burnished” sound, she captivates audiences worldwide. A winner of the Naumburg International Violin Competition, Ms. Park is recognized both as a dynamic soloist and a devoted chamber musician.
Thomas Wilkins, conductor
Adam Golka, piano
Hannah Eisendle: Heliosis
Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor
Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 6 in D Major
Two majestic, folk-inspired works anchor this moving program led by VSO Principal Guest Conductor Thomas Wilkins. Pianist Adam Golka brings his poetic expression to one of the world’s most beloved piano concertos, shaped by Norwegian traditional music. In his Sixth Symphony, Antonín Dvořák weaves the sounds of Bohemian folk music into a heartfelt tribute to his homeland.
Thomas Wilkins is an internationally renowned conductor and Norfolk native who was named the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s first-ever Principal Guest Conductor in 2021. He is Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; the Boston Symphony’s Artistic Advisor, Education and Community Engagement; and holds Indiana University’s Henry A. Upper Chair of Orchestral Conducting.
Pianist Adam Golka leads a rich artistic life as orchestral soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, recording artist, pedagogue, and innovator. A first-generation American, born to Polish parents, Adam has performed with many of the major orchestras around the world including the San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Seattle symphonies, the BBC Scottish Symphony , the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Canada), the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Shanghai Philharmonic , the Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco (Mexico), and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional (Colombia).
Hannah Eisendle is a conductor, composer and pianist. All three areas have in common an orientation towards the contemporary and a desire to cooperate with artists from different fields. In her compositions, she is often inspired by extra-musical impressions, images and other art forms, which she transforms into sounds. She came to international attention as a composer with her orchestra work heliosis, which was commissioned by the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna (RSO).
Wrath & Wonder
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Giuseppe Verdi: Messa da Requiem
Verdi’s monumental Requiem Mass movingly depicts life, death, and hope so dramatically that it has been referred to as an “opera in disguise.” Music Director Eric Jacobsen conducts combined forces of over 200 musicians as the VSO takes the stage with distinguished guest artists and the VSO Chorus to present this unforgettable masterpiece!
Performed in Latin with projected English translations.
Eric Jacobsen serves as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s twelfth Music Director, a position he’s held since 2021. He is also artistic director and co-founder of The Knights, the uniquely adventurous NYC-based chamber orchestra, and Music Director of the Orlando Philharmonic. In addition to conducting, Eric is a dedicated chamber musician (cello) and is a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble.
The 26/27 season marks the 37th anniversary of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and its 30th under the direction of Chorusmaster Robert Shoup. In addition to regular appearances with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the chorus has performed to sold-out houses as far afield as Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Leipzig, Munich, Salzburg and closer to home at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Adam Turner, conductor
Sarah Uriarte Berry, vocalist
Lisa Vroman, vocalist
John Riesen, vocalist
This incredible evening of beloved classics showcases the amazing legacy of musical theatre’s most famous collaborators, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Featuring three celebrated vocalists, this concert highlights the most famous songs from South Pacific, Carousel, The Sound of Music, The King and I, Oklahoma!, and more!
Join us May, 6 4:00-7:00pm for a festive afternoon social. Bring the gang from the office, or your neighbors down the street. Free games, music, and cash bar. You never know what connections you might make. You might even win some special dinner and event discounts.
Month-long Belly Dance Basics series takes you on a journey of heightened body awareness and feminine empowerment. Join us on Wednesday for wiggles, giggles and most of all fun. Four classes total in the series from May 6rd-June 3rd (no class on May 20th). Hosted at Glom Initiatives and taught by seasoned local dance instructor, Sharon Barnes. Register for
Meet us at East Coast Bicycles for our weekly adventure. Cruise along with us as we take over the streets of Norfolk. Routes and ride themes will be changed frequently.
Tuesday night ride is group ride for the roadie in all of us. Paces start with an A pace from 20+ mph and distance of 30 miles. The B pace is 18 to 20 mph and distance of 30 miles. Rides start at 6pm.
