April 23, 2026 6:30 pm
Month: April
The Carver Theatre
Join conductor Daniel Cho and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra for The French Connection — an intimate evening of live orchestral music at Birmingham’s historic Carver Theatre, celebrating the innovation and enduring vitality of three composers who helped define 20th-century classical music.
The concert opens with Igor Stravinsky’s Eight Instrumental Miniatures, compact and brilliantly crafted pieces that showcase his gift for inventive textures and playful neoclassical ideas.
Next comes Darius Milhaud’s La création du monde (The Creation of the World) — a groundbreaking work inspired by African creation myths and the jazz Milhaud encountered in Harlem. He weaves classical orchestration with syncopated rhythms and blues harmonies into something genuinely new: a bold fusion that was revolutionary in its time and remains striking today.
The evening closes with Francis Poulenc’s Sinfonietta, a work that sparkles with charm and elegance — music that captures all the wit, warmth, and unmistakable personality of French modernism at its finest.
Read the program notes here.
Whether you’re a lifelong classical music lover or simply looking for an unforgettable night out in Birmingham, this concert celebrates creativity, cultural exchange, and the artistic spirit that connects us all. We look forward to seeing you at the Carver Theatre.
May 1, 2026 11:00 am
Month: May
UAB’s Alys Stephens Center — Jemison Concert Hall
Join the Alabama Symphony Orchestra for Heart of a New World — a program that explores themes of discovery, identity, and the creative spirit through American and American-inspired music.
The concert opens with Samuel Barber’s Overture to The School for Scandal, a sparkling work full of youthful energy and wit. Its bright melodies and driving rhythms showcase Barber at his most exuberant — music that feels cinematic and immediate.
The morning centers on AntonÃn Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World.” Written during his years in America, this symphony reflects Dvořák’s fascination with the landscapes, spirituals, and folk music he encountered here. The result is a work that feels both deeply Czech and unmistakably American — from the famous Largo movement to the triumphant finale, it’s music infused with wonder and genuine emotion.
This is a concert about what happens when artists venture into new territory, finding inspiration in unfamiliar places and creating something that speaks across cultures and generations. We hope you’ll be part of it.
May 1, 2026 7:00 pm
Month: May
UAB’s Alys Stephens Center — Jemison Concert Hall
Join acclaimed cellist Julian Schwarz, and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra for Heart of a New World — an evening that celebrates American creativity and spirit through three distinctive works.
The concert opens with Samuel Barber’s Overture to The School for Scandal, a vibrant piece that crackles with wit and energy. Its rhythmic drive and melodic brightness capture Barber’s distinctive American voice at its most engaging.
Cellist Julian Schwarz then performs Jennifer Higdon’s Cello Concerto, a Pulitzer Prize-winning work by one of today’s most celebrated composers. Higdon creates a sound world that’s both lyrical and intensely expressive, offering the soloist opportunities for both technical brilliance and deep emotional connection.
The evening closes with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World.” Composed during his years in America, this symphony weaves together Czech folk traditions with the musical landscapes Dvořák discovered here. The result is music that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking — a work about exploration, inspiration, and finding home in unfamiliar territory.
This is a night that brings together past and present, celebrating what happens when artists embrace new horizons. We look forward to seeing you there.
May 15, 2026 7:00 pm
Month: May
UAB’s Alys Stephens Center — Jemison Concert Hall
Beyond the Forest, Into the Sky takes you on one of the most dramatically satisfying journeys in the orchestral repertoire — from shadow and enchantment to open, blazing light.
The evening opens in the dark heart of a fairy tale. Humperdinck’s luminous Prelude to Hänsel und Gretel casts its spell before Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G Minor seizes the room — restless, urgent, and searingly alive. This is Mozart at his most turbulent, music that never quite lets you breathe.
Then the world opens up.
Jennifer Higdon’s blue cathedral — one of the most breathtaking works written for orchestra in the last 30 years — fills the hall with light and space and grief and wonder all at once. And Stravinsky’s suite from The Firebird brings the evening to a close in triumph, its final pages among the most electrifying in all of music.
This is a program for first-timers and lifelong listeners alike — the kind of night that reminds you why live orchestral music is unlike anything else on earth.
