Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Jan Vogler, cello

Samuel Barber: Overture to The School for Scandal
Anna Clyne: DANCE, Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

The first of three amazing fifth symphonies kicks off our celebration of five seasons with Music Director Eric Jacobsen. Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony takes the listener on a transformative journey from struggle to triumph while showcasing the artistry of the VSO musicians. World-renowned cellist and prolific recording artist Jan Vogler joins us to perform one of the most acclaimed cello concertos of the 21st century.

Celebrating his fifth season, Eric Jacobsen serves as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s twelfth Music Director, the Macon & Joan Brock Chair. 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.

Cellist Jan Vogler’s distinguished career has brought him together with renowned conductors and internationally acclaimed orchestras around the world, such as New York Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and London Philharmonic Orchestra. In partnership with Sony Classical, he has recorded over 20 albums including an award-winning recording of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto.

Anna Clyne is one of the most performed composers alive today. NPR called her “a radical melodist with a painter’s eye,” and her GRAMMY®-nominated works have been commissioned and presented by arts institutions like the Barbican, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Los Angeles Philharmonic, MoMA, Philharmonie de Paris, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, San Francisco Ballet, and the Sydney Opera House.

As we approach the nationwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026, the Orchestra has planned a season featuring many beloved American composers. Our season kicks off with the striking sounds of Samuel Barber’s dramatic and energetic Overture to The School for Scandal. Barber composed the work, his first for full orchestra, at the age of 21 while he was completing his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music.