MSO’s first Bravo concert wrapped in ‘Orchestral Brilliance’

The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO’s) grand Bravo series opens at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center, heralding a remarkable 81st Season of Genius with music that knits past and present in powerful new ways. MSO’s “Orchestral Brilliance” concert offers a thoughtful program anchored by 20th century self-exiled Russian masters Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff complemented with works of contemporary Ukrainian composers.

“Art can sometimes harmonize where politics cannot,” MSO Conductor Crafton Beck said of the program inspired by current events. 

Stravinsky’s captivating and crisp Symphonies of Wind Instruments offers a refreshing focus on woodwinds and horns in the evening’s first half. Bookending it are Valentin Silvestrov’s touching Prayer for the Ukraine and Myroslav Skoryk’s incredibly moving Melody from the 1982 Ukrainian film High Pass. Rachmaninoff’s sumptuous, sweeping Symphony No. 2, dubbed by Beck “one of the great pieces of the 20th century,” consumes the concert’s second half.

The Russian Revolution fueled Stravinsky’s and Rachmaninoff’s self-exile from their homeland. Both became American citizens in the 1940s. Composer Silvestrov was 84 when Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine forced him to flee to Berlin. Skoryk (1938-2020) was awarded “People’s Artist of Ukraine” and “Hero of Ukraine,” highest honors for the country’s exceptional artists and its standout citizens, respectively, in his lifetime.

“In a world where political leadership often fails to adequately speak for and represent its people, great art on the order of the music of Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff cannot help but do so. In their music, we find the true soul and character of their homeland,” Beck said. “Bringing their music side by side, into direct dialogue with that of contemporary Ukrainian composers, makes us part of art’s insistence on free, open and expressive interaction among all people.”

“MSO stands with courageous artists who, throughout history, have challenged oppression and invited their community and the world into a deeper understanding of humanity, creating beautiful and provocative art that we are proud to share,” MSO Artistic Operations Director and Hornist Richard Hudson said.

MSO returns to Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center for its two fall Bravo Series concerts, as restoration continues at Thalia Mara Hall. MSO President and Executive Director Janet Reihle said, “We are grateful to Jackson Academy for providing a beautiful facility that welcomes not only the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra but also many organizations and events that enrich our community.” 

MSO also welcomes a renewed partnership with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, which will capture several recordings of concerts this season for future broadcast.

“MPB is thrilled to have this opportunity to restart this relationship with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and start bringing more orchestral and classical music to our program lineup,” MPB spokesperson Lauren Allbright said.

Reihle noted, “While nothing replaces the magic of a live performance, MPB helps ensure that fine music continues to reach, impact and uplift communities throughout our state.”

Tickets for “Orchestral Brilliance” start at $43 for adults and are $5 for students, kindergarten through college (with valid ID). Purchase advance tickets at www.msorchestra.com or contact Patron Services at 601-414-6005. The box office will open at 6:30 p.m. on the evening of the concert and tickets will be available at the door.

MSO’s Bravo Series is presented by the Selby & Richard McRae Foundation. MSO is supported in part by the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Who: Mississippi Symphony Orchestra

What: Orchestral Brilliance, Bravo Series Concert

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

Where: Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center, 4908 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS

Website: msorchestra.com