KENNETT SQUARE, PA — Brandywine Valley Symphony will expand its reach beyond Chester County during its 2026–27 season with its Carnegie Hall debut, three Masterworks programs and a finale pairing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Philadelphia Choral Arts.
The professional orchestra’s 86th season runs from October through June, with performances spanning Kennett Square, Chadds Ford, Oxford and West Chester in Pennsylvania; Wilmington and Winterthur in Delaware; New York City; and Longwood Gardens.
The season’s most significant expansion comes Oct. 18, when the Brandywine Valley Symphony Chamber Orchestra makes its Carnegie Hall debut at 1 p.m. in Weill Recital Hall. The performance is part of New York’s Ukrainian Cultural Festival.
Artistic Director Michael Hall and the orchestra will join the Shelest Piano Duo for works by Valentin Silvestrov, Philip Glass, Samuel Barber and Ukrainian composer Oleh Bezborodko. The program includes the U.S. premiere of Bezborodko’s “Steel, Violet, Rage,” inspired by a poem by Ukrainian soldier and poet Maksym Kryvtsov.
The Carnegie Hall performance is presented by the Alexander & Buono Foundation in association with Razom for Ukraine and C. Bechstein Pianos.
“From our Carnegie Hall debut to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Philadelphia Choral Arts, the 2026–27 season reflects both the artistic ambition of our orchestra and our commitment to creating welcoming, meaningful musical experiences close to home,” Hall stated.
Before the New York performance, the orchestra will open its season Oct. 4 with The Classics at Brantwyn, its largest annual fundraiser, at the Estate at Brantwyn in Wilmington. The event, scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., combines a classic-car showcase with live music, brunch and fundraising activities.
The regional orchestral series begins Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. with Masterworks I in the Grand Ballroom of the Mendenhall Inn in Chadds Ford. The program centers on Bizet’s Symphony No. 1, with Hall using commentary and live musical examples to examine the composition for audiences.
The BVS Brass Quintet will then perform two holiday programs. The first is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. at Oxford Presbyterian Church, marking the symphony’s first appearance at the venue. The Pearl Center for the Arts has underwritten the performance, and advance registration is required.
A second holiday concert follows Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. at the Chester County History Center in West Chester. The family-oriented program will include audience participation and museum access, with refreshments available during intermission for a suggested donation.
The orchestra will return to Kennett Library on Feb. 20, 2027, at 2 p.m. for an interactive family concert featuring the BVS Woodwind Quintet and Hall. The program is designed as an introduction to classical music for children and families who may not be ready for a full Masterworks performance.
Masterworks II is scheduled for March 14 at 3 p.m. in West Chester University’s Adler Theatre. Pianist Andrew Staupe will join the orchestra for Chopin’s “Krakowiak,” Op. 14, and “Grande Polonaise Brillante,” Op. 22.
The program will also feature Missy Mazzoli’s “Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)” and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7.
The BVS String Quartet will return to Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library on May 8 at 1 p.m. for a Mother’s Day family concert. Guests may separately add admission to Winterthur’s gardens, museum and research library.
The season culminates June 12 at 7 p.m. in Longwood Gardens’ Open Air Theatre. Jessie Montgomery’s “Hymn for Everyone” will open the program, followed by selected Schubert songs in orchestral settings.
After intermission, Philadelphia Choral Arts will join the orchestra for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and its “Ode to Joy” finale.
Tickets and additional information about the 2026–27 season are available at bvsymphony.org/concerts or by calling 610-444-6363. Additional information about the nonprofit orchestra is available at www.bvsymphony.org.
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