Thank you so much for being a part of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. We’re excited to bring you some news of upcoming concerts and events plus stories from the past month! Read further to find out what to expect in this March 2026 E-News & Stories.
- MSO Upcoming Concerts & Events
- Education: The Final Forte 2026
- Symphony: Ax Plays Mozart
- MSO at the Movies: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™
- Organ: An Evening of Chamber Music and Organ
- News & Stories
- 26/27 Symphony Subscriptions
- John DeMain Book
- Celebrating Your Support
- You Can Support Music Forever
- Rachel Barton Pine Returns! Receptions
- Final Forte & Spring Young People’s Concert
- Community Events
- Children’s Theatre of Madison
- UW Opera
- WISC
- Looking Forward To Next Month
- Symphony: LA Guitar Quartet
- Special Event: MSO After Dark
MSO Upcoming Concerts & Events
Wisconsin Young Artists Compete: The Final Forte is a free concert open to the public TONIGHT! Audience members can register in advance and seating is general admission in select areas of the hall. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and close at 6:45 p.m. due to the live broadcast with the concert beginning at 7 p.m.
Event Details
When: Tonight, Wed. March 4th at 7 pm
Location: Overture Hall
Tickets: FREE with registration*
RSVP Here
The Madison Symphony Orchestra’s March concerts will feature Maestro John DeMain and the return of creative genius pianist Emanuel Ax. The program showcases works by Richard Strauss, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gabriela Ortiz and Ottorino Respighi.
Event Details
When: Mar. 20th & 21st at 7:30 pm
Mar. 22nd at 2:30 pm
Location: Overture Hall
Tickets: $22-$125
Madison Symphony Orchestra’s MSO at the Movies presents Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ Live in Concert featuring John Williams’ GRAMMY® Award-winning score performed live to the film led by conductor Kyle Knox at Overture Hall.
Event Details
When: Mar. 28th at 7:30 pm
Mar. 29th at 2:30 pm
Location: Overture Hall
Tickets: $34-$114
The Overture Concert Organ’s fourth and final concert will feature Principal Organist Greg Zelek as brings nine of the MSO colleagues with him on stage to showcase their talent and unique pairing. The program features pieces from Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Antonín Dvořák, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Frideric Handel and so many more.
Event Details
When: Mar. 31st at 7:30 pm
Location: Overture Hall
Tickets: $28-$51
News & Stories
2026-2027 Symphony Subscriptions Are Live!
Welcome to the next century of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Come experience the 2026-2027 season as it brims with orchestral masterworks, world-class soloists and conductors, sonic power and passion, and the arrival of the soon-to-be-announced new music director. Madison Symphony Orchestra’s 2026-2027 season will be a journey of newness, artistry and innovation. There is no better way to explore the season than to subscribe. You’ll get the best seats in the stunning Overture Hall before they go on sale to the wider public, and you’ll enjoy substantial savings while you are at it!
John DeMain Book Release
Longtime Music Director John DeMain, who has led the Madison Symphony Orchestra since 1994, will release his new book, Working with My Heroes, written with the late Greg Hettmansberger, on Tuesday, March 17. The book chronicles DeMain’s decades on the podium, reflecting on collaborations with iconic performers, composers and mentors and offers insights into the artistic relationships that influenced his approach to conducting and music-making. Working with My Heroes will be available for purchase at the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s remaining performances throughout the season
Learn More & Pre-Order The Book
Celebrating Your Support
You Can Support Music Forever
Are you currently supporting the MSO with annual ticket purchases and/or an annual contribution? Do you wish to continue supporting the Symphony for as long as you can, possibly even forever? Making a gift to the MSO’s endowment is a way that today’s Symphony patrons can ensure their continued support after they are no longer able to attend concerts or make annual contributions. See an example and read the full story.
Rachel Barton Pine Returns! Receptions
After the recent concerts of Rachel Barton Pine Returns!, sponsors, donors, musicians, board members, staff, and guests gathered together for lively post-concert receptions.
Final Forte & Spring Young People’s Concert
This Thursday, over 1,600 students from across Wisconsin will join the MSO for the annual Spring Young People’s Concert (SYPC). A tradition for many schools to attend, the SYPC follows immediately after The Final Forte – the final round of the Bolz Young Artist Competition – which will take place tonight. The high school-aged winner will perform at the SYPC for an audience of their peers. These life-changing programs would not be possible without support from our sponsors and annual fund donors.
Community Events To Check Out!
Children’s Theater of Madison: Tiara’s Hat Parade
March 7th & 22nd, 2026
Rolling World Premiere!
A heartwarming one-woman show celebrating creativity, resilience and the importance of community. Based on Kelly Starling Lyons’ award-winning best-selling children’s book, this touching story shows how one small gesture can impact an entire community and that kindness is always in fashion.
Learn More
UW Opera: Our Town
March 20th-22nd & 24th, 2026
Ned Rorem beautifully captures the atmosphere of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire at the turn of the 20th century in his operatic treatment of Thornton Wilder’s seminal play. His harmonic language juxtaposes an open feeling of Americana with dissonance, an apt setting for this tale. The Stage Manager character narrates the familiar story following young George Gibbs and Emily Webbs and their parents as they fall in love and get married. And the last act’s poignant denouement occurs in the same way as it does in the play, as the dead remind us that life is short and we need to cherish it.
Learn More
Wisconsin Union Theater: Doric String Quartet
March 22nd, 2026
Personifying elegance and intimacy, the Doric String Quartet continues to make a name for itself on the international stage. Combining intellectual rigor and historical study with refined artistry, the ensemble sheds new light on the repertoire from Haydn to Mendelssohn using original-style bows for Classical repertoire. Performing a selection of Bach’s cerebral Art of Fugue alongside Haydn’s Fifth Quartet from his monumental Op. 20 set, and Beethoven’s last “Razumovsky” Quartet, this concert is sure to stimulate the mind and the heart all at once.
Learn More
Looking Forward To Next Month!
LA Guitar Quartet
When: April 10th, 11th & 12th
Where: Overture Hall
Tickets: $22-$125
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