MACON, Ga. — The Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra launches its sixth season this fall with four blockbuster concerts featuring world-renowned guest conductors, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians, rising stars from Mercer University’s Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, and programs that are larger than life.
The season opens Sept. 21 with guest conductor Case Scaglione coming to the podium for the MMSO for the first time. Scaglione, the former associate conductor of the New York Philharmonic, is joined by two dynamite soloists who are also distinguished McDuffie Center faculty. Violinist Stefan Jackiw, praised by The Boston Globe for playing of “uncommon musical substance,” joins cellist Brannon Cho, first prize winner of the International Paulo Cello Competition, for Brahms’ “Double Concerto.”
Also on the bill is David Diamond’s “Rounds,” a jubilant American classic composed during World War II after a conductor simply asked him to “make me happy.” Finally, Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, nicknamed the “Classical,” is meant to mimic the style of Mozart or Haydn.
Additionally, a special season highlight this year includes, for the first time for the MMSO, Beethoven’s iconic Ninth Symphony. Presented with Mei Ann Chen returning to the podium on March 1, the work will include the ubiquitous “Ode to Joy,” a melody so embedded in collective memory that the moment the chorus enters, the entire room recognizes it at once.
The season also includes director of orchestral training Yaniv Segal leading Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun,” and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathetique,” alongside a selection chosen for the 2026 Mercer University Concerto Competition winner on April 5. Additionally, guest conductor Joseph Young will take on Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” the vividly theatrical “Don Juan” by Strauss, and Mozart’s innovative Symphony No. 39.
“Many of us believe the MMSO has become the finest regional orchestra in the country,” said Robert McDuffie, MMSO founder, who adds that he hopes to see audiences in person. “And it’s your orchestra, Macon! You’ll be astonished at the power of live music performed by world-class students of the McDuffie Center joining forces with principal players of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.”
Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra is a groundbreaking intergenerational collaboration between emerging artists of the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings and principal musicians from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra working as orchestral mentors for the students. It has brought the grand power of symphony music back to Macon, filling a necessary role for the Middle Georgia community. For the first five years of the symphony, the number of subscribers has increased, showing a growing appetite for the unique program.
All performances take place at The Piedmont Grand Opera House at 7:30 p.m. Patrons can guarantee the same seat for the entire season with a subscription. Season tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 478-301-5470. Mercer faculty/staff and patrons under 40 years of age can get a special discounted $60 season ticket by calling the box office or emailing morrison_j@mercer.edu for a promo code.
Single tickets for each concert are available for $25-$35 per concert and are free for students of all ages with valid ID. The McDuffie Center is committed to making the symphony accessible and available for all. Substantial discounts, educational resources and more are available for groups of 10 or more.
