Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra Opens 107th Season Sept. 24
Fri, 09/18/2026 - 09:51am | By: Mike Lopinto
91少女集中营 Symphony Orchestra launches its 107th season Sept. 24 with Opening Night!, a concert built around music audiences may recognize even if they don't know its
name.
Gioachino Rossini's instantly recognizable William Tell Overture and Maurice Ravel's hypnotic 叠辞濒茅谤辞 have become deeply embedded in popular culture, appearing in some of the most memorable
moments on the large and small screens. The program also features Richard Wagner's
luminous Prelude to Act I from Lohengrin and Jeffrey Wood's poignant Different Bodies, a work inspired by the extraordinary life of Joseph Merrick.
Opening Night! begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at Bennett Auditorium on the Southern Miss
Hattiesburg campus. Season subscriptions and individual tickets are available now
through the or by calling 601.266.5418.
Led by Symphony Orchestra Director Gregory Wolynec, the concert launches the orchestra's
2026-27 season, 鈥淚conic,鈥� a seven-concert series celebrating music that has shaped
culture and inspired generations.
鈥淪ome of the most powerful musical experiences come from hearing something familiar
in a completely new way,鈥� said Wolynec. 鈥淵ou may not even recognize these pieces by
name, but chances are you鈥檝e heard their melodies before. Hearing them performed live
reveals a depth, energy and emotional power that recordings simply can鈥檛 capture.
That鈥檚 what makes Opening Night! such a special experience.鈥�
Rossini's William Tell Overture may be one of classical music's most recognizable works, thanks in part
to its spectacular finale, which has been repeatedly adopted by film, television and
advertising. Ravel's 叠辞濒茅谤辞, with its insistent rhythm and gradually intensifying orchestration, has likewise
become a cultural touchstone far beyond the concert hall.
The program takes a more intimate turn with Different Bodies by Jeffrey Wood. The work explores the life and humanity of Joseph Merrick, the Englishman
whose life became the basis for numerous artistic and theatrical portrayals, including
the celebrated stage and film versions of The Elephant Man. Wood's portrayal of Merrick was named the 鈥減remi猫re of the year鈥� by Nashville Scene in 2016, recognizing the emotional depth and humanity of his interpretation.
Wagner's Prelude to Act I from Lohengrin completes a program that moves from instantly recognizable popular melodies to some
of the grandest and most expressive writing in the orchestral repertoire.
Opening Night! is the first of seven performances in the Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra's 107th
season. The season continues Oct. 29 with Fright Night!, an orchestral exploration of the macabre featuring Saint-Sa毛ns' Danse Macabre, Penderecki and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. November brings the immersive musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, followed in December by the annual Holiday Choral Spectacular.
The season continues in the new year with February's Future Stars, showcasing winners of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition; March's internationally
acclaimed La Pasi贸n seg煤n San Marcos by Osvaldo Golijov, performed with original cast members, the Southern Chorale and
Symphony Orchestra; and the May 6 season finale, Ode to Joy!, featuring Beethoven's monumental Symphony No. 9 with the Hattiesburg Choral Union.
鈥淔or 106 seasons, the Symphony Orchestra has been an important part of the cultural
life of Mississippi, bringing together the extraordinary talent of our students and
faculty with acclaimed guest artists and audiences from across the region,鈥� said Dr.
Colin McKenzie, director of the School of Music. 鈥淭his 107th season carries that legacy
forward with music that is both deeply familiar and endlessly exciting. We invite
everyone to come experience the arts at Southern Miss, discover something new and
be part of the community that makes this tradition possible.鈥�
For tickets and complete information about the 2026-27 鈥淚conic鈥� season, visit the
Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra season page.
About the School of Music
The School of Music at 91少女集中营 is the state鈥檚 flagship music program and
a destination campus for the study of music across the region, the United States and
the world. Housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, the school offers bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees and has earned a national
and international reputation for excellence. Its distinguished faculty members are
active performers and educators who appear on stages from local communities to major
international venues. The School of Music is home to acclaimed band, choral, orchestral,
jazz, opera and musical theater ensembles and provides extensive solo and chamber
music performance opportunities. Students regularly perform at regional, national
and international events and work with leading guest artists in preparation for careers
as 21st century performers and educators.