The Nashville Symphony’s October 2025 schedule features Guest Conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush leading the orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony alongside cellist Zlatomir Fung; Guest Conductor Christian Reif conducting contemporary works by Charles Ives, Julia Perry, Kurt Weill, and Brian Field – whose Hymn for the Hunting features the world premiere of Amanda Gorman’s poetry set to symphonic music and performed by mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges; a family-friendly symphonic whodunit written by Lemony Snickett; a one-night-only concert featuring R&B legend Raphael Saadiq; the return of the Indigo Girls with members of the Nashville Symphony; three nights with country singer-songwriter Jamey Jonson with the Nashville Symphony; a 50th anniversary screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show; and a special engagement with Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben. Find tickets to all events here.
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony: Elgar’s Cello Concerto
Thursday, October 2 & Friday, October 3, 7:30 PM
Tickets: Starting at $29
Experience this emotionally charged program under the baton of rising star conductor
Jonathan Taylor Rush, making his Nashville Symphony Classical Series debut. Cellist
Zlatomir Fung, an international award-winner, brings fiery passion and lyrical nuance to
Elgar’s meditative and intimate masterpiece. With Rush at the podium, expect a fresh
perspective on three deeply expressive works.
Raphael Saadiq: No Bandwidth!
Tuesday, October 14, 7:30 PM
Tickets: Starting at $61.50
Experience a Schermerhorn Symphony Center premiere with the incomparable Raphael
Saadiq. This GRAMMY® Award-winning artist, producer, and songwriter has sold more than
30 million records worldwide, shaping contemporary music for more than three decades.
From his early days touring with Prince and Sheila E., to defining ’90s R&B with Tony! Toni!
Toné!, and through his critically acclaimed solo career and extensive collaborations with
icons like D’Angelo, Solange, and Beyoncé, Saadiq’s influence is undeniable. Presented
without the Nashville Symphony.
Jamey Johnson Symphony in the South with the Nashville Symphony
Friday, October 17 & Saturday, October 18, 7:30 PM
Tickets: Starting at $37
Ten-time GRAMMY® nominee and Grand Ole Opry member Jamey Johnson joins the
Nashville Symphony for their first collaboration as part of the Nashville Symphony’s
2025/26 Pops Series. Jamey is set to perform his 5x platinum-certified single “In Color” with orchestrations from the Symphony, along with other hit songs like “Lead Me Home” and “Even the Skies are Blue.”
The Composer is Dead
Sunday, October 19, 3:00 PM
Tickets: Starting at $28
Put on your detective hat and join the Nashville Symphony for a thrilling orchestral murder
mystery! With clues hidden in the music, Lemony Snicket’s The Composer Is Dead brings to
life a comedic whodunit where every section of the orchestra is a suspect. Will you solve
the case before the Inspector does? Featuring Nathaniel Stookey’s dynamic score and
narration written by Lemony Snicket, this witty and entertaining program introduces
children to the orchestra in a fun, unforgettable way – while keeping adults laughing with
its clever twists and musical humor.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Spectacular Tour
Tuesday, October 21, 7:30 PM
Tickets: Starting at $56
Join the original ‘Brad Majors’ – Barry Bostwick – for a screening of the original unedited
Rocky Horror Picture Show like you’ve never seen it before! Plus, a live shadow cast and
audience participation, a memorabilia display with artifacts and an actual costume from the
movie, a costume contest, and more! Presented without the Nashville Symphony.
Reflections and Hope
WORLD PREMIERE
Friday, October 24 & Saturday, October 25, 7:30 PM
Tickets: Starting at $29
A concert of powerful emotions, poetic storytelling, and bold new works. Mezzo-soprano
J’Nai Bridges joins conductor Christian Reif for the world premiere of Everything Hurts, a
poignant musical setting of Amanda Gorman’s searing poem “Hymn for the Hurting,
” and Charles Ives’s timeless meditation, The Unanswered Question. The program continues with Julia Perry’s haunting Stabat Mater and Kurt Weill’s vibrant Symphony No. 2. These performances are a hopeful reminder of music’s enduring ability to heal, uplift, and inspire.
Indigo Girls with Members of the Nashville Symphony
Sunday, October 26, 7:30 PM
Tickets: Starting at $36
Experience the GRAMMY® Award-winning Indigo Girls take the stage with members of the
Nashville Symphony. This one-of-a-kind concert blends the Indigo Girls’ signature folk-pop
sound with the grand sound of a symphony orchestra. Enjoy breathtaking orchestrations of
their most beloved hits, including “Power of Two,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” “Get Out
the Map,” and more. Don’t miss this powerful fusion of heartfelt songwriting and
symphonic brilliance.
An Evening with Reese Witherspoon & Harlan Coben
Wednesday, October 29, 7:00 PM
Tickets: Starting at $78
Join two titans of storytelling – Academy Award-winning actress, producer, and New York
Times bestselling author Reese Witherspoon and #1 global suspense phenomenon Harlan
Coben – for a special event in partnership with Humanities Tennessee and Parnassus Books
to celebrate the publication of their gripping new thriller, Gone Before Goodbye. Presented
without the Nashville Symphony.
The Nashville Symphony is where music comes alive for Middle Tennessee and beyond. Founded in 1946, the orchestra performs at the world-class Schermerhorn Symphony Center, presenting a mix of classical masterpieces, groundbreaking new works, jazz, pop, film concerts, and family programming. Learn more at nashvillesymphony.org.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter!
