Orlando Philharmonic 2024-25 season: Bernstein, Broadway and dinos

The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2024-25 season will welcome Leonard Bernstein’s daughter, former artist-in-residence Anthony McGill, jazz trumpet player Bryan Stripling in a holiday show, Central Floridian turned Broadway star Michael James Scott and the dinosaurs of “Jurassic Park.”

The orchestra announced its season, which also includes Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Aoife O’Donovan, soprano Mikaela Bennet, pianist Ying Li and violinist Grace Park, on Friday morning.

Eric Jacobsen will return for his 10th year as music director, the final year of his current contract. The orchestra said he would conduct four programs during the season.

The orchestra’s Focus Series concerts will move from Monday to Wednesday evenings and return to The Plaza Live after a season at the First United Methodist Church of Orlando while The Plaza underwent renovations. Classics-series matinees will also see a schedule adjustment, starting at 2:30 p.m. Sundays instead of 3:30.

Details for the annual Resonate festival were not announced.

Here’s a chronological look at each of the orchestra’s series.

Classics Series

7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays in Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave. in Orlando.

OPENING NIGHT: Oct. 12-13. Aoife O’Donovan salutes the suffragette movement with “America, Come.” Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 is also on the program. Eric Jacobsen conducts.

AN EVENING WITH JAMIE BERNSTEIN: Nov. 9-10. The daughter of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein shares insights into his music on a program that includes his “Candide” overture and works from “West Side Story” and “On the Town,” as well as Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, famously recorded by the New York Philharmonic under Bernstein’s baton. Soprano Mikaela Bennet guests and Jacobsen conducts.

A HERO’S LIFE: Jan. 11-12, 2025. Richard Strauss’ “A Hero’s Life.” Also, New York Philharmonic principal clarinetist Anthony McGill will perform a world-premiere concerto by Gabe Kahane. Jacobsen conducts.

RIMMA PLAYS DVOŘÁK: March 8-9, 2025. Concertmaster Rimma Bergeron-Langlois plays Dvořák’s Violin Concerto. Also on the bill: Elgar’s Enigma’s Variations and the Florida premiere of Andy Akiho’s “Petroglyphs.” Alejandro Gómez Guillén conducts.

BEETHOVEN’S SYMPHONY NO. 3: An all-Beethoven program includes Ying Li soloing on the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Laura Jackson conducts.

TCHAIKOVSKY’S FIFTH: Jacobsen conducts the Russian’s Fifth Symphony. Grace Park solos on Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.

Pops Series

2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays in Steinmetz Hall.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Nov. 30. Byron Stripling conducts and plays “Holiday Swing.” Orlando Sings, directed by Andrew Minear, performs carols and leads sing-alongs.

‘JURASSIC PARK’: Feb. 1, 2025. John Williams’ score is performed live with a screening of the dinosaur-adventure film. Fans are invited to dress as their favorite human or dinosaur character.

THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS: April 19, 2025. Speaking of the legendary Williams, the composer is feted in a program of his “Harry Potter,” “Superman,” “Jaws,” “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” music. Enrico Lopez-Yañez conducts.

A DREAM IS A WISH: MICHAEL JAMES SCOTT’S BROADWAY: May 17, 2025. Former Orlando “theater kid,” now best known for playing the Genie in Disney’s “Aladdin” on Broadway, Michael James Scott performs. Chelsea Gallo conducts.

Focus Series

7 p.m. Wednesdays at The Plaza Live, 425 N. Bumby Ave. in Orlando.

RIMMA PRESENTS DVOŘÁK, MOZART & MORE: Oct. 30. Features Gabriel Bergeron-Langlois and Diane Bishop on Johann Baptist Vaňhal’s Double Bassoon Concerto.

BENJAMIN & BRANDENBURG: Nov. 20. Pianist Benjamin Hochman conducts a program that includes Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5.

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VIVA LA FIESTA: Feb. 12, 2025. Mauricio Céspedes Rivero conducts music by Latin American composers.

BOTH SLIDES OF THE TROMBONE: March 19, 2025. Chelsea Gallo conducts a program that highlights trombonists Jeff Thomas and Alex Regazzi.

Symphony Storytime Series

Children (ages 3-7) and family concerts at 10 & 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Sundays at The Plaza Live.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: Sept. 21-22. Featuring the orchestra’s strings and percussion.

HOLIDAY HARMONIES: Dec. 7-8. Dance and sing along with the orchestra’s brass quintet.

FERDINAND THE BULL: Feb. 15-16, 2025. A string quartet tells the story of an unusual bull.

HANSEL AND GRETEL: April 12-13. A woodwind quintet relays the fairy tale.

Free community concerts

HOLIDAY POPS: Dec. 7 at Apopka Amphitheater; Dec. 8 at Winter Park’s Central Park; Dec. 14 at Della Phillips Pavilion in Orlando.

SPRING POPS: March 15 at Apopka Amphitheater; March 16 at Winter Park’s Central Park.

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