Memphis Symphony Orchestra: AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY ORCHESTRAL CELEBRATION

May 2, 2026
AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY ORCHESTRAL CELEBRATION Saturday, May 2, 2026 7:30 PM  8:30 PM

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts
255 N. Main St
Memphis, TN 38103
United States

May 2, 2026 at 7:30pm to 8:30pm

Robert Moody, conductor
Jeffrey Biegel, piano
Memphis Symphony Chorus · Joseph Powell, conductor

IVES Variations on America
BOYER Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue
HANSON Song of Democracy
TRAD. Lift Every Voice and Sing
BERNSTEIN Suite from Candide

Special support from the Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation

Celebrating America's 250th Birthday, Music Director Robert Moody leads a vibrant program beginning with Ives Variations on America, offering a unique, bold take on the patriotic tune. Samuel Boyer’s Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue follows as a lively tribute to American identity. The evening continues with Howard Hanson’s Song of Democracy, a powerful anthem of unity, before a stirring rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing, and concludes with Leonard Bernstein’s Suite from Candide, bursting with joy, wit, and optimism.

Parking: Garage at 266 N. Front St. — online kiosks and advance reservations available for $11.41 (tax and fees included).