The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera embarks on an extraordinary new chapter with Opening Night: La Mer, taking place Thursday, September 11, 2025, at 7:30 PM in the historic Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Auditorium.
This performance marks not only the beginning of the 2025–26 season, but also the first step in a sweeping three-year artistic journey titled Unspoken: Our Stories Through Sound.
Over the next three seasons, the CSO will guide audiences through a visionary arc—one that reflects on the orchestra’s past, embraces the present, and looks boldly to the future. Each symphony season is a chapter in this living story: Reflection (2025–26), Moments (2026–27), and Destiny (2027–28). This ambitious project is designed to explore how music connects generations, communities, and ideas across time.
“Unspoken: Our Stories Through Sound is not just a theme—it’s a shared journey,” said CSO Music Director Ilya Ram, who begins his tenure this season. “We invite our community to join us in celebrating the stories, sounds, and spirit that have shaped our orchestra and will continue to inspire its future.”
The 2025–26 season, subtitled Reflection, turns its gaze toward the past. Through carefully chosen programs, the CSO honors its musical foundations while exploring the triumphs, challenges, and transformations that have defined its history.
Opening Night embodies this vision with a program that crosses continents and musical styles, creating a concert as expansive as the sea itself:
- William Grant Still’s Festive Overture – a jubilant, brassy burst of American energy.
- George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F Major – a dazzling piano showcase blending classical sophistication with jazz flair, featuring acclaimed soloist Ying Li.
- Lili Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps – a radiant and fleeting evocation of spring’s promise.
- Claude Debussy’s La Mer – a shimmering orchestral portrait of the sea’s beauty, turbulence, and grandeur.
Making her Chattanooga debut, pianist Ying Li brings youthful brilliance and international acclaim to Gershwin’s jazz-infused Concerto in F. A rising star on the global stage, Li has performed with major orchestras across Europe, Asia, and the United States, earning recognition for her artistry, technical command, and radiant stage presence.
Audiences can expect her performance to dazzle with both power and elegance, embodying the very spirit of Reflection: honoring tradition while bringing fresh perspective.
Opening Night: La Mer is just one week away, and tickets are moving quickly. This unforgettable performance marks not only the start of a season, but the dawn of a new era for the CSO under Maestro Ilya Ram’s leadership. The CSO’s Opening Night performance is made possible by the support of Captain Larry and Toni Taylor.
Tickets are available now at www.chattanoogasymphony.org or by calling the CSO Box Office at (423) 267-8583.
Opening Night: La Mer
- Thursday, September 11, 2025
- 7:30 PM
- Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Program
- William Grant Still | Festive Overture
- George Gershwin | Concerto in F
- Lili Boulanger | D’un matin de printemps
- Claude Debussy | La Mer
Artists
- Ilya Ram, conductor
- Ying Li, piano
The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera is one of the largest arts employers and is among few professional arts organizations in the region. The mission of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera is “to inspire, engage, and enrich the greater Chattanooga community through music and music education.”
A strong advocate for symphonic music, opera and access to music education, the CSO utilizes the power of live orchestral music and music education programs to build connections across generations, inspire individuals, and transform the Chattanooga community into a more vibrant, exciting place to live.
Conductor Ilya Ram, praised for his charismatic and energetic performances, is garnering an international reputation throughout North America and Europe. Constantly looking for creative new ways to approach classical music, Ram begins his relationship with the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera as Kayoko Dan Fund Music Director in the 25/26 Season. Ram also serves as Music Director of the Akademische Philharmonie Heidelberg in Germany since the 23/24 season.