2025-2026 Masterworks

From the New World

Masterworks I- September 20 & 21

This program features the world premiere of Noir, a saxophone concerto by composer Adam Hochstatter, featuring Russ Peterson, saxophone.

Peterson also brings his own voice to the stage with Between Two Cultures, a genre-blending composition reflecting his dual roots in classical and jazz traditions.

To round off the program, the orchestra performs Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” inspired by Dvořák’s time in America and cultural diversity.

Music From Within

Masterworks II- November 8 & 9

Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 2 in D major will be brought to life by Deb Harris, FMSO’s principal flutist, whose expressive tone and command of the instrument reveal the concerto’s elegance.

The program also offers a rare treat as Music Director, Christopher Zimmerman, steps away from the conductor’s podium to perform at the piano in Ernest Bloch’s Concerto Grosso for Strings and Piano, a richly textured work blending Baroque tradition with modern harmony.

Also featured are Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale, a lively and theatrical piece full of storytelling, and Haydn’s Symphony No. 83, “La Poule”, known for its playful motif.

Symphonic Giants

masterworks III- January 17 & 18

A celebration of musical power and collaboration, Symphonic Giants brings together iconic works and rising talent in this program. The concert opens with selections from Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances in a side-by-side performance with the Fargo-Moorhead Area Youth Symphony.

Pianist Tyler Wottrich, Associate Professor of Piano at NDSU, takes the spotlight in Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2, an expressive masterpiece known for its dramatic flair and virtuosic fire.

The program concludes with Brahms’ Symphony No. 4, an emotionally rich work that stands as one of the towering achievements of the symphonic repertoire.