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2025-2026 Season Announcement
Press Release​
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Antoine T. Clark
Executive, Artistic, and Music Director
5884 N. High St., Worthington, OH, 43085
Office: 614-992-3378
Email: worthingtonchamberorchestra@gmail.com
Website: www.worthingtonchamberorchestra.org
Worthington Chamber Orchestra Announces 2025–2026 Season: American Crossroads
Commemorating America’s 250th Anniversary with Music, Story, and Community
WORTHINGTON, OHIO — In celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, the Worthington Chamber Orchestra (WCO) proudly unveils its 2025–2026 season, American Crossroads—a musical journey through the stories, sounds, and identities that define the American experience.
This milestone season reflects the dynamic intersections of culture, history, music, and art that have shaped the nation. Through bold programming, interdisciplinary collaborations, and community engagement, American Crossroads invites audiences to explore the richness of America’s past, present, and future.
Anchoring the season is WCO’s Benedicta Enrile Masterworks Series, performed in the acoustically wonderful Worthington United Methodist Church, featuring iconic works such as Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid Suite, Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1, and selections from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. Three major programs—Frontiers of Sound, Forever Dreaming, and Upon These Shores—celebrate diverse voices and themes drawn from the complex tapestry of American narratives.
WCO is thrilled to present a multidisciplinary array of award-winning guest artists: violinist Devin Copfer (WCO Concertmaster), oboist Dwight Parry (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra), the Carpe Diem String Quartet, bassoonist Scott Hanratty (WCO), poet and narrator Jennifer Hambrick (WOSU), sculptor Omar Shaheed, visual ethnographer Tariq Tarey, and narrator Marcus Jackson (The Ohio State University). New commissions by composers Aaron Quinn, Jacob Reed, and Ben Shirley enhance the season’s vision, which also includes featured works by Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate, Charles Ives, Marshall H. Barnes, Jeffrey Scott, Alyssa Morris, Jessie Montgomery, Franz Waxman, and Derek Bermel.
WCO is also pleased to welcome Ben Shirley as Composer-in-Residence for the 2025–2026 and 2026-2027 seasons. Shirley’s extraordinary journey from LA.’s Skid Row to the international stage powers his emotionally resonant music. WCO is excited to perform the world premieres of three of Shirley’s works and to give Ohio premieres of several others during his residency.
Complementing the Masterworks concerts are:
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Chamber Music Series: Two concerts at the McConnell Arts Center, including American Inspiration and American Portraits, which showcase works for small ensemble by Antonín DvoÅ™ák, Ben Shirley, Morton Gould, Valerie Coleman, and Michael Daugherty.
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Community Connect Series: Public conversations held at St. John’s Episcopal Church, St. John AME Church, and the Worthington Resource Pantry. These events give audiences a deeper understanding of the music, artists, and themes presented in each Masterworks concert, fostering dialogue and meaningful community engagement.
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Education and Family Series: Engaging performances of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Halloween favorite Danse Macabre at the McConnell Arts Center and Herbert Chappell’s charming Paddington Bear’s First Concert at Old Worthington Library.
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A new Summer Music in Nature Series at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center, bringing outdoor performances to new audiences.
Through partnerships with the Worthington Historical Society, King Arts Complex, and Worthington Resource Pantry, WCO deepens its community impact while lifting up the diverse stories that resonate in today’s America.
Join the Worthington Chamber Orchestra for a season of celebration, reflection, and discovery.
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