DeKalb Symphony Orchestra Season 62 Opening Night

Celebrate the opening of the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra’s 62nd Season on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, with a special performance in Emerson Hall at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. This exciting Opening Night marks the orchestra’s first performance in Emerson Hall, a milestone in the DeKalb Symphony’s history and an opportunity for audiences to experience the orchestra in one of metro Atlanta’s finest concert halls, renowned for its exceptional acoustics and elegant setting.
The evening begins with Eugène Gigout’s Grand Chœur Dialogué, a jubilant and majestic work whose brilliant fanfare-like character and festive spirit provide a stirring welcome to a new season. Rich in color and ceremonial grandeur, it sets the stage for an evening of extraordinary music.
Internationally acclaimed Spanish-Dutch pianist Albert Cano Smit joins the orchestra for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, one of the most beloved and exhilarating works in the classical repertoire. Praised by Le Devoir as “a moving young poet,” Cano Smit is celebrated for his captivating performances, storytelling artistry, and nuanced musicality. Winner of the 2019 Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions and the 2017 Walter W. Naumburg Piano Competition, he has appeared with leading orchestras throughout North America and Europe and has earned international acclaim for performances that combine extraordinary virtuosity with profound musical insight. His artistry is an ideal match for Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, whose iconic opening, soaring melodies, intimate lyricism, and breathtaking technical brilliance have captivated audiences for generations.
The concert concludes with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9, a work that delighted and puzzled its first audiences. Expected to compose a monumental victory symphony celebrating the end of World War II, Shostakovich instead delivered a compact, witty, and brilliantly orchestrated masterpiece filled with sparkling humor, playful irony, and moments of lyrical reflection. Brimming with energy and imagination, the symphony reveals the composer’s unmistakable voice while offering a fresh and unexpected conclusion to an evening of celebration, virtuosity, and musical discovery.
Join the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra as we launch Season 62 with a memorable Opening Night celebrating an unforgettable evening of symphonic masterworks, an internationally acclaimed guest artist, and the orchestra’s historic first performance in Emerson Hall. Tickets available at dekalbsymphony.org.
Program:
Eugène Gigout — Grand Choeur Dialogué
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
Dmitri Shostakovich — Symphony No. 9 in E-flat major, Op. 70
Artists:
Dr. Paul Bhasin, Music Director and Conductor
Albert Cano Smit, piano
DeKalb Symphony Orchestra