Victoria Symphony Announces 85th Anniversary Season and the Return of Symphony SPLASH!
Victoria B.C. – The Victoria Symphony (VS) is thrilled to announce its 85th anniversary season, including the much-anticipated return of an expanded Symphony SPLASH! to kick off the 2025/26 Season.
“Eighty-five years ago, programming a season meant building a future for symphonic music in Victoria. Today, it’s about honouring that vision while making music relevant for our time,” says Music Director Christian Kluxen, who will be entering his ninth season with VS. “These past few seasons, I’ve been deeply moved by the renewed support we’ve felt from this incredible community, which has inspired us to create a season that reflects the heart and spirit of Victoria. With exciting new faces joining our already excellent core of musicians, every performance will be more vibrant than ever.”
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: September 14, 2025 – May 10, 2026
- Beethoven’s Violin Concerto played by rising Canadian star Kerson Leong as our season opening;
- The Victoria debut of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge in a program featuring Mozart’s Requiem as our season special;
- A diverse Pops Concert series led by Maestro Sean O’Loughlin anchored by a unique orchestral collaboration with two-time Polaris and Juno Award winning singer-songwriter Jeremy Dutcher;
- The debut of Leeds International Piano Competition winner, pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4;
- Stewart Goodyear playing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in a special presentation featuring the Vancouver Island Symphony;
- Internationally renowned Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins in a new work for orchestra and soloist by Jake Heggie with poetry written by Margaret Atwood;
- The return of two iconic Canadian jazz artists for Christmas Pops—Denzal Sinclaire and Dee Daniels;
- Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons played by BC-born star of the baroque violin and current Concertmaster of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society, Aisslinn Nosky;
- Three ‘Films in Concert’: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Elf, and Back to the Future;
- Exciting community collaborations with the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra for Fauré’s Requiem and Saint-Saëns’ Organ Concerto, and The Belfry Theatre and Victoria Choral Society for a semi-staged production of Grieg’s Peer Gynt;
- Mahler’s majestic Symphony No. 5 led by Maestro Christian Kluxen as our season finale.
“The energetic programming this season is a clear and inspiring reflection of what our audience and many community partners have helped us create over nine decades,” adds VS CEO Matthew White. “Through years of collective investment, this organization is now widely considered a shining example of what can be achieved in a smaller urban centre when an arts organization listens to and works with its community.”
“We are incredibly proud to support the Victoria Symphony, an organization that brings people together through the power of music,” emphasizes VS Season Sponsor GAIN Group’s Marketing Director Cindy Mui. “Music resonates with each of us in unique ways, offering personal meaning and evoking emotions that differ for every listener—much like at GAIN, where we strive to create individualized experiences for each of our customers. We are proud to support the Symphony and look forward to continuing our partnership in celebrating these inspiring performances with the community.”
SYMPHONY IN THE SUMMER FESTIVAL & SYMPHONY SPLASH!
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: July 24 – August 3, 2025
- VS and Pacific Opera Victoria return to The Butchart Gardens with a program featuring tenor Adam Luther and soprano Lauren Margison;
- VS presents The National Youth Orchestra of Canada playing Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 at Christ Church Cathedral
- SYMPHONY SPLASH! returns (expanded!) on August 2 & 3
With support from the City of Victoria’s Major Events and Initiatives Grant, presenting sponsor Huntingdon Hotel and Suites, underwriters Terry Scandrett and Angela Bassage, and others, the iconic Symphony SPLASH! returns to the barge in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Expanded to two days over the B.C. Day long weekend, each day will include two musical sets showcasing a diverse range of musical styles and artists supported by orchestral accompaniment. The programming includes appearances by the 90 members of The National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Juno award-winning and nominated Indigenous vocalists Celeigh Cardinal and Shawnee Kish, Sal Ferreras and his Latin Jazz Sextet, and the Victoria Symphony.
“B.C. Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is thrilled to be a part of the Victoria community and once again partner with Symphony SPLASH! to help bring this beloved event to Victoria harbour,” says Lara Gerrits, Director, Social Purpose, Partnerships and Engagement. “Music is one of the great ways we connect to each other and build and share community. Through its accessible, no-cost programming, Symphony SPLASH! helps make those vital connections possible, while empowering and showcasing local artists – a true win-win for everyone.”
SUBSCRIPTIONS & TICKETS
Season subscriptions are now on sale for returning subscribers and will open to all on Tuesday, March 25. VS Subscriptions invite you to compose your own musical journey by choosing five or more concerts, with savings of up to 25%. This simple format allows audiences to experience the full range of musical offerings across a variety of venues. Single tickets go on sale for Symphony in the Summer Festival events on Tuesday, June 17, except for Symphony SPLASH! which is a FREE public event. Single tickets for the main season go on sale Tuesday, July 22.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Victoria Symphony gratefully acknowledges its 2025/26 Corporate Season Sponsor: GAIN Group, our Season Underwriter: The Robert and Devi Jawl Foundation, our Symphony SPLASH! Corporate Presenting Sponsor: Huntingdon Hotel and Suites, Symphony SPLASH! Underwriters: Terry Scandrett and Angela Bassage, and Music Director Underwriter: Sandra Lackenbauer.
VS also extends heartfelt thanks to all our other Corporate Sponsors and Media Partners without whom our programming would not be possible: Butler Bros., Chateau Victoria, Odlum Brown, B.C. Lottery Corporation (BCLC), Horne Coupar, Long & McQuade, Vessel Liquor, Fine Floral Designs, L’Apero, Ocean 98.5, Jack 103.1, CTV, CFAX 1070, Used.ca, Times Colonist, and Chek TV.
Our Government Partners include the British Columbia Arts Council, the Province of British Columbia, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Department of Canadian Heritage, CRD, and the City of Victoria.
The Victoria Foundation, the Foundation for the Victoria Symphony, and all of the hundreds of individuals and underwriters who support the orchestra continue to be an essential part of what makes our programming possible.
ABOUT THE VICTORIA SYMPHONY
With a mission “to inspire, educate, and captivate our community through the transformative power of music,” the Victoria Symphony (VS) is one of British Columbia’s largest performing arts organizations. At the core of VS operations is our commitment to our orchestra: 44 outstanding professional musicians who share their expertise not only on stage with our audiences, but in the community as teachers at the University of Victoria, the Victoria Conservatory of Music, and in private studios. Over 95% of our expenses go to paying local employees, artists, and businesses. The success of VS is tightly connected to our ongoing and valued collaborations with other major artistic partners in the local arts community. Our mutually beneficial relationships with groups like Pacific Opera Victoria, Ballet Victoria, Dance Victoria, Vox Humana Chamber Choir, The Victoria Children’s Choir, the Victoria Philharmonic Choir, the Victoria Choral Society, and the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra put us at the very centre of Victoria’s cultural community.
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Media Contact:
Maya Lohcham, Director of Marketing and Communications
Email: maya@victoriasymphony.ca | Phone: 250.412.2658