The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra has been teasing this season since January, but now the moment has arrived: tickets for 2025–26 are finally on sale. And what a season it is — a blend of blockbuster soundtracks, classic composers, and some of the smoothest yacht rock you’ll hear outside a Texas lakeside bar. From John Williams’ iconic film scores to Brahms’ thunderous symphonies, this lineup isn’t just for the classical purists; it’s a celebration of the many ways music moves us, whether you’re a lifelong fan or just along for the ride.
Where the Stars Come Out
The season kicks off August 20 at Bass Performance Hall with “Stars of the Symphony,” a spotlight on the orchestra’s own virtuosos performing beloved showpieces — an elegant prelude before things go full lightsaber just two nights later. On August 22 and 23, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert” beams into Cowtown, with John Williams’ score played live to film. The next weekend (August 29–30) brings “The Music of Queen,” a raucous return of Windborne’s crowd-pleasing symphonic rock mash-up featuring hits like “We Will Rock You” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Classical Roots, Cowtown Soul
By September, Music Director Robert Spano gets down to business with an opening weekend featuring Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 and Grieg’s ever-popular Piano Concerto (September 5–7). Later that month, the orchestra trades oversized drama for oversized imagination in “Symphonic Stories: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (September 19–21) and then settles in for a chamber music showcase at the Kimbell Art Museum (September 28), featuring “Brahms, Ravel, and Poulenc.”
But the flash returns quickly. October 11 brings “Yacht Rock Symphony” to Will Rogers Auditorium, pairing the FWSO with soft rock legends like Ambrosia and Peter Beckett of Player for a night that promises smooth grooves and serious nostalgia.
And then? Dinosaurs. “Jurassic Park in Concert” (November 1) stomps back onto the big screen with the orchestra supplying the thunderous live score. That’s followed by “REWIND: Music of the 80s” (November 7–8), a time-traveling tribute to parachute pants and synths, and “Saint-Georges’ Sword and Bow” (also November 8), a time-bending family concert about a modern girl who discovers her teacher was once the most famous musician in 18th-century France.
Holiday Hits and High Notes
The season’s holiday offerings are festive and family-friendly, beginning with “Mozart and Mahler’s Fourth” (November 21–23), followed by the beloved “Home for the Holidays” program (November 28–29), complete with carols and Santa Claus cameos. Come December 13, Will Ferrell’s “Elf in Concert” gets the symphonic treatment at Will Rogers Auditorium in a screening with the FWSO performing John Debney’s score live.
Into the New Year — and Back to the Old World
2026 opens with a French twist. “The Sounds of Paris” (January 9–11) includes works by Debussy, Berlioz, and Ravel, while “Wild West Rodeo” (January 16–17) ropes in fans with Western film scores and artwork from the Sid Richardson Museum projected overhead.
January also brings one of the season’s most thoughtful and inclusive programs: “The Unicorn’s Birthday” (January 17), a sensory-friendly concert designed for children and adults with sensitivities to sound, light, and crowds. That same weekend, clarinetist Stas Chernyshev and bassoonist George Sakakeeny take center stage in “FWSO Stars: Stas Chernyshev and George Sakakeeny Play Strauss” (January 23–25), before the season roars into Disney territory once again with “The Lion King in Concert” (January 30–31).
Big Names, Bigger Moments
Violin legend Gil Shaham headlines the annual gala in “Gala Concert Starring Gil Shaham” (February 21), performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto with Spano on the podium. A week later, “Shakespeare at the Symphony” (February 27–March 1) blends drama and music with selections from Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
In March, Marvel fans assemble for “The Infinity Saga Concert Experience” (March 6–7), covering twenty-three films in one orchestral marathon. Later that month, Jane Glover conducts a trio of heavyweight works — Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes,” Haydn’s “Sinfonia Concertante,” and Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony — in “Jane Glover Conducts FWSO Stars” (March 20–22).
Animated Magic, Spanish Fire, and a Fairy-Tale Finish
April belongs to Disney again with “Walt Disney Animation Studios — A Decade in Concert” (April 18–19 at Will Rogers), followed by another chamber showcase at the Kimbell with “Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann” (April 19). Then comes a weekend of Spanish flair (April 24–26) with “Spanish Masters: An Evening of Music and Art,” pairing Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole, Lieberson’s Neruda Songs, and de Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat.
Families will want to save May 2 for “Storybook: Sleeping Beauty” at TCU’s Van Cliburn Concert Hall — a whimsical blend of music, dance, and projected illustration. And the season finishes with a trio of richly woven symphonic programs: “Brahms & Dvořák” (May 8–10), “Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Barber’s Knoxville” (May 16), and a grand Nordic finale in “An Evening in Finland” (May 22–24).
Whether you’re a lifelong classical buff or just someone who grew up blasting Queen in your pickup, there’s something in the FWSO’s season designed to speak your language — and maybe surprise you, too. In true Fort Worth fashion, the 2025–26 season straddles high art and accessible charm, pairing Beethoven with “The Lion King,” Brahms with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and cowboy swagger with symphonic swagger.