A Season to Remember
We will forever remember the 2025-26 season with a deep sense of gratitude for the many ways we came together as a community united through music. From powerful concerts and experimental formats to a milestone anniversary and heartfelt tributes, here’s a look at the most defining moments of the season.
Footloose and Fancy Free
Music and dance shared the spotlight in the debut of American Dance Odyssey, a groundbreaking collaboration with Miami City Ballet to produce an original Choreographic Concerto conceived by 10 acclaimed American composers and choreographers. Led by New World Symphony (NWS) Artistic Director Stéphane Denève, the program culminated with a spectacular tribute to legendary choreographer and director Jerome Robbins with additional dancers from Saint Louis Ballet, Houston Ballet and New York City Ballet.
At the performance, we honored the memory of Joshua Robison, NWS Co-Founder Michael Tilson Thomas’s (MTT) husband, and a cherished member of the NWS community.
Watch American Dance Odyssey on NWS Inside, our free streaming platform.
Chamber Music Glow Up
Rooted in its commitment to innovation, NWS introduced Neon Nights, an immersive experience where centuries of chamber music – from Bach to Bernstein – fused with vibrant, neon-inspired designs and installations that shifted in response to the music. Designed to create an intimate setting, guests enjoyed seating in private tables surrounding the musicians.
BLUE Projects Soared
This season’s BLUE Projects – Fellow-led initiatives that showcase leadership and entrepreneurship – delivered a creative surge. Standout performances include The Body That Listens; two literary-inspired concerts, The Clock Strikes at 2:32 PM and The Yellow Wallpaper in Concert; Devotion Meets the Symphony, a convergence of classical and sacred music and a Fellow’s first album, Constellations in Blue. Other highlights include Designing a Better Bass Stool; Trombones in the Spotlight featuring a clinic for young musicians; Sisters in Sound, a celebration of female composers; interactive workshops for neurodivergent individuals and off-site performances for cancer patients.
Watch selections from this season’s BLUE Projects on NWS's YouTube channel.
15 Years of Excellence
January marked the 15th anniversary of the New World Center, the only Frank Gehry-designed building in Florida. The celebration featured a retrospective photo exhibition and special concert led by NWS Artistic Director Stéphane Denève and renowned American composer and conductor John Adams, with the NWS debut of one of the world’s leading pianists Víkingur Ólafsson playing a new piano concerto by Adams written especially for him.
Watch the John Adams with Denève & Ólafsson concert on NWS Inside.
Remembering Our Founders
We closed the season by honoring two of NWS’s fearless founders – Lin Arison and Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT), who we lost in 2025 and 2026. Their vision and commitment forever transformed orchestral music in South Florida and beyond. The season finale opened with a video of MTT conducting Bernstein’s Overture to Candide at the 1980 Kennedy Center Honors, which brought the audience to its feet, and featured a moving tribute to Lin Arison.
The season finale is now available on NWS Inside, limited to U.S. viewers only.