October 21, 2026 – April 14, 2027
Coffee with the Conductor
Start your morning with a front-row seat to the music, and a fresh cup of coffee on us.
Join Maestro Matthew Wardell at the historic Marion Theatre in downtown Ocala for a relaxed, engaging morning before each featured Ocala Symphony program. Matt shares the fascinating stories behind the composers, the history that shaped each piece, and the moments to listen for when the orchestra takes the stage, with recordings to bring it all to life. Along the way, you may meet a guest conductor or a featured soloist. Then the floor is yours for questions, so bring your curiosity.
This season’s sessions:
Pictures at an Exhibition takes you on a stroll through a gallery of musical paintings.
Enchanted steps into the magical world of Russian ballet, with Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Stravinsky’s blazing Firebird, and Prokofiev’s Cinderella.
The Long Arc puts the spotlight on the OSO strings. It features violinist Isabela Diaz in Philip Glass’s hypnotic Violin Concerto No. 2, “The American Four Seasons,” the world premiere of Gala Flagello’s Zeitgeist, and Benjamin Britten’s playful Simple Symphony.
Famous Last Words closes the season with farewells: Tchaikovsky’s final symphony, the “Pathétique,” Strauss’s radiant Four Last Songs, and the overture to Mozart’s The Magic Flute, from the last year of his life.
Each session runs about an hour and change. Admission and coffee are free, and you don’t need a concert ticket to attend. But we’ll warn you: by the time your cup is empty, you’ll want one.
Wednesdays at 10 AM | The Marion Theatre, 50 S. Magnolia Avenue
October 21 · January 20 · February 24 · April 14
RSVP today to save your seat!