The Dallas Chamber Symphony is preparing to conclude the final round of the Dallas International Violin Competition at Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District on June 17. This event will also mark the closing concert of their 2024-2025 season as the orchestra looks forward to an exciting 2025-2026 lineup.
Following the success of its inaugural event in 2023, the orchestra is hosting the second biennial Dallas International Violin Competition in 2025. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will take place at the Murchison Performing Arts Center in Denton on June 12 and 13, respectively.
Richard McKay, Music and Artistic Director of the Dallas Chamber Symphony, noted the significant growth of the competition. “It has expanded considerably,” McKay said, highlighting that the competition received triple the number of applicants this year, drawing participants from all the nation’s leading music schools.
The final stage will showcase three outstanding violinists performing with the orchestra, under the baton of conductor Peter Bay. McKay expressed no surprise at the high caliber of the contenders, explaining that competitions are crucial milestones in musicians’ careers and can be pivotal in launching emerging talents.
Coming Attractions: A Season of Diverse and Distinguished Performances
The orchestra’s 2025-2026 concert season opens on October 14, featuring renowned pianist Anton Nel. Nel, who previously performed with the symphony in 2024 and holds the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Endowed Chair at the University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music, will present piano concertos by Mozart and Poulenc.
McKay highlighted the contrast between the selected pieces, describing Poulenc’s concerto as neoclassical with influences from Mozart, providing a modern reinterpretation of classical style. The evening will also include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major.
On November 11, award-winning cellist Alexander Hersh will be featured performing Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations. Hersh, known for his active online presence and collaborations with violinist Christopher Goodpasture, whom the orchestra featured last season, will be accompanied by Dvořák’s Czech Suite and Mozart’s Symphony No. 38, known as the “Prague.” McKay remarked on the program’s Czech character.
February 17’s concert will include works by Adam Schoenberg, Franz Schubert’s Fifth Symphony, and Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto, with soloist Yi-Chen Feng, the second-place winner of the 2024 Dallas International Piano Competition. McKay emphasized how these competitions provide valuable opportunities to connect with promising musicians early in their careers, enhancing the orchestra’s access to exceptional talent.
Harpist Yumiko Schlaffer, a veteran performer with the orchestra, will be a soloist on the April 21 program, performing Debussy’s Danse sacrée et danse profane. Complementing this, the concert will present Górecki’s Three Pieces in Old Style and Strauss’ Metamorphosen. McKay praised Schlaffer’s artistry and noted that this program, oriented around strings, is ideal for showcasing the harp.
The season will conclude on May 19 with a concert featuring the prize winner of the upcoming Dallas International Violin Competition performing a violin concerto. This program also includes Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor, completing the orchestra’s Brahms cycle. McKay described Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 as “gorgeous and harmonically expressive.”
Except for the final round of the 2026 Dallas International Piano Competition, which will be conducted by Jim Stopher on June 23, McKay will lead all other concerts of the season. All performances will be hosted at Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District. Subscriptions for the season are currently on sale, with single tickets available starting July 15.
Richard McKay summarized the season’s offerings: “This lineup fulfills important artistic goals for the orchestra. It balances repertoire we are eager to perform with lesser-known works deserving of greater exposure. The soloists represent diverse career paths yet share exceptional talent and musicianship. Every program will present something truly special.”
For additional information: Dallas Chamber Symphony
— The Violin Post Editorial Staff
