The Central Oregon Symphony presents their second concert series of the 25-26 season this weekend (Maestro Michael Gesme's final season).

This richly varied program spans dramatic opera, heartfelt reflection, folk-inspired dance, and vivid orchestral color. Verdi’s La Forza del Destino Overture opens with gripping drama and sweeping lyricism, setting the stage for the emotional intensity of his opera. In contrast, Jonathan Leshnoff’s Elegy for Strings, Harp, Timpani, and French Horns offers a contemporary and deeply moving meditation on loss and memory.

Grieg’s Norwegian Dances, Op. 35 brings lively charm and folk flavor, while Ponchielli’s beloved Dance of the Hours sparkles with elegance and wit. The program concludes with Respighi’s Pines of Rome, a thrilling sonic journey through the Eternal City, rich with color and grandeur.

More info here.

Our Spring concert series takes place on:

• Saturday, May 16 - 2:00 PM
• Saturday, May 16 - 7:30 PM
• Sunday, May 17 - 2:00 PM (SOLD OUT)

All concerts will take place at the Mountain View High School Auditorium.

Tickets: To guarantee yourself a seat this weekend, become a member for the season with a tax-deductible donation of $75 or more. This will get you 2 (or more depending on donation level) tickets to this upcoming weekend's concerts, plus all the symphony and member-only chamber performances for the 2026-2027 season. You will also support the various symphony's education and outreach programs.

As it stands right now (and you can call the COSA office at (541) 317-3941 to confirm), member tickets are still available for the Saturday performances (the Sunday afternoon performance member tickets are fully reserved).

Streaming: If you can't make it to the concert in-person, we'll be streaming the Sunday concert. You'll be able to find a link on our website as soon as it's available.

Open Dress Rehearsal: If you don’t have tickets or your weekend schedule doesn’t allow you to attend one of our concerts, our open dress rehearsal is a wonderful alternative.

Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the orchestra’s final run-through, where you can hear the full program, watch the musicians and conductor fine-tune the performance, and feel the energy as everything comes together just before opening day. It’s a relaxed, welcoming way to experience the music, perfect for first-time concertgoers, students, families, and longtime symphony fans alike.

Come enjoy the excitement of live orchestral music while getting a rare glimpse into the creative process that brings a concert to life. 7 pm, Friday, May 15th, at Mountain View High School Auditorium. Free to all, and no tickets required.

Rush Line: Music should be enjoyed by all, regardless of ability to pay. In past seasons, we have had the luxury of a huge space (Bend High School had over 1400 seats, Mountain View has less than half that) in which to perform our concerts, and we made a significant number of complimentary tickets available for anyone interested in attending COS performances.

However, in order to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible to attend our concerts, this season we are implementing a practice known as a rush line. The idea is simple: there is always a set of ticket holders who are not able to attend a given performance, and we want to fill those seats on concert day.

The process:

• If you don't have a ticket, come to the hall prior to the concert and get in the rush line.
• Approximately 10 minutes before the show begins, ushers will count empty seats.
• Individuals in the rush line will be allowed into the show until the hall is at capacity.

Note that Saturday evening currently has the most likelihood of having rush seats available -- our afternoon performances fill up pretty quickly.

Hope to see you there!