A new Center for the Arts season means new subscription possibilities. Create a subscription package of 3+ eligible Center for the Arts performances in the 2026–27 season to save 15% on tickets and receive special perks all season long! Subscribers also receive flexible ticket exchanges (with no fees!) and the ability to purchase special events before single tickets go on sale to the general public on August 4—including Hollywood actor and jazz pianist Jeff Goldblum’s headlining performance as part of the ARTS by George! benefit!
Check out some additional inspiration for subscription combinations below, or choose any three or more eligible Great Performances at Mason or Family Series performances to create your own package...
Magic Makers
We could all use a little more wonder in our lives . . . these transfixing performers will keep you spellbound.
Sleights of hand abound in Gandini Juggling (May 1) when objects, vanish, float, and magically reappear, and juggling and magic collide in delightful and unexpected moments!
Mario the Maker Magician (February 20) puts a high-tech spin on classic tricks and illusions using homemade robotic contraptions to create “gleeful insanity” (Vogue) that will entrance audiences of all ages.
And you can count on some holiday magic in American Festival Pop Orchestra’s Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season (December 12), which always includes some of The Nutcracker Suite—conjuring up memories of the moment Clara receives her nutcracker . . . and the fantastical adventures that ensue!
Special Occasions
Need a reason to celebrate? We’ve got six! Our 2026–27 season is full of milestones so get dressed up (or not!) and help us make them memorable.
The pioneering Martha Graham Dance Company honors its centennial with GRAHAM100 (April 3), a multi-year celebration, showcasing the company’s groundbreaking work The Washington Post deemed “one of the seven wonders of the artistic universe.”
In a musical birthday celebration, Third Coast Percussion (February 6) honors the work and influence of Philip Glass with Ripples in the Water: Philip Glass at 90. During its Center for the Arts debut, the quartet will bring to life shimmering harmonies through thrilling rhythm, color, and texture.
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra turns 25 this year, and you are cordially invited to celebrate this milestone with the Center for the Arts! The ensemble will be on stage December 5 with a program that blends aguinaldo—Puerto Rico’s lively caroling tradition—with beloved Christmas favorites.
George Mason Artist-in-Residence Silkroad Ensemble will be marking its own 25th anniversary this November at a Carnegie Hall gala. But no need to plan a trip! You can see them closer to home at the Center for the Arts on April 10, where they’ll be joined by jazz composer and vocalist extraordinaire Cécile McLorin Salvant.
2027 marks the 35th anniversary of Gandini Juggling (May 1), who appear on the Center for the Arts stage to dazzle and amaze audience with deft feats of juggling and magic. A world leader in contemporary circus, the troupe will offer “a delightful blend of high skill, silliness and surrealism” (The Times).
Celtic rock juggernaut Gaelic Storm (March 7) celebrates its 30th anniversary next year—making its pre-St. Patrick’s Day performance extra festive! Experience the ensemble’s blustery blend of Celtic tradition with modern rock, bluegrass, and folk influences in this unforgettable, fun-filled stage show.
Page to Stage
Fiction fans will get a thrill (and a chill?) from these captivating new adaptations of classic stories.
Aquila Theatre (January 23) delivers Gothic horror and a terrifying glimpse into the human psyche in a “dramatically revealing” (The New Yorker) production of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (January 23), based on the book by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Audiences young and old will appreciate TheaterWorksUSA’s musical production of The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System (April 11), inspired by the popular Scholastic book series, featuring the madcap (and educational!) adventures of Miss Frizzle and her curious students, as well as the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s Three Little Pigs and Other Tales (February 28), a fresh reimagining of the beloved storybooks Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff.
For Grammy Groupies
These award-winning performers are in a class all their own . . . and give you what you need to build your own star-studded subscription.
Joining the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (April 17), the incomparable Itzhak Perlman (15 Grammy wins, 47 nominations) will enchant audiences with an evening celebrating the magic of cinema and beauty of the live orchestral sound.
“Towering figure of cross-cultural music” (The New Yorker) Angélique Kidjo (April 25) returns to the Center for the Arts with a dynamic live show shaped by four decades of music-making that have earned her 5 Grammy Awards and 16 nominations.
Hailed as the “leading light of the salsa reconstruction movement,” (Newsday) three-time Grammy winner Spanish Harlem Orchestra will bring its distinctive, energetic sound to the Center for the Arts on December 5, in a rousing Puerto Rican-style holiday concert.
Grammy-winning ensemble Silkroad Ensemble and Grammy-winning jazz singer Cécile McLorant Salvant combine their extraordinary musical powers in a world-premiere program (April 10) that takes audiences across genres and musical boundaries.
British a cappella ensemble and Grammy nominee VOCES8 (October 17) travels through time and genres with a repertory that ranges from classical music to jazz and pop hits, dazzling and inspiring listeners with “gorgeous sound.” (BBC Music Magazine)
Two-time Grammy nominee Canadian Brass (November 28) trumpets in the holiday season with brassy and beautiful classics, including “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Christmastime is Here” as well as festive, original arrangements.
The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, recognized as one of Eastern Europe’s most distinguished orchestras, has received two Grammy nominations. On January 31, their musical prowess will be on full display with a program featuring the work of Mendelssohn, Ukrainian composers Dmitry Bortniansky and Valentin Silvestrov, and more. Leading the performance? Grammy Award-winning conductor Volodymyr Sirenko.
Grammy Award-winning quartet Third Coast Percussion will make its Center for the Arts debut on February 6 with an electrifying program featuring traditional and unexpected percussion instruments. The concert celebrates the 90th birthday of legendary composer Philip Glass, who, yes, has received several Grammy nominations—and too many other honors to count!
And last but not least . . . the Grammy-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra—renowned for its conductorless, collaborative performances—will take the stage on February 21 with acclaimed British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, recipient of the coveted Leonard Bernstein Award.
Fresh AiR (Artist-in-Residence) Performances
These invigorating, unconventional Artist-in-Residence performances will wake you up, shake you up, and get you grooving!
Music From The Sole (September 26) embraces tap’s unique blend of sound and movement, drawing on influences like samba, Afro-Cuban, passinho (Brazilian funk), and jazz to deliver a “jolt of good energy.” (The New York Times)
Shimmering harmonies come to life in Third Coast Percussion’s (February 6) thrilling program, honoring the work and influence of legendary composer Philip Glass as he turns 90 and delivering a performance that will “beguil[e] new listeners.” (NPR)
Silkroad Ensemble (April 10) returns for their fifth season as Artist-in-Residence, joined by composer and vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant for a world-premiere concert that showcases the ensemble’s boundary-blurring artistry and takes audiences on a journey of musical discovery.
Orchestras of All Shapes and Sizes
This season features orchestras aplenty! From the eclectic holiday sound of Thomas Lauderdale’s globe-trotting “little orchestra” Pink Martini All-Stars (December 10) to the thunderous beauty of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 (January 31), there’s music to suit every mood and occasion.
All the cool cats will be going to Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra’s evening featuring the finger-snapping tunes of Peggy Lee, June Christy, and other female jazz greats (March 27).
Adding a little spice is the Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s Salsa Navidad (December 5),an electrifying program blending aguinaldo—Puerto Rico’s lively caroling tradition—with American Christmas classics.
Can’t get enough holiday orchestra cheer? The crowd-pleaser American Festival Pops Orchestra (December 12) will continue its tradition of spreading musical goodwill with Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season, a festive concert of seasonal favorites for the entire family.
Members of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (February 21) play well with others, using a collaborative conductorless style to produce an exhilarating program that will highlight the virtuosity of piano “phenom” (San Francisco Chronicle) Isata Kanneh-Mason.
Local music talent will be on display April 17, when acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman joins the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra for Cinema Serenade, an unforgettable concert that includes the works of John Williams.
And Jeff Goldblum joins the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra in a special headliner event at ARTS by George! (October 3) featuring superb big band music (but, sadly, no Mildred Snitzer!) Add-on tickets to this special event are available now to subscribers before they go on sale individually on August 4.
Holiday Haul
Give your loved ones (or yourself) the gift of fabulous music this holiday season! The Spanish Harlem Orchestra will blast off the wintry chill with Salsa Navidad (December 5), a celebration of Puerto Rico holiday traditions performed in the electrifying salsa dura style.
NPR fans will love Pink Martini All-Stars (December 10), the globe-trotting “little orchestra” whose performance will showcase a mix of holiday favorites, plus the vocals of former All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro, along with America’s Got Talent finalist Jimmie Herrod, and the soulful Edna Vazquez.
Canadian Brass will make spirits bright on November 28 with original arrangements and distinctive takes on beloved holiday classics, including “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”
And you can’t go wrong with crowd favorite American Festival Pops Orchestra (December 12), which returns to spread seasonal cheer and festivity under the baton of Artistic Director and Conductor Peter Wilson.
It’s a String Thing
If the sound of strings makes your heart sing, make sure to check out the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (January 31), with a program that will feature guest artist and winner of the 2024 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, Dmytro Udovychenko—and a rousing performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.
Speaking of violins . . . the legendary Itzhak Perlman will join the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (April 17) for Cinema Serenade, an exquisite evening celebrating movie magic through the resounding sound of a live orchestra.
And on February 21, the conductorless Orpheus Chamber Orchestra’s new commissioned work for strings, Elixir of Life by Welsh composer Katie Jenkins, will showcase the ensemble’s collaborative artistry and “infectious love for making music” (The New York Times).
Create your own subscription package now to enjoy the 15% off discount and no-fee exchanges all season long, and to guarantee your seats before single tickets go on sale to the general public!