Ben McNaboe didn't know what to expect when tasked with emptying the Little Orchestra's Society's storage unit in Manhattan, but what he found set in motion a series of events that brought a fantastic new piece of music to life. A story of inter-generational collaboration and dedication to music, For the Love of Brahms reminds us that every step of our journey can lead to unexpected triumphs.

This Sunday, our three Nextgen ensembles – Crescendo, Overture, and Allegretto – will be performing their final concert of the 2025-2026 Season at the F&M Barshinger Center. Let’s take a look at what our student musicians and their directors have been working on this Spring, with a special program note from Overture Director Scott Kaliszak.

Allegro is already preparing for our most ambitious undertaking in our 25 years: Mahler Symphony No. 8, aka 'Symphony of A Thousand.' This work is marked by its gigantic force. There have been only two performances of this work in Pennsylvania, both by the Philadelphia Orchestra: the American premier in 1916, and the 100-year anniversary in 2016. Here, we’ll look back at the origins of this grand work and forward to presenting this to the Lancaster community for the first time ever.