There's something fitting about a program that opens with a brand-new piece and closes with one of the most beloved symphonies ever written. James Lee III's world premiere kicks off the evening as a tribute to conductor Rei Hotoda, setting the stage for what promises to be a rich blend of old and new. From there, the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto takes over—a piece full of soaring melodies and technical brilliance that showcases the soloist's range against the full orchestra's warmth.

The night builds toward Brahms' Symphony No. 1, a work that took the composer over two decades to complete and carries the weight of that patience in every movement. It's dense, dramatic, and deeply satisfying—the kind of symphony that rewards close listening, with themes that unfold slowly before resolving into something triumphant. Inside Reynolds Hall, with its tiered balconies and full orchestra pit, the acoustics give this kind of layered orchestral writing plenty of room to breathe.

This is a program for anyone who appreciates the arc of a well-built concert—new music paying homage to a conductor, a concerto that lets a soloist shine, and a symphony that closes things out with real gravity.