A Grand Finale: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Ode to Joy

Experience a historic evening of musical transcendence as Panama City Symphony presents the crowning jewel of the orchestral repertoire: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. This performance serves as our Season 26-27 Grand Finale and is included in all Season Subscription purchases.

Composed between 1822 and 1824, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor is widely considered the supreme achievement of Western classical music. The Ninth stands as the definitive bridge between the Classical and Romantic eras; it took the balanced, formal structures of the past and infused them with the raw, expansive emotion that would define the future of music.

Interestingly, Beethoven was the first composer to add human voices to a symphony, earning it the nickname the “Choral Symphony.” The finale features the world-famous “Ode to Joy,” utilizing the stirring German text of Friedrich Schiller’s poem, An die Freude. Sung in its original German, the chorus serves as a powerful anthem for unity and the shared bond of humanity. To meet the towering demands of this score, we are currently recruiting four outstanding guest soloists—a soprano, alto, tenor, and bass—to join our orchestra and chorus for this movement.

To do justice to a work of this magnitude, the performance will be held at the spacious 1,000-seat Helen Blackburn Auditorium at Arnold High School. The venue features a stage large enough to accommodate the scale of our full orchestra alongside the powerhouse of the combined adult chorus.

The vocal force of the evening is guided by two exceptional local leaders. Christina Burroughs, Director, Panama City Symphony Adult Chorus, is a versatile lyric soprano who has performed leading roles like Mimi in La Bohème and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte across the U.S., Christina brings over two decades of professional stage experience and a Master’s from the San Francisco Conservatory. Dr. Kristin Wendland, Director, Emerald Coast Singers, is a Teaching Professor Emerita from Emory University and a Fulbright scholar with a Ph.D. in Composition. Dr. Wendland is a renowned music theorist and author who brings a wealth of international research and professional artistry to this choral collaboration.

This concert is more than a finale; it represents our vision for a new chapter. Our Search Committee’s goal is for this performance to serve as the intended reveal of our next Music Director and Conductor. We are working diligently toward having our new artistic leader take the podium for the first time to conduct this masterpiece, providing a triumphant launch into our 2027-2028 season.

Join us as we strive to celebrate the moment where our history meets its future.

Info: Ludwig van Beethoven — Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ("Choral")

Event venue & nearby stays

Arnold High School, 550 Alf Coleman Road, Panama City Beach, United States

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