An Ode to Joy for UMBC: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9

Join the Department of Music as we lift our voices for the very first time in one of history’s greatest expressions of equality, freedom, and community— Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Ode to Joy!” A UMBC campus premiere, this historic collaboration of the University Symphony Orchestra , Camerata , Jubilee Singers , String Chamber Orchestra, guest artists, faculty, and UMBC alumni will resonate in Linehan Concert Hall with generations of UMBC artists under the baton of Philip Mann . The program features the poignant words of former United States Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith in a reimagination of Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” poem as a contemporary meditation on community, politics, and spirit. In a thoughtful pairing to complete an unforgettable experience, Lulu Mwangi will lead a performance of 2026 Pulitzer Prize winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s My Angel, His Name is Freedom . Two performances: Saturday, December 5, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, December 6, 3 p.m. Ticket information is forthcoming. Linehan Concert Hall, located in the Performing Arts and Humanities Building, is easy to visit, with plenty of free parking. Please visit here for directions and parking information. Sponsored by PNC.