Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Announces 2026-27 Into the Music Series
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) invites Central Indiana audiences to experience classical music from a new perspective with the return of Into the Music, a free series designed to take audiences beyond the concert hall and into the music itself.
Now entering its second season, Into the Music pairs ISO Music Director Jun Märkl with Ryan Ahlwardt, co-host of Indy Now on FOX59 and CBS4, for four evenings at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Each program combines an engaging, onstage conversation with a full-orchestra performance, giving audiences the opportunity to learn about a work and its composer before hearing the music come to life.
The 2026-27 series explores four very different works, offering a journey through the expansive sound worlds of Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, contemporary American composer Kenji Bunch, and Robert Schumann. Throughout the season, Märkl and Ahlwardt will explore the stories and musical ideas behind each work, point out details to listen for, and invite audiences to hear familiar and unfamiliar music with fresh ears.
The season opens Oct. 15 with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, a work filled with pastoral beauty, striking contrasts, humor, mystery, and triumphant orchestral power. On Jan. 7, the series turns to Stravinsky’s dazzling Petrushka, continuing the ISO’s exploration of music connected to the Ballets Russes. The program on Feb. 18 shines a spotlight on composer Kenji Bunch, who will join the ISO in person to discuss a newly commissioned work before the orchestra performs it. The season concludes June 17 with Schumann’s Symphony No. 4, an emotionally charged work that pushes the traditional symphonic form in innovative and compelling directions.
Each Into the Music program begins with the conversation between Märkl and Ahlwardt, accompanied by musical examples from the orchestra. The discussion explores the composer and historical context of the work while highlighting specific sounds, themes, instruments, and moments for audiences to listen for. The conversation then gives way to a complete performance conducted by Märkl, allowing audiences to immediately hear the ideas explored onstage.
The series is designed for everyone, from those attending their first orchestral concert to longtime ISO patrons looking to deepen their understanding of the repertoire.
The 2026-27 Into the Music series includes:
- Mahler: Symphony No. 1 — Oct. 15, 2026
- Stravinsky: Petrushka — Jan. 7, 2027
- Kenji Bunch — Feb. 18, 2027
- Schumann: Symphony No. 4 — June 17, 2027
All performances begin at 6:30 p.m. at Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis. Into the Music performances are free, with patrons encouraged to pay what they wish to support the ISO. Tickets are required and can be reserved at www.indianapolissymphony.org.