Beethoven Symphony No. 6

The North Carolina Symphony is bringing Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 to the Meymandi Concert Hall at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh on Friday, April 23, 2027, at 8 PM. If Friday doesn't work, there's a second performance the next night, Saturday, April 24, also at 8 PM.

Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto is leading the orchestra, and the program pairs the Sixth—better known as the Pastoral—with Brahms' Symphony No. 2. Both are on the lighter side of the symphonic repertoire, so it's a fairly cohesive evening. The Pastoral is one of the most famous examples of program music, written to evoke the countryside, and Brahms' Second is widely regarded as one of his most sunny and optimistic works. Hearing them together in one sitting makes for a pretty cohesive night.

These concerts are part of a season-long festival celebrating Beethoven, with Prieto leading the symphony across five programs throughout the season, joined by guest artists along the way. This particular pairing is just one piece of that larger run.

If you're coming early, there's a free 30-minute pre-concert experience called Concert Insights at 7 PM, led by Prieto and the evening's guest artists. Doors open 90 minutes before the performance, and every patron needs a ticket. Children two and under aren't permitted. The main show starts at 8 PM on both Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24.