MSO’s summer institute brings a festival of music
Nightly concerts share the brilliance of guest artists, faculty, top students
Jackson, Mississippi — Mississippi Symphony Orchestra’s Premier Orchestral Institute (POI) and Music Festival June 9-14 turns the capital city into a classical music hub – more than 100 participants, including internationally acclaimed music faculty and guest artists plus talented students from around the world – with a string of concerts that are open to the public.
Musicians, from beginners to accomplished, gather at Millsaps College for the week to hone their skills, network with fellow musicians and professionals, and soak up the cultural exchange at these esteemed string workshops. With applications still coming in, the count is up to 117 participants enrolled for 2025. They range in age from 5 to around 70, all pursuing excellence in an art form that often becomes a lifelong passion.
“The education programs of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra are at the heart of its mission,” POI Director Camila Patiño said of this top summer program where participants – local, regional and international – come together for orchestral and chamber music training. Nightly concertspresent a showcase of world-class guest artists, faculty and budding professionals to inspire participants and offer the music-loving public a way to join the celebration.
Most concerts are free, held at the Ford Academic Complex Recital Hall at Millsaps College. Donations are welcome and appreciated. The POI 2025 concert schedule and highlights:
Masters in the Spotlight, 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, at Millsaps College – featuring renowned POI faculty and guest artists: Jae Won Seo, violin (South Korea); Alejandro Drago, violin(Argentina); Mario Rivera, viola (Honduras); Shirley Kim, cello (United States); Francisco Vila, cello (Ecuador).
Skyline Serenades: Tango to the Balkans, 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, on the Capital Towers rooftop – starring internationally acclaimed tango specialist and violinist Alejandro Drago alongside POI guest artists, with refreshments and sweeping views of downtown Jackson. Admission is $35 for this fundraiser supporting the 2025 festival (additional contributions welcome). Email info@poimso.com by June 1 to reserve a spot.
Classic Notes: A Chamber Music Extravaganza, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 12, at Millsaps College – an ensemble of POI guest artists and faculty in an intimate program of classical masterworks and contemporary expressions.
New Sounds, Timeless Classics, 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 13, at Millsaps College – featuring star conductor Germán Gutiérrez, the Master Camerata Ensemble (POI’s top orchestra) and soloist Francisco Vila, plus the world premiere of Italian composer Michele Allegro’s POI International Composition Competition-winning October Light.
Horizons, 11 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at Millsaps College – classical and South American folk music, pop music and more performed by the young musicians of POI’s orchestras, plus international guest soloists and conductors.
For more details, visit www.poimso.com/concerts.
Who: Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
What: 2025 Premiere Orchestral Institute & Music Festival
When: June 9-14, 2025
Where: Millsaps College Ford Academic Complex Recital Hall plus Capital Towers rooftop, Jackson, MS
Website: www.poimso.com/concerts
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