South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

10/05/2026

🎻 What a wonderful beginning to our season.

Saturday evening’s performance of American Landscapes brought together an extraordinary program of American music, talented musicians, and a wonderful audience at the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium.

We are especially grateful to guest violinist Kinga Augustyn for joining us for a beautiful performance of Barber’s Violin Concerto, and to Maestro Kermit Poling and the musicians of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra for an evening that took us from moments of quiet reflection to sweeping American landscapes—and even toward new frontiers.

Most of all, thank you to everyone who joined us. Your continued support makes evenings like this possible, and we were so pleased to share the first destination of our Notes Across Nations season with you.

One destination down, four more to explore. 🎶
Next stop: Noël at Nightfall — December 11.

10/03/2026

10/02/2026

Carnegie Hall. Shanghai. Beijing. Venice. And this October—El Dorado.

Internationally acclaimed violinist Kinga Augustyn has appeared as a soloist across four continents, performing on some of the world’s most celebrated stages. A graduate of The Juilliard School and an award-winning recording artist, Kinga approaches every performance with a belief that music can tell stories, stir emotions and connect us beyond words.

On October 3, she joins the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra for American Landscapes, performing Samuel Barber’s stunning Violin Concerto.

It’s one of the works Kermit Poling is especially excited to share this season—and he describes Kinga simply: “an amazing performer.”

🇺🇸 American Landscapes
📅 October 3
🎟️ https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=610

10/01/2026

For more than three decades, Kermit Poling has been at the helm of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra — but his work reaches far beyond the conductor’s podium.

An internationally performed conductor and composer, Kermit has recorded his own compositions with the London Symphony Orchestra and studied with some of classical music’s most celebrated names, including Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. And this season, South Arkansas audiences will get to hear one of Kermit’s own works right here at home.

🇺🇸 American Landscapes opens our Notes Across Nations season on October 3 with music inspired by the history, spirit and possibility of America — including the Arkansas premiere of Kermit’s “To the Moon, Mars and Beyond,” a piece honoring the bravery of our astronauts, the legacy of the American space program and the frontiers still waiting to be discovered.

And that’s only the beginning. 🚀🎻

American Landscapes | October 3
South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra
Tickets: https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=610

09/30/2026

🚀 To the Moon, Mars and Beyond

The South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra's American Landscapes begins by looking not across the country—but up.

On October 3, the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will present the Arkansas premiere of Kermit Poling’s newest composition, “To the Moon, Mars and Beyond.”
Inspired by America’s space program, the bravery of its astronauts and our enduring drive to discover new frontiers, the piece begins with notes evocative of Morse code before setting out toward what comes next.

Hear it for the first time in Arkansas at American Landscapes on October 3. 🚀
Tickets: https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=610

09/29/2026

Some pieces are familiar from the very first notes.

On October 3, the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will perform Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring in its entirety for the first time in Kermit Poling’s 31 years with the orchestra.

It’s one of the defining sounds of American orchestral music—and the perfect finale for a concert celebrating the landscapes, history and spirit of America.

🇺🇸 American Landscapes | October 3
🎟️ https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=610

09/28/2026

🇺🇸 Four works. Four views of America. One unforgettable evening.

From the promise of new frontiers to breathtaking beauty, moments of reflection, and the sweeping landscapes that have helped define the American sound, American Landscapes explores our country through four distinct works.
🚀 THE FUTURE — Kermit Poling’s To the Moon, Mars and Beyond, receiving its Arkansas premiere
🎻 BEAUTY — Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, featuring guest violinist Kinga Augustyn
🌅 REFLECTION — Barber’s Adagio for Strings
🏔️ THE LANDSCAPE — Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, performed in its entirety

Join the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra as we open our Notes Across Nations season with a musical journey through the history, beauty and pioneering spirit of America.

🎶 American Landscapes
📅 October 3 | 7 PM
📍 El Dorado Municipal Auditorium
🎟️ https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=610

Our first destination awaits. 🇺🇸

06/19/2026

Change is a beautiful thing. It’s the spark behind every great masterpiece, the shift in a melody that gives you goosebumps, and the courage to turn the page to a thrilling new chapter.
As the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra steps into its landmark 70th anniversary season, we are embracing a wonderful new change: Effective as of July 1, we are officially joining forces with the South Arkansas Arts Center! SASO will now be a proud part of the SAAC family.
By bringing our resources together under one roof, we aren't just adapting to the future—we are actively shaping a bigger, bolder, and more vibrant arts community for El Dorado. Change allows us to grow, innovate, and ensure that the legacy of our symphony thrives for generations to come.
A leap forward like this only happens when an entire community rallies together. We want to extend our deepest, most heartfelt gratitude to everyone embracing this exciting new journey with us:
• To Our Patrons & Sponsors: Thank you for believing in our future. Your generosity ensures that as we evolve, our impact only grows stronger.
• To Our Extraordinary Musicians & Artists: Change brings new creative energy! Under the continued, brilliant baton of Maestro Kermit Poling, we cannot wait to see the fresh magic you will bring to the stage.
• To Our Incredible Volunteers: You are the steady hands and warm hearts guiding us through this transition. Thank you for always being ready to help us grow.
• To Our Forward-Thinking Board of Directors: Thank you for your brave leadership, your insight, and your dedication to steering us toward a sustainable, dynamic future.
• To the City of El Dorado: Thank you for being a city that doesn't just tolerate change, but champions progress. We are so proud to call El Dorado home as we enter this exciting new era.
The concerts you love, the educational programs that inspire our kids, and the community gatherings that bring us together aren't going anywhere—they’re just getting better.
Thank you for turning the page with us. Change is good, and together, our next chapter is going to be our best one yet!

05/25/2026

May 25, 2026 is Memorial Day.

Today, we honor the fallen and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We are able to do so many great things due to those sacrifices, and mostly take for granted at times.. Make sure to take time out of your day to remember and honor those heroes, and those who still serve.

From, the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

05/25/2026

Saturday’s Symphony on the Square was nothing short of a masterpiece! It was truly inspiring to see our community come together to celebrate our shared love for music, country, and each other.

An event of this scale takes a village—and a whole lot of rhythm! We want to send a huge shout-out to the incredible people who made the magic happen:

Maestro Kermit Poling & Guest Singer Jenna Tucker: For the world-class talent and breathtaking performances that anchored the evening.

Our Musicians: For the countless hours of practice and dedication required to pull off such an amazing feat.

Lighting & Media Crew: For keeping us in the spotlight and making sure we sounded spectacular under the stars.

South Arkansas Symphony Society and Volunteers: For being the tireless backbone of the entire operation.

Our Patrons, Sponsors, & Donors: Your generosity was the heartbeat of our 69th season.

Did you capture a great moment? We’d love to see the night through your lens!
1. Drop your photos in the comments below or
2. Tag us in your posts so we can relive the highlights!

As we wrap up our incredible 69th season, we want to extend a massive thank you to every patron, sponsor, and donor. Your support is the heartbeat of everything we do.

The music doesn’t stop here! We are officially tuning up for our milestone 70th season in partnership with the South Arkansas Arts Center. Get ready—the best is yet to come!