Signature Concert 4: “Vibrations in Nature and Tradition” with the Fort Collins Symphony
March 7 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The Fort Collins Symphony (FCS), under the direction of Maestro Wes Kenney, invites you to an extraordinary evening of music with the fourth concert in its Signature Concert series, “Vibration from Nature and Tradition” on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 7:30pm at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center. This concert offers both in-person and live-stream attendance options.
This program explores how music connects us to one another and to the world around us, through rhythm, sound, and shared tradition.
The evening opens with Chamber Dance by American composer Joan Tower which captures the energy that flows between musicians as they listen and respond in the moment. A simple four-note idea moves through the orchestra, creating a sense of motion and pulse that feels alive and constantly shifting.
Featured soloist Ji Su Jung then performs the Marimba Concerto by Kevin Puts. The marimba, a wooden instrument with roots in African and Central American traditions, produces warm, resonant tones that echo its natural origins. The concerto begins with a lyrical melody, moves into a calm and reflective middle section for marimba and strings, and builds to a rhythmic, high-energy finale that highlights the instrument’s rich vibrations.
The concert concludes with Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major by Ludwig van Beethoven. Grounded in Classical tradition yet full of bold ideas, the symphony opens with suspense before unfolding into bright themes, playful rhythms, and moments of humor. It reflects Beethoven’s ability to take established forms and fill them with vitality and surprise.
From the shared pulse of chamber-style playing, to the earthy resonance of the marimba, to Beethoven’s lively symphonic tradition, “Vibrations from Nature and Tradition” highlights the many ways music carries energy across time and culture.
Featured Artist
Praised by JoAnn Falletta for her “breathtaking virtuosity” and “extraordinary color and nuance,” Ji Su Jung is one of today’s most celebrated marimbists. She has performed as a soloist with the Baltimore Symphony, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and others, and her acclaimed recording of Kevin Puts’ Marimba Concerto with Marin Alsop and the BSO was released by Naxos in 2023.
Equally at home as a concerto soloist, recitalist, and collaborative artist, Ms. Jung has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Yellow Barn, and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, collaborating with artists such as Gilbert Kalish and The Percussion Collective. The first percussionist ever to receive an Avery Fisher Career Grant (2022), she has also won prizes at the Ima Hogg Competition and International Marimba Competition in Austria.
An internationally respected teacher, Ms. Jung serves on the faculties of the Curtis Institute of Music and the Peabody Institute, and she is a musical ambassador for Adams Percussion and Vic Firth.
Tickets/Details
When: Saturday, March 7, 2026, 7:30 p.m. Mountain Time
Where: The Fort Collins Lincoln Center: 417 West Magnolia Street, Fort Collins, CO 80521, How: In-person and via live-stream
Cost: Adults $29-$83, Students and Children $10
Tickets and more information: fcsymphony.org, lctix.com or by calling the Lincoln Center Box Office at 970.221.6730 (1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday).
Week-of-Concert Events
Composer Talk: Join CSU professor Dr. K. Dawn Grapes for an informative and entertaining lecture about the concert’s featured composers. Sponsored by the Friends of the Symphony.
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Time: 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
Venue: Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St, Fort Collins, CO 80524
Admission: Free
Open Rehearsal: Learn firsthand what it takes for an orchestra to bring live music to the stage.
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026
Time: 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
Venue: Lincoln Center, 417 W Magnolia St, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Admission: Free
Maestro’s Musings Pre-Concert Lecture: Ticket holders (in-person and via livestream) are invited to join Maestro Wes Kenney for a pre-concert lecture in the concert hall.
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
Time: 6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Lincoln Center, 417 W Magnolia St, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Admission: Included with ticket purchase
About the Fort Collins Symphony
The Fort Collins Symphony has been an integral part of Northern Colorado’s cultural fabric since 1923 when visionary violinist Editha Todd Leonard established the Fort Collins Community Orchestra. In 1950, conductor Will Schwartz transformed the orchestra into the fully-professional Fort Collins Symphony that we know today. The FCS is led by Maestro Wes Kenney, now in his 23rd season as the orchestra’s Music Director and Conductor.
Business Sponsors: Blue Moose Gallery
SC 4 Sponsors: Friends of the Symphony
Season Support: Arts Without End, Friends of the Symphony, City of Fort Collins Fort Fund, Better Business Bureau, National Endowment for the Arts, Colorado Creative Industries
Season Sponsors: Dr. David Dennis, Dr. Ed Siegel, Dr. Peter Springberg
Media Sponsors: CO Sound 105.5, KUNC 91.5 FM, KRFC 88.9 FM Radio FC, North 40 News
For More Information, please contact Norman Menzales, Marketing and Community Engagement Director, at 970.482.4823 or via email at [email protected].