National Symphony Orchestra: Josefowicz & Adams: Scheherazade Two Point Oh!

Violinist Leila Josefowicz joins composer and conductor John Adams for a National Symphony Orchestra program centered on outsiders, heroes, and figures who challenge convention. Adams conducts his own arrangements of Astor Piazzolla’s tangos, followed by Sergei Prokofiev’s satirical *Lieutenant Kijé* Suite.

The concert concludes with Adams’ *Scheherazade.2*, a forceful reimagining of Rimsky-Korsakov’s legendary heroine. In this version, Scheherazade is a woman fighting for her survival rather than merely telling stories, with Josefowicz serving as her fearless musical voice.

When: October 15–16, 2026

Showtimes: Thursday, October 15 at 7 p.m.; Friday, October 16 at 8 p.m.

Venue: Center for the Arts, Concert Hall, Fairfax Campus, George Mason University

Conductor: John Adams

Violin: Leila Josefowicz

Program: Astor Piazzolla, arranged by John Adams, *Three Tangos*; Sergei Prokofiev, *Lieutenant Kijé* Suite; John Adams, *Scheherazade.2*

Tickets: $97, $68, or $42. Prices include fees.

Presales: NSO members and donors, August 21, 2026 at 10 a.m.; recent NSO subscribers, August 25 at 10 a.m.; NSO musicians, August 26 at 10 a.m.; Mason Arts, August 27 at 10 a.m. The Mason Arts presale is available to Friends and subscribers of the Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center, as well as current College of Visual and Performing Arts faculty and staff.

General sale: Tickets go on sale to the public on August 28, 2026.

Student tickets: A limited number of free tickets will be available to Mason students two Tuesdays before the performance.

Program note: The performance program will be released during the week of the event.