EarRelevant Staff | 30 MAY 2026
ATHENS, Georgia— The University of Georgia’s professional performing arts series, UGA Presents, has announced its 2026-27 season, running from September through May at the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center. The principal theme, “American Panorama: Voices of a Nation at 250,” unfolds across 20 events spanning classical music, jazz, musical theater, and hip-hop in a wide-ranging lineup that reflects musical traditions and cultural influences tied to the United States’ semiquincentennial.
Performances will take place primarily at UGA-PAC’s Hodgson Concert Hall and Ramsey Concert Hall in Athens, with selected events at the Morton Theatre.
“The Performing Arts Center at the University of Georgia continually sets the standard for excellence in entertainment for the Athens community,” the Athens Banner-Herald said in promotional material accompanying the season announcement.
PAC Director Jeffrey Martin described the series as an invitation to shared artistic experiences.
“Each new season opens a door—an invitation to discover, to connect, and to experience the unique pleasure that comes from gathering together in our beautiful spaces to listen, observe, and be moved,” Martin said in a statement. “It is my hope that throughout the months ahead, these shared moments will bring us a deep and lasting sense of joy.”
Among the season’s highest-profile appearances are pop-jazz ensemble Pink Martini on Jan. 19, Broadway performers Kelli O’Hara on Sept. 24 and Jeremy Jordan on Feb. 6, and Grammy-winning blues artist Keb’ Mo’ on Nov. 12.
The season opens Sept. 10 with Beninese-French singer Angélique Kidjo, a five-time Grammy Award winner known for blending Afropop with global musical traditions. Bluegrass and Americana are also strongly represented, with performances by Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Sierra Hull and Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder.
Thematic programming tied to the season’s “American Panorama” concept include Mark O’Connor’s “An Appalachian Christmas,” Rennie Harris Puremovement’s “Nuttin’ But A Word,” the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with pianist and composer Conrad Tao, Paragon Ragtime Orchestra’s “Scott Joplin and the Original Kings of Ragtime,” and Artemis’ “Sketches of Miles,” a tribute to Miles Davis.
A three-event October mini-series titled “Into the Myths” explores folklore and storytelling through theater, music and movement. The lineup includes the theatrical troupe Out of Chaos in “Unmythable” at the Morton Theatre, the Australian acrobatic company Gravity & Other Myths performing “Ten Thousand Hours,” and Scottish folk singer Julie Fowlis in “Lochs and Legends.”
The classical music offerings feature several internationally recognized soloists. Pianists Hélène Grimaud, Daniil Trifonov and Yuja Wang will each give recitals, while violinist Hilary Hahn joins baritone Matthias Goerne and pianist Yekwon Sunwoo for a chamber recital Oct. 25.
Other classical highlights include the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists performing Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” under conductor Masaaki Suzuki on Feb. 13, and violinist Joshua Bell appearing in recital April 25.
Jazz programming includes bassist Christian McBride with his ensemble Ursa Major, pianist Sullivan Fortner performing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Artemis’ Miles Davis project.
The season also expands its international and cross-cultural programming with appearances by Ukraine’s DakhaBrakha, tabla virtuoso Sandeep Das and the HUM Ensemble, Mariachi Herencia de México, and the Aga Khan Master Musicians with Vincent Peirani and Vincent Ségal.
Family programming includes “The Three Little Pigs and Other Tales” by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia on April 18. The PAC’s outreach efforts will continue through performances for young people, artist residencies, educational talks, and student ticket initiatives. According to the season brochure, nearly 5,000 K-12 students attend PAC youth performances annually, while most UGA student tickets remain available for $15 through donor support.
Subscription renewals are already underway, with new subscriptions opening June 16. Single tickets for select September events go on sale July 13, while tickets for the full season become available Aug. 3 through the UGA Performing Arts Center box office and website. ■
UGA Presents 2026-27 Season
- Thurs, Sept 10, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Angélique Kidjo - Fri, Sept 18, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Béla Fleck
My Bluegrass Heart - Thurs, Sept 24, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
An Evening with Kelli O’Hara - Sun, Sept 27, 3:00 pm
Ramsey Concert Hall
Brentano String Quartet - Fri, Oct 2, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Buena Vista Orchestra - Mon, Oct 5, 7:30 pm
Tues, Oct 6, 7:30 pm
Morton Theatre
Unmythable: Out of Chaos - Thurs, Oct 8, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Ten Thousand Hours
Gravity & Other Myths - Tues, Oct 13, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Julie Fowlis
Lochs and Legends - Mon, Oct 19, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Payne Memorial Concert: Boston Brass featuring Turtle Island Quartet
Notes from the Balcony: Romeo & Juliet in Music - Fri, Oct 23, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Sullivan Fortner, piano • Kristiina Poska, conductor
GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue - Sun, Oct 25, 3:00 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Hilary Hahn, violin • Matthias Goerne, baritone • Yekwon Sunwoo, piano - Thurs, Oct 29, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Christian McBride & Ursa Major - Thurs, Nov 12, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Keb’ Mo’ - Mon, Nov 16, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Hélène Grimaud, piano - Fri, Dec 4, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Creole Christmas - Sun, Dec 6, 3:00 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Daniil Trifonov, piano - Wed, Dec 9, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Christmas With Cantus
Lessons and Carols for Our Time - Thurs, Dec 17, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Mark O’Connor’s An Appalachian Christmas featuring Maggie O’Connor - Sun, Dec 20, 4:00 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus
Norman Mackenzie, director of choruses
HANDEL: Messiah - Wed, Jan 13, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater
Nuttin’ But A Word - Tues, Jan 19, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Pink Martini - Sun, Jan 24, 3:00 pm
Ramsey Concert Hall
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Masters of the Piano Quartet - Fri, Jan 29, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Edgar Meyer, Mike Marshall & George Meyer - Tues, Feb 2, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
DakhaBrakha - Sat, Feb 6, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Jeremy Jordan - Tues, Feb 9, 7:30 pm
Ramsey Concert Hall
Sandeep Das and HUM Ensemble - Sat, Feb 13, 6:00 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists
Masaaki Suzuki, conductor
J.S. BACH: St. Matthew Passion - Wed, Feb 17, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Danish String Quartet - Fri, Feb 19, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Mariachi Herencia de México - Sat, Feb 27, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields • Conrad Tao, piano - Thurs, Mar 4, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
Scott Joplin and the Original Kings of Ragtime - Tues, Mar 16, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Yuja Wang, piano - Sat, Mar 20, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Martin Hayes
An Irish Celebration
- Thurs, Mar 25, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Sierra Hull - Fri, Apr 2, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Aga Khan Master Musicians with Vincent Peirani & Vincent Ségal - Thurs, Apr 8, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Vienna Girls Choir - Sun, Apr 11, 3:00 pm
Ramsey Concert Hall
Takács Quartet - Thurs, Apr 15, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - Sun, Apr 18, 3:00 pm (family show)
Hodgson Concert Hall
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
The Three Little Pigs and Other Tales - Sun, Apr 25, 7:00 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Joshua Bell, violin - Thurs, Apr 29, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Artemis
Sketches of Miles - Fri, Apr 30, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello • Benjamin Grosvenor, piano - Fri, May 14, 7:30 pm
Hodgson Concert Hall
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- UGA Performing Arts Center: pac.uga.edu
Read more by EarRelevant Staff.
RECENT POSTS
[display-posts exclude_current=”true” include_date=”true” date_format=” \• d M Y” offset=”0″ posts_per_page=”5″ image_size=”thumbnail” wrapper=”div” wrapper_class=”display-posts-listing image-left” meta_key!=”_thumbnail_id”
.png){kind=logo}