FIU Wertheim School of Music announces 2024/2025 season

At FIU's Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts, music is the heartbeat of a vibrant community. The 2024/2025 season establishes FIU as a hub for musical innovation, bringing together students, faculty, alumni, guest artists and the public through more than 100 performances, master classes and initiatives. With a diverse range of offerings—from classical masterpieces to musical theatre—this year's highlights include Grammy-winning artists, national partnerships with institutions like the Santa Fe Opera, international collaborations and dynamic local partnerships that celebrate the intersection of creativity, culture and connection.

"Our vision is to create innovative musical excellence through education, performance and community engagement,” said Karen S. Veloz, director of the Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts. “We are providing performances to engage audiences, educate our students and provide a platform for innovative programming where our students perform alongside Grammy-award winning artists.”

The Wertheim's performances span a variety of platforms, from the concert stage at the Wertheim Concert Hall and venues across Florida to locations like St. Francis Auditorium in Santa Fe and weekly broadcasts such as the FIU Music Hour on WDNA 88.9 FM. These platforms not only broaden the reach of the university's music community but also deepen its connection with the public.

"We have a thriving music scene on campus, featuring everything from our top student ensembles to world-class guest performers and artists-in-residence, showcased in programs such as the annual FIU Music Festival this fall,” said Veloz. “This year builds on these platforms, placing our students at the forefront, creating new opportunities for them to engage with high-profile musicians and keeping FIU deeply connected to the larger community."

Season Highlights:

• The season opens with a prestigious international collaboration with Spain's finest talent. Guest conductor Vicente Luna and pianist Joan Miquel Fiol Villegas will join FIU musicians for performances of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20, presented in partnership with the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain and Fundación María Cristina Masaveu Peterson (Oct. 5).
• Across five symphony orchestra performances, international guest conductors, graduate student conductors and FIU's own Javier José Mendoza will present a dynamic mix of timeless masterpieces, jazz interpretations and Latin American works. Highlights include Beethoven's Eroica Symphony (Oct. 5), Dvořák's New World Symphony and Revueltas' Noche de los Mayas (Nov. 2) and Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite (Dec. 6). The season also features iconic works like Copland's Rodeo and Beethoven's Emperor Piano Concerto, with FIU artist-in-residence Kemal Gekic taking the stage in April.
• FIU Music Festival 2024 kicks off with visiting Grammy-winning artists collaborating alongside FIU's finest musicians and ensembles in a multi-week celebration of music, running from Oct. 25-Nov. 9. Audiences can expect a dynamic mix of performances, including Cuban music with Habana Sax, Grammy-winning trombonist Julio Montalvo and other top talent bringing the heat of Latin jazz, and Lawrence Dutton, former violist of the nine-time Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet, showcasing classical mastery with FIU's Amernet String Quartet and cellist Clive Greensmith, formerly of the Tokyo String Quartet. The festival doesn't stop at classical and jaz. It also lights up the stage with a musical revue with Broadways legends, the Banyan Percussion Quartet, FIU Symphony Orchestra bringing the sounds of the Americas, and award-winning organist Ryan Chan. (Oct. 25-Nov.9)
• Holiday spirit and community come together for the "FIU Masterworks Holiday Concert" at which the FIU Symphony Orchestra and FIU Jazz Big Band will perform Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite alongside cherished holiday works, featuring a special community sing-along to celebrate the season. (Dec. 6)
• Dedicated to artistry in contemporary music, the New Music Miami ISCM Festival, curated by FIU Distinguished University Professor and composer Orlando Jacinto Garcia, brings avant-garde compositions to the Miami community. Taking place at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, the festival makes music accessible to a wider audience. Featured will be artist Laura Schwendinger, the first composer to win the American Academy in Berlin Prize, whose opera Artemisia won the 2023 American Academy of Arts and Letters Charles Ives Opera Award. (Jan. 22 – April 16)
• Spotlighting rising talent, the Concerto Competition Winners Concert features student soloists performing alongside the orchestra in Haydn's Overture in D Major, Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, and Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet (Jan. 30).
• Alumni engagement will be a key focus throughout the season, as many FIU graduates, now accomplished in their careers, return to their roots as both performers and mentors. This connection will be especially evident in February's composer (Feb.5) and piano showcases (Feb. 9)
• FIU Choirs partner with the Civic Chorale of Greater Miami for a remarkable performance of Faure's Requiem. This collaboration reflects FIU's dedication to fostering community partnerships and enhancing the cultural fabric of South Florida through artistic excellence (April 13).
• For guitar enthusiasts, the FIU Miami GuitART Festival (Feb. 14-23) offers an unparalleled lineup of top guitarists, masterclasses, lectures and a luthiers expo, an essential event for anyone passionate about the instrument. (Feb. 14-23).
• Several new faculty members join FIU this season, including Omar Lateef, trumpeter and the coordinator of winds, brass and percussion; Darryl L. Baker, director of athletic bands; Vincent Connor, musical theatre coordinator; Aldo Salvent, visiting assistant professor of jazz saxophone; and Avi Nagin, assistant teaching professor of violin and member of the acclaimed Amernet String Quartet.

As patrons step into the concert hall this season, they will immediately notice that FIU’s ensembles are as diverse as the city they call home. Performers from various disciplines and backgrounds—students, faculty, guest artists and alumni—come together to inspire, reconnect and create. Through a variety of community-focused initiatives, FIU is inviting Miami’s cultural scene to take part in its story. Come out and experience firsthand the energy that only music can bring. 

Click here to view the full season schedule and find out how you can be part of this extraordinary season. Discounted tickets are available for FIU faculty, staff, alumni, students, and seniors. Follow @fiumusic.