The seventh annual chamber music series at the Parthenon kicks off on December 12; Tickets on sale now
Centennial Park Conservancy announced today that the ECHO Chamber Music Series at the Parthenon returns for its seventh season this winter with five concerts, kicking off December 12 and 13 with the return of the popular SONUS Choir’s holiday classic “All is Calm” for two nights. ECHO features composers and contemporary ensembles performing chamber and choral music selected or arranged for the unique reverb of the Parthenon Naos and performed in front of the 42-foot statue of Athena.
“The ECHO Chamber Music Series is one of our favorite annual traditions at the iconic Nashville Parthenon,” said Justin Tam, Centennial Park Conservancy’s Vice President of Development and Park Partnerships. “For our seventh season, we are continuing to curate chamber music arranged for the unique five-second reverb with local virtuosos as well as international talent, and cannot wait to return to the world’s only 1:1 replica of the Parthenon.”
ECHO’s 2026-2027 season kicks off on December 12 and 13, at 7:30 p.m., with performances by SONUS. The modern a cappella choir from Nashville returns to ECHO for a holiday tradition of “All is Calm.” The ensemble will synthesize contemporary choral repertoire with classic holiday favorites using its signature straight-tone blend, filling the room. Sonus is known for engaging and uplifting performances, surrounding the listener in a transcendent wash of sound as many voices unify as one. The holiday program will feature reimaginings of traditional Christmas music, along with pieces by today's top composers, such as Ola Gjeilo, Eric Whitacre, Lucy Walker, John Tavener, Katerina Gimon, as well as SONUS choir's own award-winning Composer-in-Residence and Director, Timbre Cierpke.
On Sunday, January 31, 2027, at 7:30 p.m., Classical 615 Composers in the Round: Strings, will bring eight of Nashville’s most accomplished session players and orchestral musicians together to premier their original compositions. Expect the unexpected: chamber music, solo works, and pieces that pull from every corner of the genres these players move between in a single week. Featuring Bobby Chase, Camille Faulkner, Annaliese Kowert, Larissa Maestro, Patrick Monnius, Ben Plotnick, Kaitlyn Raitz, and Kristin Weber.
On Sunday, February 28, 2027, at 7:30 p.m., Lockeland Strings returns to ECHO by popular demand. This global music collective is a community arts organization that showcases local artists accompanied by string quartet. They have performed internationally and collaborated with the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Birdy, Lucie Silvas, and more. The performance will also showcase singer-songwriters backed by the Lockeland Strings ensemble. Songwriters will be announced soon.
On Sunday, April 4, 2027, the acclaimed orchestra Penguin Cafe will make their Nashville and ECHO Series debut bringing audiences their renowned genre-blending and pastoral soundscapes sound that combines classical instruments like violins and cellos with unexpected elements like ukuleles and melodicas. Their music has permeated popular culture, appearing in films (Napoleon Dynamite, The Founder, Mary and Max), television (The Handmaid’s Tale, Malcolm in the Middle), and countless advertisements. “Music for a Found Harmonium” became a folk-dance staple, having been featured on the original iconic Cafe Del Mar album, and "Perpetuum Mobile" provided the musical foundation for Avicii’s “Fade Into Darkness.”
General admission tickets for all ECHO concerts are $25 each. Patron tickets are available for $65 each and include two complimentary beverages and reserved seating. Tickets can be purchased now at conservancyonline.com/echo.
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ABOUT ECHO:
ECHO, an engaging chamber music series presented by Centennial Park Conservancy, features chamber music composed and arranged for the unique reverb of the Parthenon Naos and performed in front of the 42-foot statue of Athena. The ECHO program presents both live in-person performances throughout the year as well as audio/visual recordings available for download or streaming called, The Parthenon Sessions. These sessions capture songwriters and string ensembles in a multi-tracked audio and video experience.
The 2026-2027 ECHO Series is made possible by Integrum Wealth and Celebrate Nashville.
We’d also like to thank Metro Parks and our 2026 Centennial Park Conservancy presenting partners: Amazon, Dettwiller Foundation, HCA Healthcare Foundation Pinnacle Financial Partners, and the Sandra Schatten Foundation.