UPDATE, September 12: Due to the forecast for rain, the Founder’s Day Concert will take place in Ford Hall in the James J. Whalen Center for Music rather than DeWitt Park.
The Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre, and Dance will launch its 2026–2027 performance season on Sunday, September 13, with the 34th Annual Founder's Day Concert in DeWitt Park. The free concert celebrates IC’s longstanding relationship with the Ithaca community and features performances by the Ithaca College Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. The concert is made possible by Friends of Ithaca College.
Throughout the academic year, IC student artists will perform in concerts, plays, musicals, dance productions, and original works on campus and beyond. The Center for Theatre and Dance Production’s lineup features classical adaptations, award-winning musicals, contemporary dramedies, and original movement pieces. From large-scale mainstage productions to intimate new play incubators, the season will showcase the creative range of those student artists, brought to life through the joint leadership of faculty directors and student creators.
Following the Founder's Day Concert, the music season will continue with a full calendar of ensemble concerts and student recitals, including regular performances in Ford Hall by the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Choir, Concert Band, and other student ensembles.
“The breadth of this season gives our students invaluable hands-on experience preparing and presenting work for live audiences,” said Steve TenEyck, Dean of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. “We hope people from across the region will take advantage of the full season, enjoy a night out at IC, and see the artists of tomorrow on our stages today.”
On Friday, November 13, the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Choir will head to New York City for a special showcase at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Friday, November 13, at 7 p.m. Titled "Legacy in Sound: Featuring the Next Generation of Music Educators and Performers," the concert falls on the eve of the Cortaca Jug rivalry game between Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland at Yankee Stadium. Under the direction of faculty conductors Daniel Cook, Mike Titlebaum, Ho-Yin Kwok, and Khyle Wooten, the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Choir will present a dynamic program including Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Adolphus Hailstork's Shout for Joy, and a newly commissioned work by professor emeritus Dana Wilson.
“Performing at a venue like Alice Tully Hall challenges our students to grow as artists, collaborators, and future leaders in the field,” TenEyck said. “For many of our students, including those preparing for careers in music education, these experiences become foundational to the work they will do throughout their lives. We are deeply grateful to Charles Hack ’69 and John Neeson ’84, whose generosity makes this opportunity possible and helps sustain a remarkable IC tradition. With our musicians performing at Lincoln Center on Friday evening and the Cortaca Jug at Yankee Stadium the following day, it will be an unforgettable weekend for the Ithaca College community at two iconic New York City venues.”
The Lincoln Center performance is made possible through the generosity of alumni Charles Hack ’69, a music education graduate, and John Neeson ’84, an economics graduate. Tickets for "Legacy in Sound" are $36 and can be purchased directly through the Lincoln Center box office. Information regarding tickets and details for the 2026 Cortaca Jug game is available on the Ithaca College Athletics website. Information regarding tickets and details for the 2026 Cortaca Jug game is available on the Ithaca College Athletics website.
Fall 2026 Performances
The schedule below includes the fall Center for Theatre and Dance Productions season and performances by several of IC’s large music ensembles. The season lineup also includes student recitals, faculty and guest artist concerts, and performances by other ensembles.
- 34th Annual Founder's Day Concert in the Park, Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 2 p.m. (DeWitt Park)
A free community celebration marking Ithaca College's historic partnership with the city of Ithaca, featuring performances by the IC Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, made possible by Friends of Ithaca College.
- "Into The Dark," presented by The Ithaca College Choirs, Thursday, September 24, 2026, 7:00 p.m. (Ford Hall)
- Symphony Orchestra, Friday, September 25, 2026, at 7 p.m. (Ford Hall)
Jazz Ensemble with Wind Ensemble, Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 7 p.m. (Ford Hall)
- Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters , October 9–13, 2026 (Clark Theatre)
Translated by Sarah Ruhl and directed by Marc Gomes, this production sets Chekhov’s classic play in the Soviet Union of the mid-1980s during Glasnost and Perestroika. Against a backdrop of cultural upheaval, the Prozorov family navigates societal shifts and longing for the past.
- Sender , October 16–18, 2026 (Earl McCarroll Studio Theatre)
Written by Ike Holter and directed by Cynthia Henderson, this dramedy focuses on Lynx, a young man who unexpectedly reappears a year after his disappearance, forcing his loved ones to confront adulthood and moving forward.
- Wind Ensemble with Jazz Ensemble, Friday, October 16, 2026, at 7 p.m. (Ford Hall)
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , November 6–9, 2026 (Hoerner Theatre)
Directed by Wendy Dann with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin, this Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical presents an interactive look at six eccentric mid-pubescents vying for the spelling championship.
- Legacy in Sound: Featuring the Next Generation of Music Educators and Performers, Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7 p.m. (Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC)
Held on the eve of the 2026 Cortaca Jug game at Yankee Stadium, this marquee showcase features four premier student ensembles—the IC Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Choir—performing works by Beethoven, Adolphus Hailstork, and professor emeritus Dana Wilson.
- New Play Incubator, Saturday, November 14, 2026 (Hockett Family Recital Hall)
Produced by Saviana Stanescu, this annual showcase celebrates new writing by Ithaca College students and alumni, featuring the award of the Golden Egg and Silver Egg prizes for outstanding new plays.
- Wind Ensemble, Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 8:15 p.m. (Ford Hall)
- Symphony Orchestra, Wednesday, December 2, 2026, at 7 p.m. (Ford Hall)
- The Heart of It All , December 3–6, 2026 (Hoerner Theatre)
Conceived, directed, and choreographed by Daniel Gwirtzman, Amy O'Brien, and Aimee Rials, this dance production showcases original movement created for the Hoerner Theatre stage.
The 2026–27 performance season continues in the spring with additional theatre and dance productions, ensemble performances, recitals, and faculty and guest artist concerts, all included on the full performance calendar.
Ticket & Venue Information
Performances take place on the Ithaca College campus, including the 644-seat Ford Hall, 535-seat Hoerner Theatre, the 280-seat Clark Theatre, and the 50-seat Earl McCarroll Studio Theatre.
Tickets and scheduling information are available online at purplepass.com/organizer/100032 or by contacting the box office at 607-274-3224.