Robert Moody, conductor

Henrik Heide, flute

A. DVORAK – Czech Suite

J. Ibert – Flute Concerto

L. V. BEETHOVEN – Symphony No. 8

BCO’s first concert of 2026 opens with Dvorak’s Czech Suite, the composer’s heartfelt tribute to his homeland, filled with rich rustic dances, lilting folk melodies, and the warm, pastoral beauty of the Bohemian countryside. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Associate Principal Flute Henrik Heide debuts with the BCO in Jacques Ibert’s sparkling Flute Concerto. Light, witty, and effortlessly virtuosic, this French gem is a showcase of elegance and mischief, where the flute soars and shimmers with irresistible flair.

Building on the earlier success of his sparkling interpretations of Beethoven’s 3rd and 4th symphonies with The BCO, Maestro Moody gives the orchestra’s first performance of Beethoven’s effervescent Symphony No. 8 in F Major in 17 years. Often called his “Little Symphony in F,” this masterpiece’s personality is anything but “little”, with its bursts of inventive energy, rhythmic surprises, good humor, and the signature wink found in all of Beethoven’s greatest works.