The Arkansas Symphony is moving its River Rhapsodies chamber music series to its new Stella Boyle Smith Music Center, on the Heifer Project campus in Little Rock’s East Village, for the 2024-25 season, and adding performances.
Previous concerts at the nearby Clinton Presidential Center were on Tuesday nights. The orchestra will be adding Wednesday performances for four of the six concerts on the schedule.
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The lineup (all concerts at 7 p.m.):
◼️ Oct. 1-2: The orchestra’s Rockefeller Quartet plays the String Quartet No. 2, “Intimate Letters,” by Leoš Janácek. The Quapaw Quartet plays String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, op.74, “Harp,” by Ludwig van Beethoven. And Andrew Stadler and Carl Mason, trumpets; David Renfro, horn; Michael Underwood, trombone; Ed Owen, tuba; and Alisa Coffey, harp, perform “Variations on the ‘Vysehrad’ Theme” (from Bedrich Smetena’s “Ma Vlast”) by Jan Koetsier.
◼️ Nov. 5: Cellist Andrei Ionita, one of the two season’s “Artists of Distinction,” joins Meredith Maddox Hicks and Katherine Williamson, violins; Katherine Reynolds and Timothy MacDuff, violas; and David Gerstein, cello, for the “Souvenir de Florence” sextet by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky. The program also includes two piano trios: “A Thousand Mornings” by Anna Clyne, with Geoffrey Robson, violin; Gerstein, cello; and Hee-Kyung Juhn, piano; and “Cafe Music” by Paul Schoenfield, with Lauren Pokorzynski, violin; Travis Scharer, cello; and Naoki Hakutani, piano.
◼️ Jan. 28: Pianist Zee Zee, the other “Artist of Distinction,” and the Rockefeller Quartet play the Piano Quintet, op.67, by Amy Beach. Also on the program: The Quapaw Quartet performs the String Quartet No. 3 by Béla Bartók and Leanna Renfro, oboe; David Renfro, horn; and May Tsao-Lim, piano, perform the Trio for Oboe, Horn and Piano, op.61, by Heinrich von Herzogenberg.
◼️ Feb. 25-26: The Quapaw Quartet plays Jennifer Higdon’s “Southern Harmony”; Tatiana Kotcherguina, viola, and Gjergji Gaqi, piano, perform “Pasodoblis” by Faustas Latenas; Alisa Coffey, harp; Carolyn Brown, flute; and Timothy MacDuff, viola, perform the “Elegiac Trio” by Arnold Bax; violinists Andrew Irvin, Algimantas Staskevicius and Linnaea Brophy play Capriccio No. 1 for Three Violins by Friedrich Herman; and Robson and violinist Katherine Williamson, MacDuff and Gerstein play the String Quartet No. 2 by Alberto Ginastera.
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◼️ March 18-19: Mezzo-soprano Nisheedah Golden and bass player Sara Neilson perform “Baby Steps” by Sarian Sankoh. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Dailey and the Quapaw Quartet perform Samuel Barber’s “Dover Beach.” Mezzo-soprano JoAna Rusche sings the aria “Non ti lusinghi la crudeltade” from Antonio Vivaldi’s opera “Tito Manlia” with Lorraine Duso Kitts, oboe; Julian Pranata, viola de gamba; and Daniel Gibert, harpsichord. Soprano Stephanie Smittle and pianist Carl Anthony collaborate on Franz Schubert’s song “Die Forelle” (“The Trout”). And Kiril Laskarov and Katherine Williamson, violins; Gerstein, cello; Anthony, piano; and a double-bassist to be named later, perform Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A major, “The Trout,” which includes variations on the song in its fourth movement.
◼️ April 15-16: Violinist Andrew Irvin and pianist Jaeyeon Park play the Violin Sonata No. 3 in d minor, op.101, by Johannes Brahms. Magdalena Ryszkowski, violin, and Hee-Kyung Juhn, piano, play the Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major by Gabriel Fauré. And the Rockefeller Quartet plays the String Quartet No. 2 by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Tickets are $30; however, the orchestra employs “dynamic” pricing for its chamber series, based on demand; given the orchestra’s practice during its 2023-24 season, prices are likely to increase the closer you get to the concert. Call (501) 666-1761, Extension 1, or visit ArkansasSymphony.org.
Cory Mixdorf, principal trombone of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, solos with the orchestra Feb. 16 in the Trombone Concerto by Launy Grøndahl. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
SoNA season
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The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas opens its 70th season, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21 in Baum Walker Hall at Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St., with a concert titled “Oceans of Time: Orchestral Evolutions.”
The program includes the world premiere of Aldo Lopez-Gavilan’s “Oceans to Cross” with piano soloist Lara Downes, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. Music Director Paul Haas conducts.
The rest of the lineup (except as noted, all concerts, 7:30 p.m. in Baum Walker Hall with Haas on the podium):
◼️ Nov 9: “Futuristic Fantasia: SoNA Goes Sci-Fi!,” pops concert featuring selections from science-fiction movie soundtracks, including “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” “E.T.” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
◼️ Dec. 7, 2 and 7:30 p.m.: “A Very SoNA Christmas,” sacred and secular holiday favorites with soloists, the SoNA Singers and college choruses.
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◼️ Dec. 8, 2 p.m.: “The Snowman: A Family Concert,” annual screening of the animated movie “The Snowman” with live orchestral soundtrack (not part of the subscriber series).
◼️ Feb. 16, 2 p.m.: “Jupiter Rising.” Cory Mixdorf, trombone. Elena Kats-Chermin: “Russian Rag”; Osvaldo Golijov: “Tenebrae”; Launy Grøndahl: Trombone Concerto; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 41 in C major, “Jupiter.”
◼️ April 19: “American Voices: Rhapsody in Blue.” Stewart Goodyear, piano. William Grant Still: Symphony No. 1 (“Afro-American Symphony”); George Gershwin: “Rhapsody in Blue”; Florence Price: Symphony No. 1 in e minor.
Season subscriptions, $158-$264 ($84 for students with valid ID), include all five MainStage concerts (but not “The Snowman: A Family Concert”). A sampler subscription, in which patrons can choose three or four of the five concerts, start at $99. Single tickets are $37-$62 ($10 for “The Snowman”) with discounts for students and free to children under 18 with the purchase of an adult ticket. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit sonamusic.org.
Ella McCarthy covers state politics and the state Supreme Court. Before joining the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, she covered Austin City Hall for the Austin American-Statesman, and before that, held a fellowship with ABC News in Washington, D.C., where she covered national politics. A graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, her work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, the Missouri Press Association and LION Publishers in the LION local journalism awards. She contributed to the Statesman’s coverage of a two-city shooting rampage that won a national Edward R. Murrow Award for breaking news coverage.
KATV ABC 7 in Little Rock, Arkansas covers news, sports, weather and the local community in the city and the surrounding area, including Hot Springs, Conway, Pine Bluff, Jacksonville, Sherwood, Stuttgart, Benton, Bauxite, East End, Scott, Pinnacle, Maumelle, Gibson, Landmark and Hensley.
The Little Rock Marathon welcomes runners of all experience levels to run its course each year.
That was best exemplified when its winners crossed the finish line.
The marathon featured 1,427 entrants, ages 16 to 80, with race veterans and first-timers of all ages competing Sunday morning.
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This was the 10th marathon for Benjamin Williams, a 42-year-old Baltimore resident originally from Australia. He hadn’t won prior Sunday but finished second in a marathon in Memphis in 2025 and was determined to finally get over the hump in Little Rock.
“It’s amazing,” Williams said. “I mean, it’s such a beautiful course, and it’s my first time in Arkansas. I love the city, and I’m just so excited to do it.
“I was desperate to win this one. I went to the front in the first mile, and then I ran on my own basically the whole way.”
Williams held an advantage of nearly a minute on the next-closet runner through the first 7 1/2 miles. By the time he hit the half marathon point, 13.1 miles, his lead was just shy of four minutes thanks to a 5:41 pace.
Williams won the marathon with a chip time of 2:32:07. Tyreek Gilkey, 22, of Fort Smith came second with a 2:39:02 chip time. Alec Hewett, 33, of Colorado Springs, Colo., finished third with a chip time of 2:39:50.
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“Little Rock is beautiful,” Williams said. “You know, I was focused on the race, but I’ve been able to see it the last few days, just walking around this beautiful city. The course is actually really hard. There’s a hill as you go up to Hillcrest, that neighborhood. That was a long, brutal hill. And then they get you with a little one just here at the end as well. So, yeah, it was a good course, but tough.”
Williams made sure to mention just how far he’s come in his marathon running career after winning his first.
“This is my 10th,” Williams said. “So hopefully it’s by some other people. My first one took me four hours, and I’ve just slowly brought it down.”
Williams also won the 5K on Saturday with a chip time of 16:22.7.
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As for the women’s race, it was first-timer Holly Moser, 25, who claimed first place. The Greeley, Colo., native who recently moved to Jacksonville finished seventh overall and first among female runners with a time of 2:53:23. She was second or third at each of the first five checkpoints before her 6:36 pace from Mile 21 to Mile 23 pushed her into first.
Moser, like most runners that compete in the Little Rock Marathon, highlighted the hills in the western portion of the course, particularly in the Hillcrest neighborhood, as a challenge.
“You guys managed to find every single hill that exists in the city somehow,” Moser said with a laugh. “I’m not sure how you did it, but you did. The energy was there, so it’s easy to get up those hills. And it was fun to kind of sightsee Little Rock. I still haven’t been to a lot of the neighborhood areas since we live in Jacksonville, so it was nice to get to see like a new area that I haven’t gotten to see before.”
Like Williams, Moser also ran the 5K the day before running the marathon. She finished seventh overall and third among women in that with a time of 19:49.4.
Leah Thorvilson, 47, of Bella Vista finished second among women with a chip time of 2:54:49. Erin Bellissimo, 41, of Monument, Colo., finished third with a 3:02:05 chip time.
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One other finish of note was Aaron McCaleb, who was the first marathon athlete overall to finish with a time of 1:59:48. Competing in the hand cycle division, McCaleb, 22, finished nearly 45 minutes before the nearest cyclist.
Temperatures remained favorable and fan support turnout was strong Sunday, giving competitors like Moser the boost they needed.
“The weather was perfect for the first like two hours, and then that sun came out and it got a little warm, but the support was unmatched,” Moser said. “I mean, every single booth that you passed, the vibes were high. Everyone was cheering. People were screaming your name. It’s easy to run fast when you got that many fans.”
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge as the sun rises over the Arkansas River during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
A group of spectators watch runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
A runner heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Holly Moser heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Moser would go on to win the women’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Benjamin Williams heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Williams would go on to win the men’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Benjamin Williams heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Williams would go on to win the men’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Competitors run past the Arkansas state Capitol during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Katie Bowser stops to give her husband Larry Bowser a kiss before turning onto Tenth Street from Main Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Katie was running the full marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Marion Milwee, 16, (from left) Jennifer Milwee and Shannon Butler Dixon cheer as Virginia Milwee, their sister, daughter and niece respectively turns on to Commerce Street from Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Melinda Asewicz holds up her glass in salute as runners move west on Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner gets a drink from Andrea Rothman as he moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners move east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Holly Moser, 25, of Jacksonville, crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Moser won the women’s race with a time of 2:53:23 the finish line https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Holly Moser, 25, of Jacksonville, runs to the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Moser won the women’s race with a time of 2:53:23 the finish line https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of Baltimore runs on Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of Baltimore runs on Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Anne Henry Milner stretches out on the floor of the Statehouse Convention Center after completing the half marathon portion of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners cross the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners cross the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners take to the course at the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Sam (left) and Elliot Driver talk before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Elliot was running in the half marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Maly Tabor (left) and Mary Kate Reid stretch before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Both women were running in the half marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
A group of runners walk down Main Street on their way to the Statehouse Convention Center for the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Volunteers gather outside of the Statehouse Convention Center before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
A runner walks towards the starting line of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Runners take to the course at the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
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