Nashville Symphony Suspends 2026/27 Season Over $10 Million Deficit

The Nashville Symphony has suspended the remainder of its 2026/27 season, effective October 18, after declaring a financial emergency marked by a $10 million deficit and cash reserves sufficient for only three more weeks of operations.

All 77 orchestra musicians and all 27 full-time staff have been placed on furlough, which typically means unpaid leave. How many will remain in Nashville is uncertain.

The orchestra's Board of Directors unanimously approved the suspension, describing it in a letter from President and CEO Mark Cantrell as "the first step in a plan to put the Symphony on sound, sustainable financial footing."

"For too long, our costs and our revenue have been out of balance," Cantrell wrote. "Fixing that honestly, and for good, is the work in front of us now."

Music Director Leonard Slatkin will lead his final concerts of the season on October 16–17. Cantrell said Slatkin "remains fully committed to the Nashville Symphony and to our return."

The CEO defended the artistic standing of the ensemble even as its operations halt. "What has not changed is the excellence of this orchestra," he wrote. "Our musicians are extraordinary, and they have told us they want to work alongside us toward a solution."

Ticket holders for concerts scheduled after October 18 will receive an email outlining their options. They may keep the ticket value as an account credit for a future performance or convert it into a tax-deductible donation to the Nashville Symphony. The organization stated there is nothing ticket holders need to do until that email arrives.

Not every event at Schermerhorn Symphony Center is affected. The venue will continue to host the Symphony Ball on December 12, the Symphony Fashion Show on April 27, The Legendary Life of Tom Petty on October 18, No Small Endeavor LIVE on November 22, and holiday concerts with Ricky Skaggs (December 8), Dave Barnes (December 10), and Drew and Ellie Holcomb (December 11). Weddings and other building rentals will proceed without disruption, and the hall remains available for future bookings.

Cantrell framed the suspension as temporary. "Nashville deserves a flourishing orchestra, and I'm confident ours will return stronger than ever," he wrote. "We are working diligently in partnership with our musicians to bring back concerts as quickly as possible."

The CEO closed his letter by asking patrons for "patience, your trust, and your love for this music" and invited supporters to contribute to the orchestra's future through its website.

The suspension leaves Slatkin's farewell concerts on October 16–17 as the final performances of the season, with no announced date for the orchestra's return to the Schermerhorn stage.