“The New World Symphony,” also known as “Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Opus 95,” by Antonin Dvorak will be performed by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra during its Concert and Lecture Series performance in the Winebrenner Theological Seminary auditorium at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26. The selection was chosen because its theme mirrors that of the University as it celebrates its 125th anniversary: “Celebrating the Past, Embracing the Future.”

Dvorak came to the “new world” from the Austrian Empire in 1892 to be the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York. Charged with redirecting the course of American classical music, Dvorak wrote what would become his most popular work, “The New World Symphony.”

Dvorak’s music pays homage to the old world and celebrates the heritage of the past even as it embraces the vibrancy, energy and excitement of the future. Dvorak accomplished this by building on a firm foundation to create a new image and a new vision for a new world, just as the University does as it celebrates 125 years of academic excellence.

Additional orchestra selections include “Academic Festival Overture” by Johannes Brahms and “Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor” by Henryk Wieniawski featuring violinist Cristina Muresan. “The New World Symphony” will be the third and final piece of the evening. There will be a 15-minute intermission before the final selection.

Chelsea Tipton II is resident conductor and has appeared with major orchestras in the United States include the Chicago Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Louisville Philharmonic, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the New World Symphony and the Atlanta Symphony.

Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for senior citizens and $10 for students. Admission for UF undergraduate and graduate students is free, but a ticket is required. UF faculty and staff may purchase tickets for $15. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 419-434-5335.