Lexington Symphony Phoenix Project
Lexington Symphony is a recipient of the 2025-2026 Community Endowment of Lexington grant, a fund of the Community Foundation for MetroWest in support of its 2025 Phoenix Project: Side-by-side Music Performance for Amateur Adult Musicians with Lexington Symphony. The Community Endowment of Lexington enhances the quality of life for Lexington citizens and encourages innovative and collaborative solutions to issues facing Lexington, MA.
The Phoenix Project will be a 4-day summer camp for adults in the Greater Lexington/ Boston area who played an instrument in the past and are interested in dusting off their instruments and participating in musical activities side-by-side with the professional musicians of the Lexington Symphony at the orchestra’s home in historic Cary Hall, Lexington. July 21-24, 2025 (Monday – Thursday)
There are many summer music camps in New England for grade school through college age participants, but very few programs for adults who wish to hone their musical abilities. There are even fewer that offer the unique side-by-side experience with professional musicians in a symphonic – or jazz – experience that the Phoenix Project will offer.
The Lexington Symphony Phoenix Project does not require an audition to be accepted! Participants will be able to see repertoire at the time of registration to allow them to both self-select their playing level and prepare for the experience. Works from the standard symphonic repertoire and from the best of the Big Band literature will be selected for performance.
Participants will work side-by-side with professional musicians in large ensembles, both classical and jazz, conducted by Music Director Jonathan McPhee and Co-Artistic Director Jeffrey Leonard. Activities will include rehearsals in small groups as well as large ensembles, coached by the professional musicians of the Lexington Symphony. The full orchestra and jazz ensembles will perform at the end of the program in Lexington’s historic Cary Hall, home of the Lexington Symphony.
One of the important and unique educational aspects of the Phoenix Project will be the opportunity for participants to observe recording sessions of new works performed by the professional musicians. Immediately after each recording session, participants will be able to ask questions in a discussion with Maestro McPhee and the composers. The selection of compositions for the Phoenix Project recording sessions will be made by a committee that includes Maestro McPhee and Co-Artistic Director Jeffrey Leonard.
Orchestra and Jazz Program
Schedule (subject to change)
All events at Cary Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA 02420
Day 1 - Monday July 21
10 – 12 Sectional rehearsals
12 – 1 Group Lunch
1-2 Sectional rehearsals
3-5 Sectional rehearsals
Day 2 - Tuesday July 22
10-1 Orchestra rehearsal/Jazz sectionals
1-2 Group Lunch
2-5 Jazz ensemble rehearsal/Orchestra sectionals
7-8 Lecture/discussion session
Day 3 - Wednesday July 23
10-1 Orchestra rehearsal/Jazz sectionals
1-2 Group Lunch
2-5 Jazz ensemble rehearsal/Orchestra sectionals
7PM Jazz ensemble public side-by-side concert
Day 4 - Thursday July 24
10-12:30 Observe composer recording sessions by Lexington Symphony
12:30-1:15 Q&A with Composers and Jonathan McPhee
2-4:30 Observe composer recording sessions by Lexington Symphony
4:30-5:30 Q&A with Composers and Jonathan McPhee
7PM Full Orchestra public side-by-side concert
9PM Closing reception for all participants including Lexington Symphony musicians
More information and to register:
Composer Program
Lexington Symphony is thrilled to announce a Call for Scores as part of The Phoenix Project in July of 2025 for local composers in the Greater Lexington/ Boston area.
One of the most important elements in the development of a composer is the opportunity to hear the works they have written. Professional musicians of Lexington Symphony will record several new compositions by American composers who have submitted works for consideration. The works will be selected by a committee led by Jonathan McPhee and Jeffrey Leonard.
The recording sessions on July 24, 2025 will not only give the selected composers an opportunity to hear their work performed live, but will also give them a high quality demo recording to help them attract performance opportunities in the future.
The recording sessions will be open for observation by the participants in the Phoenix Project Orchestra and Jazz Programs, followed by a Q & A with all participants led by Jonathan McPhee and the composers.
Application for composers will open April 7, 2025. All materials must be submitted by May 2, 2025.