Jacoby Symphony Hall is undergoing its most significant transformation in nearly three decades, with a full renovation set to debut when the Jacksonville Symphony opens its 2026-27 Season this September.
Demolition began June 8, kicking off a tight 12-week timeline to complete the project before the Symphony’s off-season ends. The renovation includes wider, more comfortable seating, new carpeting, enhanced acoustic elements and a new speaker system — all designed to modernize the hall while deepening its acoustic character.
The project has been more than two years in the making, led by Stages Consultants, a New Jersey-based firm specializing in performing arts venues, alongside Doherty Sommers Architects Engineers and general contractor The Angelo Group. The team worked through countless details, from fabric and color selection to seat-testing with community members, all while balancing comfort with the hall’s acoustic integrity.
The new seats, featuring a wooden base designed to support sound distribution and reduce echo, will be slightly wider than the previous set, meaning a modest reduction in total capacity, though sightlines from every seat remain unchanged. The hall’s original seating, in use for nearly 30 years, was donated to local nonprofits earlier this summer.
Accessibility upgrades are also part of the plan, including additional wheelchair-accessible seating, improved aisle lighting and new handrails throughout the venue. Musicians will benefit as well: new acoustic shelving on stage is designed to help performers hear themselves and each other more clearly, an enhancement expected to elevate ensemble playing for conductors and guest artists.
A new speaker system will also debut, bringing clearer vocals and more balanced sound to the Symphony’s non-classical programming, including the Terry Family Foundation Pops Series and Symphonic Night at the Movies. The upgrade eliminates the need for rented sound equipment for those performances, allowing the Symphony to redirect funds toward artistic programming, education and community outreach.
Audiences will experience the refreshed hall at the opening of the Florida Blue Classical Series: “Mozart & Tchaikovsky” on Sept. 25 and 26, or the Terry Family Foundation Pops Series opening, “Stevie Wonder & More” on Oct. 2 and 3.
Learn more and get tickets at JaxSymphony.org.
