15 September 11-17, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Happy Nu Year! Nu Deco Ensemble announces 2025-26 season. BY FLOR FRANCESCHETTI G ood news for fans of, well, all good music: Nu Deco Ensem- ble, known for its genre- bending artistry and flawlessly original interpreta- tions — such as that viral Outkast cover —, is back with a stacked 2025–2026 season. The Miami-based chamber orchestra just dropped its programming for Season 11, and it’s as ambitious, eclectic, and glori- ously unclassifiable as ever. Set across venues like the Citadel in Little Haiti, the Adrienne Arsht Center in down- town, and the ocean-adjacent Miami Beach Bandshell, the new season reads like a love letter to sonic experimentation, with just enough pop familiarity to keep the whole thing grounded. Think the Grateful Dead on a symphonic acid trip, Lupe Fiasco backed by a full orchestra, and a philharmonic tribute to Mac Miller’s introspective catalog. Things kick off in October at the Citadel, where Nu Deco debuts its Grateful Dead Suite, a reimagining of the signature band’s sound. Later that month, they get spooky with A Haunted Symphony featuring Brazil- ian multi-instrumentalist Munir Hossn. By mid-November, the group links with Latin electronic producer Sinego for Underground Symphony, blending global club rhythms and Latin folk sounds with lush orchestration. In December, Nu Deco returns to the Ar- sht for a seasonal highlight: a soulful celebra- tion with PJ Morton and friends, featuring vocalists Darrel Walls and Susan Carol, trum- pet savant Keyon Harrold, and a new orches- tral tribute to Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life. Also on the program is composer Courtney Bryan’s evocative House of Pianos. 2026 will hit hard with a hip-hop-forward showcase at the Miami Beach Bandshell star- ring none other than Lupe Fiasco. That show also premieres the peculiar Mac Miller Suite, alongside Playground, a virtuosic chamber work by Pascal Le Boeuf. In March, Portuguese-Cape Verdean vo- calist Mayra Andrade brings her diasporic sound to the Bandshell, followed by a newly commissioned work from Snarky Puppy’s Michael League. And the season wraps in April with a grand finale at the Arsht, pairing Holst’s The Planets with a brand-new Bee Gees orchestral suite — plus a surprise guest artist still under wraps. As always, Nu Deco’s education and out- reach work is a constant. The orchestra con- tinues its mission to reach Miami-Dade students through robust programming, in- cluding its standout youth ensemble, Nu Deco NXT. This year, NXT musicians will perform side-by-side with the leading en- semble, even joining PJ Morton onstage in December, and debut their own works at the Spring Break Intensive Showcase in March. Whether you’re in it for the deep cuts or the danceable beats, Nu Deco’s 11th season has something in store for every melomaniac in the 305. [email protected] Nu Deco Ensemble’s new season will kick off in October at the Citadel. Nu Deco Ensemble press photo. | CROSSFADE | t Music
