Jacob Joyce, the third of five finalists being considered for PSO’s next Music Director, leads the orchestra in a program featuring Gershwin’s An American in Paris.
PLANO, TX (October 29, 2026): The Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) invites you to an evening of French inspired music with Vive la France! on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the Robinson Fine Arts Center. Led by guest conductor Jacob Joyce and featuring Australian cellist Benett Tsai, the concert celebrates the color, elegance and energy of French music, culminating in George Gershwin’s beloved orchestral showpiece, An American in Paris.
Tickets range in price from $33-$95 with $20 student tickets available in most sections and can be purchased through the Plano Symphony Orchestra Box Office (972-473-7262/planosymphony.org). The Robinson Fine Arts Center is located at 1800 Alma Drive in Plano, Texas.
Vive la France! will be conducted by acclaimed French American conductor Jacob Joyce, the third of five Music Director candidates who will lead the Plano Symphony Orchestra during the 2026–2027 season as the orchestra prepares for a new chapter in its artistic leadership. Each finalist will conduct one PSO concert, giving audiences an opportunity to experience different styles and provide feedback via a post-concert survey.
The program brings together four distinctive works that showcase the richness of the orchestral repertoire. Audiences will experience the dramatic flair of Hector Berlioz’s Overture to Benvenuto Cellini, the expressive beauty of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, the playful sophistication of Francis Poulenc’s Les Biches suite, and Gershwin’s vibrant musical portrait of Paris.
Featured soloist Benett Tsai brings an international perspective and remarkable artistry to the Saint-Saëns concerto. Praised for his “electrifying… flawless freshness” by Süddeutsche Zeitung and his “charismatic, heartfelt playing” by Sydney Arts Guide, Tsai gained international recognition as a top prizewinner at the 2022 Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann in Berlin. A VC Artist on The Violin Channel, Tsai is an exciting performer to experience live with a full symphony orchestra.
The concert closes with Gershwin’s An American in Paris, a crowd favorite that blends jazz influences with the atmosphere and musical character of 20th-century Paris. Though Gershwin was American, his celebrated work captures the excitement of discovering a city through its sounds, rhythms and bustling streets—a fitting finale to an evening inspired by France.
About the Artists
Jacob Joyce serves as Associate Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted orchestras across the United States, including the Detroit, St. Louis, Houston and Kansas City symphonies, as well as internationally with the London Symphony Orchestra and several leading German orchestras. Previously, he served as Resident Conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. A recipient of the 2020 Solti Career Assistance Award, Joyce studied conducting at the New England Conservatory and holds degrees from Yale College and the Yale School of Music.
Australian cellist Benett Tsai is an acclaimed young soloist and chamber musician who has performed on major stages worldwide. He gained international recognition at the 2022 Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann in Berlin, earning Third Prize and the Special Prize for Best Haydn Concerto as the competition’s youngest entrant. Tsai has performed with orchestras including the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Lahti and Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared at venues such as The Kennedy Center and Berliner Philharmonie. His artistry has been praised for its “electrifying…flawless freshness” by Süddeutsche Zeitung. He performs on a 1719 Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’ cello, generously loaned to him.