AT-A-GLANCE
September
An Evening with the Colorado Symphony Cello Ensemble
SEP 4 FRI 7:30 SEE PAGE 8
Defying Gravity: The Best of Broadway SEP 5 SAT 7:30 SEE PAGE 8
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with Peter Oundjian
SEP 11-13 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 9
Lawrence with the Colorado Symphony
SEP 18 FRI 7:30 SEE PAGE 8
Latin Beats: Sonidos de las Américas
SEP 19 SAT 7:00 SEE PAGE 10
Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Piano Concerto with Garrick Ohlsson & Rune Bergmann
SEP 25-27 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 10
October
The Ring in Concert
OCT 1 THU 7:30 SEE PAGE 10
Rufus Wainwright - WANTED: Judy Garland
OCT 3 SAT 7:30 SEE PAGE 11
Chamber Music Concert at the Studio Loft
OCT 4 SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 31
Bernstein & Ravel with Vadim Gluzman & Andrew Litton
OCT 9-11 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 11
Joe Hisaishi with the Colorado Symphony
OCT 16-17 FRI-SAT 7:30 SEE PAGE 11
The Firebird with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance & John Williams Horn Concerto
OCT 23-25 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 12
Disney in Concert: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
OCT 29-31 THU-FRI 7:30 ✤ SAT 2:00 SEE PAGE 12
November
Día de los Muertos Celebration NOV 1 SUN 2:30
Mozart Requiem with Gemma New & the Colorado Symphony Chorus NOV 6-8 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
13
PAGE 13
Orchestral Works of Frank Zappa and More NOV 12 THU 7:00 SEE PAGE 4
Andrew McMahon with the Colorado Symphony NOV 13 FRI 7:30
PAGE 14
Elgar Cello Concerto & Dvořák Symphony No. 7 with Peter Oundjian NOV 20-22 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 14
Home Alone in Concert NOV 27-29 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 2:30 SEE PAGE 14
December
Celtic Woman: Symphony Christmas Tour DEC 2 WED 7:30 SEE PAGE 15
A Classical Christmas DEC 5-6 SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 15
A Colorado Christmas DEC 11-13 FRI 7:30 ✤ SAT 2:30 & 6:00 ✤ SUN 1:00 SEE PAGE 15
John Denver - A Rocky Mountain Christmas DEC 16 WED 7:30 SEE PAGE 15
Holiday Brass
DEC 17 THU 7:00
Too Hot to Handel with the Colorado Symphony Chorus
PAGE 16
DEC 19-20 SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 2:30 SEE PAGE 16
Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert
DEC 22-23 TUE-WED 7:00 SEE PAGE 16
A Night In Vienna
DEC 31 THU 6:30 SEE PAGE 16
PETER OUNDJIAN
CHRISTOPHER DRAGON
EUN SUN KIM
Defying Gravity: The Best of Broadway
SEP 5 SAT 7:30
Broadway fans, rejoicify! This enchanting concert features a lineup of unforgettable hits, including beloved songs from Wicked (”The Wizard & I”, ”Popular”, and ”Defying Gravity“), Jersey Boys, The Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, and more. Featuring show-stopping vocal talent and the world-class musicianship of the Colorado Symphony, Defying Gravity: The Best of Broadway promises to be a night of theatrical splendor and supernatural delight. Whether you're a lifelong Broadway aficionado or new to the genre, this concert will cast a spell on all who attend.
Lawrence with the Colorado Symphony ALTERNATIVE
SEP 18 FRI 7:30
Get ready for a special night as Lawrence — the GRAMMY®-nominated, eight-piece soul-pop band known for their high-energy grooves, punchy horns, and dynamic vocals — teams up with the Colorado Symphony. Featuring symphonic arrangements co-created by Lawrence and the orchestra, the band’s keyboard-driven sound expands into a contemporary blend of pop-soul and sweeping orchestral color.
orchestra in an exploration of the enduring power of the human spirit. Gabriella Ortiz’s Yanga chronicles the remarkable journey of Gaspar Yanga — an African prince taken from his homeland in the 1500s, enslaved in Mexico, and destined to become a revolutionary hero. After leading a successful uprising, Yanga founded the first free African settlement in the Americas, becoming a symbol of resistance that inspired anti-slavery movements for centuries. Ortiz’s vibrant score, propelled by the Colorado Symphony percussionists and Colorado Symphony Chorus, bursts with rhythmic electricity as it honors his extraordinary legacy.
If Yanga ignites the night, Beethoven’s monumental Ninth Symphony elevates it to the sublime. Led by Oundjian, the Colorado Symphony and Chorus illuminate the Ninth’s sweeping journey toward its iconic finale, “Ode to Joy,” a grand hymn to humanity and a triumphant call for unity that remains as urgent and uplifting as ever. So often enlisted for its thematic potency, the Ninth has endured for over two centuries as the greatest artistic anthem of peace, freedom, and brotherhood ever created. Yanga serves as a powerful contemporary response to the Ninth, creating a dialogue between historical struggles for freedom and enduring human aspirations for unity. Together, they set the tone for a season of bold storytelling and profound musical expression, offering an unforgettable opening to the year ahead.
Latin Beats: Sonidos de las Américas
SEP 19 SAT 7:00
The Mexican Cultural Center, with the Colorado Symphony, present the 10th annual Latin Beats: Sonidos de las Américas. This unique, free concert celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month and Latin culture’s influence on sound in the Americas, showcasing a fusion of traditional, classical, and contemporary music augmented by the Colorado Symphony’s soaring orchestrations.
In partnership with the Mexican Cultural Center and Denver Arts & Venues, this event is a free concert. Tickets for this performance are available two weeks prior to the event online or in-person at the Colorado Symphony Box Office. All seating is general admission, and a ticket does not guarantee a seat.
Rachmaninoff’s
3rd Piano Concerto with Garrick Ohlsson & Rune Bergmann
SEP 25-27 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Rune Bergmann, conductor Garrick Ohlsson, piano
SVENDSEN Norwegian Artists’ Carnival, Op. 14
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
Towering and effervescent, Rune Bergmann leads a program infused with Nordic spirit, crowned by one of the greatest and most beloved works for piano ever written. Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, performed by the legendary Garrick Ohlsson, is renowned for its soaring Romantic spirit and fearsome technical demands. Ohlsson, whose father emigrated from Sweden after World War II, is just the virtuoso to tackle the wiles of this Romantic masterpiece which remains an audience favorite and an idyllic showcase for any pianist.
Johan Svendsen’s Norwegian Artists’ Carnival is a joyful, folk-infused overture that shines all the more with Bergmann’s Norwegian roots and infectious enthusiasm. Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’s First Symphony deepens the Nordic landscape with one of the most arresting openings in symphonic music. A hushed, rumbling timpani emerges from the silence before a lone clarinet unfurls a haunting melody — a theme that becomes the structural seed from which the entire symphony grows. Bergmann’s innate feel for this repertoire brings both tension and lyricism into sharp focus, guiding listeners through Sibelius’s brooding atmosphere and sweeping emotional terrain.
The Ring in Concert
OCT 1 THU 7:30
Jason Seber, conductor
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
In The Ring, journalist Rachel Keller investigates a mysterious videotape rumored to kill anyone who watches it exactly seven days later. As Rachel uncovers the truth behind the tape, she’s drawn into a terrifying supernatural mystery that puts her life — and her son’s — in danger. The Ring features a chilling score composed by Hans Zimmer, whose minimalist themes amplify the film’s dread and suspense, and helped cement the movie’s lasting impact on the horror genre.
OCT 9-11 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Andrew Litton, conductor
Vadim Gluzman, violin
STRAVINSKY Le baiser de la fée: Divertimento
BERNSTEIN Serenade, after Plato's "Symposium"
RAVEL Valses Nobles et sentimentales
RAVEL La valse, poème chorégraphique
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
Former Music Director Andrew Litton returns to Denver, leading a must-see weekend steeped in elegance and the intoxicating sweep of the dance. Stravinsky’s Divertimento from the ballet Le baiser de la fée is a glittering homage to Tchaikovsky through Stravinsky’s gleaming neoclassical lens. As Music Director for the New York City Ballet, Litton’s affinity for this repertoire brings its balletic grace and expressive warmth vividly to life. Acclaimed violinist Vadim Gluzman takes center stage for Bernstein’s Serenade, a radiant and deeply personal meditation on love inspired by Plato’s “Symposium” that is a concerto in all but name. As the world’s preeminent interpreter of the Serenade, Gluzman’s glittering tone and magnetic presence are ideally matched, declaring “I know every note of the score sideways and backwards and it’s part of my being, physically and emotionally.” After intermission, Ravel’s world of waltz unfolds in one sweeping arc as Valses Nobles et sentimentales flows without pause into La valse. What begins in refined, Viennese-inspired charm gradually intensifies into a macabre, biting satire often interpreted as critique of a decadent society. Under Litton’s baton, Ravel’s shimmering textures promise to dazzle as the music spirals from nostalgic beauty to breathtaking, full-throttle brilliance.
Joe Hisaishi with the Colorado Symphony
OCT 16-17 FRI-SAT 7:30
Joe Hisaishi, conductor
SPOTLIGHT
Joe Hisaishi is one of the most celebrated composers of our time. He has established himself as a formidable force in contemporary music for his delicately crafted symphonic and solo works, as well as his globally successful film music. His credits include 12 enchanting, animated Studio Ghibli films, including Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning works, as well as being the Composer-in-Association of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Composer in Residence for the Philadelphia Orchestra. In his Boettcher Concert Hall debut, Hisaishi will conduct a new Concerto for Orchestra that was co-commissioned by the Colorado Symphony.
Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
OCT 29-31 THU-FRI 7:30 ✤ SAT 2:00
Christopher Dragon, conductor
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
Half Notes
What’s this?! Back by popular demand, see one of Tim Burton’s most celebrated films like never before! The full feature film, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, will be projected on the big screen with dialogue, singing, and effects accompanied by Danny Elfman’s darkly charming score played live by your Colorado Symphony. Families are welcome and costumes are encouraged. After all, this is Halloween!
Movie screened with live orchestra performing the full film score. Stay for the credits, you’ll be glad you did!
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. ©Disney. All rights reserved. MPAA Rating: PG
scene of popular imagination, the mythology endures, shaping how we hear the work itself: a profound confrontation with mortality, marked by fear and transcendent beauty. From the ominous opening through moments of aching tenderness, the Requiem is a choral tour de force that remains remarkably poignant to this day. As a modern counterpoint to Mozart’s timeless meditation on humanity, experience Salina Fisher’s Kintsugi for Orchestra. A luminous reflection inspired by the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, Fisher’s music meditates on fragility, healing, and the quiet strength found in imperfection. Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin completes the program with a suite of elegant, dance-infused movements written as a memorial to friends lost in World War I. Intimate and introspective, it celebrates beauty and elegance in the face of war's devastation, rounding out a performance that affirms the power of music to console, heal, and uplift the human spirt.
Andrew McMahon with the Colorado Symphony
NOV 13 FRI 7:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
ALTERNATIVE
Singer-songwriter and pianist Andrew McMahon brings his unmistakable blend of pop, rock, and heartfelt storytelling to the Colorado Symphony in a genre-defying collaboration. From Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin to Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, his anthemic songs are reimagined with lush orchestral color for an electrifying, deeply personal concert experience.
Elgar Cello Concerto & Dvořák Symphony No. 7 with Peter Oundjian
NOV 20-22 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Peter Oundjian, conductor
Johannes Moser, cello
VIVIAN FUNG Dust Devils
ELGAR Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
Few works announce themselves with the visceral impact of Elgar’s Cello Concerto. From its arresting opening notes, this iconic score speaks with a voice of searing honesty. Composed in the aftermath of World War I, it is widely regarded as one of the great masterpieces of the early 20th century as Elgar sheds the pomp of his earlier work in favor of introspection and quiet anguish, reflecting the recent loss of his wife and his post-war disillusionment. In the expressive hands of Johannes Moser and led by Music Director Peter Oundjian, the concerto’s lyricism and emotional vulnerability will resonate with seasoned audiences and newcomers alike.
The concerto is framed by music of restless motion as Vivian Fung’s Dust Devils sweeps listeners into a world of kinetic energy and swirling momentum, with vivid textures evoking the raw power of nature and the thrill of constant movement. The sense of urgency carries forward into Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, a work of dark intensity and dramatic sweep. Considered by many to be his greatest symphony, the Seventh channels Dvořák’s inner conflict and nationalist longing into a gripping symphonic statement you will need to see to believe.
Home Alone in Concert
NOV 27-29 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 2:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Colorado Symphony Chorus, Taylor Martin, director
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
Half Notes
A true holiday favorite, this beloved comedy classic features renowned composer John Williams' charming and delightful score performed live to picture by the Colorado Symphony. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who's accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his home against two bungling thieves. Hilarious and heart-warming, Home Alone is holiday fun for the entire family!
Celtic Woman: Symphony Christmas Tour
DEC 2 WED 7:30
HOLIDAY
Celebrate the holiday season with the celestial voices of multi-platinum Irish singing sensation Celtic Woman with your Colorado Symphony. Featuring music from the all-female ensemble’s most favorite Yuletide songs performed by them over the years. Prepare for an enchanting and festive evening filled with mesmerizing music, performance, and holiday cheer.
A Classical Christmas
DEC 5-6 SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Taylor Martin, conductor
Colorado Symphony Chorus, Mary Louise Burke, director
HOLIDAY
Celebrate the season with A Classical Christmas, blending traditional and holiday arrangements in an unforgettable performance. From the warmth of O Come, All Ye Faithful and the wonder of Handel’s Hallelujah to festive gems by Tchaikovsky, Holst, Rachmaninoff, and Coleridge-Taylor, this joyful program captures the beauty and reverence of the holidays. Featuring the power of the Colorado Symphony Chorus and a cast of vocal soloists, A Classical Christmas is a heart-warming celebration of music and seasonal joy.
A Colorado Christmas HOLIDAY
DEC 11-13 FRI 7:30 ✤ SAT 2:30 & 6:00 ✤ SUN 1:00
Taylor Martin, conductor
Devin DeSantis, host and vocalist
Colorado Symphony Chorus, Mary Louise Burke, associate director
Colorado Children’s Chorale, Emily Crile, director
Half Notes
The warm sounds of the holidays fill the hall with festive seasonal favorites featuring the Colorado Symphony Chorus and Colorado Children’s Chorale, all hosted by beloved Denver vocalist Devin DeSantis. This family-friendly event includes traditional carols, your new favorite winter tunes, and a chance to sing along to your heart’s content! And you better not pout because Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to see who’s naughty and who’s nice in preparation for the big night!
John Denver - A Rocky Mountain Christmas HOLIDAY
DEC 16 WED 7:30
We inspire & unite humanity through live symphonic music, connecting communities across Colorado and beyond.
Holiday Brass
DEC 17 THU 7:00
Stefan Sanders, conductor
Colorado Symphony Brass & Percussion
HOLIDAY
Holiday Brass, one of Colorado’s favorite festive traditions, features the brilliance and power of the Colorado Symphony Brass and Percussion sections in a resounding program of seasonal ballads, carols, and more! Whether from the vitality of the Renaissance, the glory of the Baroque, or the nostalgic jubilation in the music of Hollywood’s most popular Christmas movies, Holiday Brass brings boundless joy as it heralds the start of your holiday season.
Too Hot to Handel with the Colorado Symphony Chorus
DEC 19-20 SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 2:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor Too Hot to Handel Community Chorus, Mary Louise Burke, director
HOLIDAY
This exuberant jazz, gospel, and R&B-infused concert brilliantly reinvents Handel’s Messiah and returns by popular demand with associate conductor Christopher Dragon at the podium for the 2026 Holiday season! Featuring incredible guest soloists and members of the Colorado Symphony Chorus, this exhilarating night of music will have you rejoicing in the aisles.
Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
DEC 22-23 TUE-WED 7:00 Half Notes
Jason Seber, conductor
The Muppets perform the classic Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine). Other Muppets — Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, and Sam the Eagle — weave in and out of the story, while Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases — past, present, and future. They show him the error of his self-serving ways, but the miserable old man seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness.
Movie screened with live orchestra performing full film score. Stay for the credits, you’ll be glad you did! MPAA Rating: PG.
A Night In Vienna
DEC 31 THU 6:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
HOLIDAY
A Colorado cultural tradition returns featuring your symphony waltzing along with you into 2027! Start your celebration in style with the Colorado Symphony’s presentation of A Night in Vienna, a rousing selection of polkas, waltzes, and marches. The festive evening is the perfect sendoff to 2026 and a can’t-miss holiday mainstay.
An Evening of Mozart
JAN 3 SUN 2:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
SPOTLIGHT
Experience the timeless beauty and irresistible charm of Mozart in a concert devoted to his most beloved works. Led by Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon, this elegant evening pairs classical grace with radiant melodies and the boundless imagination of a true musical genius.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert
JAN 8-10 FRI-SAT 7:00 ✤ SUN 2:30
An Evening of
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
Half Notes
Get ready to join Dumbledore’s Army™! When Professor Umbridge™ takes over Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, what else can Harry do to resist her terrible rule? Find out in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ™ in Concert, accompanied by a live symphony orchestra!
MPAA Rating: PG. All characters and
&
Known as the preeminent spokesperson and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. remains one of the most inspirational figures in American history. This special evening honors recipients of the 2027 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Awards.
In partnership with the MLK, Jr. Holiday Commission and Denver Arts & Venues, this event is a free concert. Tickets for this performance are available two weeks prior to the event online or in-person at the Colorado Symphony Box Office. All seating is general admission and a ticket does not guarantee a seat.
Vivaldi The Four Seasons Recomposed & Mozart No. 25
JAN 15-17 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Simone Porter, violin
HANDEL "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" from Solomon MOZART Symphony No. 25, in G minor, K.183 MAX RICHTER Vivaldi - The Four Seasons Recomposed
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
The Four Seasons Recomposed does not simply rearrange Vivaldi’s iconic work; it dismantles and rebuilds it, preserving its unmistakable DNA while filtering it through a modern lens. Familiar gestures emerge, fracture, and return transformed, creating a listening experience that feels both recognizable and entirely new. Blending classical Vivaldi with modern minimalism and electronica, listeners might even recognize the “Winter” movement as the theme from Netflix's Chef's Table Simone Porter’s silken-toned virtuosity puts her right up there with the finest violinists of her generation and an ideal interpreter of Max Richter’s work.
Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 shows the 17-year-old composer already testing the emotional limits of the symphonic form. Surging with urgency and volatility, the piece reveals Mozart’s early fascination with drama, contrast, and expressive risk in music that feels anything but polite. Racing strings and buoyant energy announce a moment of spectacle and celebration in Handel’s “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”, instantly setting the stage for an exhilarating concert experience led by Christopher Dragon.
RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44
The spirit of emotion comes alive in Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the most ferociously demanding concertos ever written. Its raw physicality tests both soloist and orchestra, making Stewart Goodyear — a pianist known for fearlessness and stamina — an ideal match. With Music Director Peter Oundjian on the podium, the concerto’s volatile mix of brilliance and aggression will flourish before your very eyes.
Kelly-Marie Murphy’s Curiosity, Genius, and the Search for Petula Clark was commissioned by the Toronto Symphony and premiered under the baton of Oundjian in 2017. It reflects classical pianist Glenn Gould’s boundless curiosity and his ability to approach a passing pop song with the same seriousness he brought to Bach. The result is music that balances wit and rigor, capturing the joy of focused listening and the satisfaction of discovery.
It all culminates with Rachmaninoff’s Third Symphony, a late career work that carries echoes of his lush Romantic past while embracing a more modern sensibility. Restless, reflective, and unmistakably personal, the symphony reveals a composer searching for clarity and relevance in a changing musical world.
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 & Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3
FEB 12-14 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Ramón Tebar, conductor Benjamin Beilman, violin
WEBER Oberon Overture
SAINT-SAËNS Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5, in E minor, Op. 64
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACK
Few symphonies capture the emotional volatility of the Romantic spirit as powerfully as Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony. As intensely dramatic as any of his major works, the symphony portrays a triumphant struggle against fate, unfolding across four movements of surging emotion and unforgettable melody. Unafraid to turn inner turmoil into indelible music, the Fifth demonstrates exactly why Tchaikovsky stands among the Romantic era’s most compelling voices.
That spirit of Romanticism animates the rest of the program beginning with Weber’s Oberon Overture. Painting a vivid fantasy world, its theatrical nature and vivid orchestration reflect the era’s fascination with storytelling and the supernatural. Saint-Saëns’ Third Violin Concerto balances French refinement with Romantic intensity, demanding both technical brilliance and expressive playing from rising violinist Benjamin Beilman. Under the direction of Ramón Tebar, this is a program that will captivate from the first note to the last.
Rick Steves' Europe: A Symphonic Journey
FEB 20 SAT 7:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Rick Steves, America's leading authority on European travel, teams up with your Colorado Symphony for an inspirational musical journey. The tour begins in the United States and then touches down in eight different European countries. The concert celebrates music's power to stir the patriotic soul. Playing musical tour guide, Steves utilizes his extensive knowledge of European history and culture to set the context for each piece. Then, with the help of evocative video images from his public television series, the orchestra performs a selection of stirring 19th-century anthems by Romantic-era composers, including Grieg, Smetana, Strauss, Saint-Saëns, Elgar, Wagner, and Verdi. Each selection honors a particular nationality, while the finale, Beethoven's “Ode to Joy” (Europe's official anthem), pays homage to the continent's motto of “United in Diversity” and its passion for freedom.
Performance includes visual imagery projected on large format screens
The Colorado Symphony is A living heartbeat of our state...
...expressing its beauty, creativity, vitality, and inclusive spirit.
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Join the Colorado Symphony for a fun-filled family afternoon highlighted by the beloved classic Peter and the Wolf, where music and storytelling come together to introduce young listeners to the orchestra. Along the way, enjoy lively favorites by Copland, Britten, Gounod, and Johann Strauss Jr., each showcasing different instruments and musical characters. Watch and listen as Peter cleverly outsmarts the Wolf, helped along by the musical friends he meets on his journey in a family-friendly event that is fun for all ages!
Prokofiev & Barber with Leonard Slatkin
FEB 26-28 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Diana Newman, soprano
DANIEL SLATKIN Voyager 130
BARBER Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5 in B- flat major, Op. 100
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
Legendary conductor Leonard Slatkin leads an exploration of how composers use sound to navigate scale: from the vastness of space to the weight of human experience. Daniel Slatkin’s Voyager 130 offers an opening meditation on exploration and endurance, inspired by the Voyager spacecraft still traveling through deep space decades after its launch. Son of the elder Slatkin, his work reflects a modern fascination with distance, time, and humanity’s impulse to reach beyond itself.
Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 turns inward, setting James Agee’s evocative text as a stream of recollection — a child’s voice recalling warmth, safety, and fleeting moments just before they vanish. It stands as one of the most quietly devastating portraits of memory in American music.
The program culminates in Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, written in 1944 as World War II pressed on and later premiered amid the climactic final year of the conflict. An ode to the spirit of humanity, Prokofiev himself described the work as “a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit” — a statement that resonates both as aspiration and as reflection of its time.
Intergalactic Symphony Spectacular
MAR 4 THU 7:30
Jason Seber, conductor
SYMPHONY POPS
Half Notes
The Colorado Symphony is boldly going where no orchestra has gone before! With space-themed favorites from John Williams' scores for E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and Star Wars, alongside cosmic favorites from Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Back to the Future, and more, this program will be out of this world.
Everything I Know - Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda
MAR 6 SAT 7:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
SYMPHONY POPS
This electrifying new concert experience celebrates the synergy between Mandy Gonzalez’s powerhouse Broadway vocals and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s iconic songwriting, presented with full symphony orchestra. Featuring beloved songs from Hamilton, In the Heights, Encanto, Vivo, New York, New York, and more, audiences will rediscover this extraordinary music woven together with stories of friendship and heritage. This vibrant evening is a joyful celebration of identity, diversity, and the universal power of music to unite us.
All Beethoven with Kahane and Oundjian
MAR 10 WED 7:30
Peter Oundjian, conductor
Jeffrey Kahane, piano
BEETHOVEN Octet in E-flat major, Op. 103
BEETHOVEN Grosse Fuge, Op. 133
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
For this special Wednesday performance, Music Director Peter Oundjian and former Music Director Jeffrey Kahane invite audiences into an in-the-round all Beethoven evening. In a rare mid-week Masterworks performance, Kahane lends a studied hand to Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, one of the composer’s most poetic works. Opening not with orchestral force but with a solitary piano, the concerto subverts expectations from its opening bars, balancing intimacy with quiet
SPOTLIGHT
We live our vision through unmatched artistry and bold innovation.
All
PETER OUNDJIAN, CONDUCTOR JEFFREY KAHANE, PIANO
Piano Concerto No 4
and across the symphony’s relentless trajectory we hear a composer transforming personal struggle into universal triumph. It remains a testament to Beethoven’s resilience: even with silence closing in, he composed music that roared with life. Together, these three works celebrate music’s power to defy adversity and ignite the human spirit.
How to Train Your Dragon in Concert
MAR 20-21 SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 2:30
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
Half Notes Christopher Dragon, conductor
DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon is a captivating and original story about a young Viking named Hiccup, who defies tradition when he befriends one of his deadliest foes – a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. Together, these unlikely heroes must fight against all odds to save both their worlds. Featuring John Powell’s Oscar®-nominated score performed live to picture, How to Train Your Dragon in Concert is a thrilling experience for all ages.
How to Train Your Dragon © 2010 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Dragon Conducts Brahms' 4th & #elijah with Yumi Hwang-Williams
APR 2-4 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Christopher Dragon, conductor Yumi Hwang-Williams, violin
COLERIDGE-TAYLOR The Bamboula – Rhapsodic Dances No. 1, Op. 75
JOHN WINEGLASS #elijah
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The Lark Ascending BRAHMS Symphony No. 4, in E minor, Op. 98
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
Journey through music shaped by loss and reflection. With Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon and the orchestra as guides, experience a quartet of works that speak across generations with uncommon directness about the human responses to suffering and the search for meaning beyond it. The opening statement comes in Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s The Bamboula. Nicknamed for a drum and dance brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans, the piece draws on rhythms and traditions forged under unimaginable hardship.
That sense of tragedy speaks directly to the present in John Wineglass’ #elijah, featuring Concertmaster Yumi HwangWilliams. Written in response to the killing of Elijah McClain, the work places the solo violin at the center of a raw, searching lament — music that bears witness, confronts injustice, and refuses to look away.
A sense of release follows in Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending , where Hwang-Williams' violin floats above a hushed orchestra, evoking open skies and quiet stillness. The piece offers a moment of suspended time that gently lifts the listener beyond sorrow. Brahms’ Fourth Symphony faces mortality head-on in his final and most uncompromising symphonic statement. A favorite among musicians, it emerges from darkness into something enduring — a fitting arrival point for a program that moves, unflinchingly, from tragedy to transcendence.
Drums of the World
APR 11 SUN 2:30
FAMILY
Half Notes
Colorado Symphony Percussion Section Marimba, bongos, bass drums, woodblocks, log drums, boo-bams, Chinese cymbals, metal trash cans, darbukas, talking drums, plastic pipe, acoustic guitar, toy trumpet, tablespoons, Burma gongs, water can, crow call, tambourine, gankogui, and sleigh bells! These are just some of the instruments that the virtuoso percussionists of your Colorado Symphony will be using in this dynamic concert that is fun for the entire family. Experience the mesmerizing rhythms and surprising melodies as this one-of-a-kind performance brings the world of percussion to life.
Berlioz Symphonie fantastique & Poulenc Gloria with Eun Sun Kim
APR 16-18 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Eun Sun Kim, conductor
Colorado Symphony Chorus, Taylor Martin, director Heidi Stober, soprano
BOULANGER Marche gaie
POULENC Gloria
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
Surprises await you at every turn as the dazzling Eun Sun Kim leads the orchestra through works by three visionary French composers, a sweeping journey from radiant joy to sacred intensity to the feverish depths of Romantic obsession. The program’s energy radiates from the start, sparked by Lili Boulanger’s Marche gaie — a compact burst of brilliance from a composer whose remarkable voice was silenced far too soon.
Poulenc’s Gloria is one of the composer’s most beloved works, alternating between sacred sincerity and unexpected flashes of playfulness while celebrating the human spirit in all its contradictions. With soprano Heidi Stober and the Colorado Symphony Chorus, this work is joyful, irreverent, and deeply moving.
Yet that emotional generosity serves only as a prelude to the supernatural sweep of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, a work epic in scale and ambition. Drawing on a recurrent melodic theme, Berlioz dives headlong into a fever-dream narrative shaped by obsession, ecstasy, hallucination, and despair. His own self-destructive passions are laid bare as the music hurtles toward a programmatic finale that will leave the hall charged with the unmistakable thrill of orchestral storytelling at its most vivid.
Colorado Symphony Gala
APR 24 SAT 6:00
FUNDRAISER
Save the date for the Colorado Symphony's biggest fundraiser of the year! This premier event features captivating performances in support of the Symphony's mission to inspire and unite humanity through live symphonic music. Dress to impress and dance the night away — you won't want to miss the social event of the season. Your support helps fuel transformative music education, community engagement, and unforgettable performances that reach audiences across Colorado and beyond. Together, we’ll ensure the Symphony continues to be a powerful cultural force for connection, creativity, and joy.
Oundjian Conducts Mahler’s “Titan” & Gershwin with Hélène Grimaud
APR 30-MAY 2 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Peter Oundjian, conductor
Hélène Grimaud, piano
ROUSE Phantasmata
II. The Infernal Machine
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
GERSHWIN Piano Concerto in F major MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan"
Big ideas demand bold voices, so we’ve paired the unmistakable sound of George Gershwin with the monumental vision of Gustav Mahler, bringing together two composers who reshaped the orchestral landscape. Music Director Peter Oundjian welcomes back superstar pianist Hélène Grimaud, whose unforgettable performance of Brahms’ First Piano Concerto opened the 2023/24 Season to rapturous acclaim. This time, she turns her formidable artistry to Gershwin’s Piano Concerto, a work that helped redefine what American concert music could be. With its swaggering rhythms and jazz-inflected harmonies, the concerto bridges Carnegie Hall and Broadway, capturing the restless energy of a composer who forever altered the sound of American music.
Mahler’s First Symphony — long known by the nickname “Titan” — brings the program to a towering conclusion. Though Mahler later discarded the title, the label endured, and the music earned it. One of the most audacious and impressive first symphonies ever written, the work synthesizes the Romantic legacies of Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Liszt, and Bruckner while opening the door to something profoundly new. Mahler expands the orchestra not for sheer volume, but to unlock an unprecedented range of possibilities, allowing individual instruments to speak with striking individuality. From the hushed awakening of nature at the opening to the blazing triumph of the finale, Mahler charts a path towards symphonic bliss that will flourish under the baton of Oundjian.
MAY 6 THU 7:30
Produced by The Wild Faery Company under licensing with TOEI ANIMATION and in collaboration with original Composer Kohei Tanaka, ONE PIECE Music Symphony is the one and only official concert dedicated to the adventures of ONE PIECE. With videos perfectly synchronized with the anthology's music projected on a giant video screen in HD definition, action, adventure and emotions will once again be on the program, sublimated by the power of a symphony orchestra with more than 50 musicians! It features the most famous music from the TV series such as the emotional ‘Haha naru Umi’ (Mother Sea), the lighthearted ‘Sekai no ichiban oden da!!’ (This is the best oden in the world!!), the amazing ‘Ore no saikouchiten’ (Luffy’s Gear 5 Theme), and so much more!
ONE PIECE Music Symphony in Concert
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
Brahms' A German Requiem with Anthony Parnther & the Colorado Symphony Chorus
MAY 14-16 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Anthony Parnther, conductor
Colorado Symphony Chorus, Taylor Martin, director
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, Op. 56a
BRAHMS Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
The music of Johannes Brahms speaks with uncommon clarity and nowhere is that truer than in A German Requiem. With guest conductor Anthony Parnther on the podium and featuring the Colorado Symphony Chorus and a pair of vocal soloists, this monumental work stands distinctly apart from other Requiem Masses. Rather than mourning the dead, Brahms offers solace to the living, confronting life as much as death. By setting German texts drawn from the Lutheran Bible and Apocrypha — instead of the traditional Latin Mass used in the Requiem Masses by Mozart, Verdi, and Berlioz — he created a deeply personal meditation on grief and hope that remains one of the most revered choral works ever composed.
The path toward Ein deutsches Requiem begins with Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, exemplifying Brahms' mastery of variation form while blending Classical restraint with Romantic expressiveness. What begins as a simple, dignified theme unfolds into a rich exploration of structure, bridging his chamber music innovations and later symphonic output while foreshadowing the emotional breadth to come through music that speaks directly to the human experience.
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
MAY 22-23 SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 2:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
Half Notes
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope! Luke Skywalker begins a journey that will change the galaxy, as he leaves his home planet, battles the evil Empire, and learns the ways of the Force. Watch the complete film unfold as your Colorado Symphony performs John Williams’ legendary score live.
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Warner/Chappell Music.
©2027 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©DISNEY MPAA Rating: PG.
Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra with Peter Oundjian
MAY 28-30 FRI-SAT 7:30 ✤ SUN 1:00
Peter Oundjian, conductor
Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, soprano
J. STRAUSS JR. Die Fledermaus: Overture
STRAUSS Four Last Songs
J. STRAUSS JR. Kaiser-Walzer, Op. 437
STRAUSS Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
CLASSICS
PRELUDES/TALKBACKS
Our season finale is unapologetically grand, pairing music that once filled Viennese ballrooms with works meant to challenge our understanding of life and our place in the universe. Led by Music Director Peter Oundjian, experience four pieces spanning two composers named Strauss who could not be more different in spirit or scale. Johann Strauss Jr., the “Waltz King,” composed music that set 19th-century Vienna spinning. His Die Fledermaus Overture bursts with theatrical flair, while the Kaiser-Walzer transforms the familiar waltz into something symphonic in scope.
At the emotional heart of the program stands Richard Strauss’ Four Last Songs, among the most luminous farewells in the orchestral repertoire. Written at the end of the composer’s life and brought to new heights by the transcendent voice of Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, this piece offers a sublime meditation on love, loss, and the peaceful close of life. Our farewell to the season concludes with Also sprach Zarathustra, Strauss’ vast tone poem inspired by Nietzsche’s novel of the same name, and instantly recognizable from its use in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. From its iconic opening fanfare to its unresolved final question, the piece challenges listeners to consider the limits of understanding amid humanity’s search for meaning, offering a bold and unforgettable close to a season.
Through unforgettable live symphonic experiences, we connect people, uplift communities, and inspire everyone to feel part of something greater.
Chamber Music Concert at the Studio Loft
OCT 4 SUN 1:00
THE COLORADO SYMPHONY INVITES YOU
to a pair of intimate afternoons of chamber music at The Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, presented as part of the Symphony’s Chamber Music Series.
The Colorado Symphony’s Chamber Music Series offers audiences the opportunity to experience the orchestra’s musicians in an intimate setting, revealing the artistry, collaboration, and personal connection at the heart of symphonic music.
Set within one of Denver’s most personal performance spaces, these thoughtfully curated programs bring audiences closer to the music, and the musicians, through works that highlight the virtuosity of the Colorado Symphony’s individual artists.
Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du soldat is a landmark of modern music — lean, theatrical, and rhythmically electric. Written for a small ensemble, the score blends classical craft with jazz and folk influences, creating a vivid musical story that feels as fresh and subversive today as it did at its premiere.
Chamber Music Concert at the Studio Loft
APR 11 SUN 1:00
The spring program explores color, texture, and lyricism through a striking mix of French and Japanese works. Françaix’s Quatuor for English Horn & String Trio sparkles with wit and elegance, while Takemitsu’s A Way a Lone offers a moment of quiet reflection. Fauré’s Short Songs for Harp and Soprano bring intimate lyric beauty, leading into Debussy’s luminous Sonata for Flute, Viola, & Harp.
