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2026/27 SEASON

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Out of This World Windborne’s The Music of Tom Petty Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown

Helzberg Hall Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

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Debussy • Schumann • Mařatka

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Spanish Inspiration Albéniz • Chopin • Scarlatti • Soler • Liszt…

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2026/27

KC Symphony Board of Directors Founded by R. Crosby Kemper, Jr.† in 1982 Board of Trustees established in 1983

Officers Linda Gill Taylor, Chair Kenneth V. Hager, Vice Chair & Secretary/Treasurer Timothy P. Cook, Vice Chair Michael M. Gentry, Vice Chair Jeff Hargroves, Vice Chair Marny Sherman, Vice Chair Directors Dr. Scott S. Boswell Sr. Grant Burcham Susan Chambers Elizabeth Gray Amy Guerich Scott Hughes Julian Kaplan Bebe Kemper John Klinghammer Jessica Nance Susan Newburger Willy F. Pegues IV Andy Pence Paul J. Sekhri Linda S. Stevens Kellie Sullivan Patrick A. Valadez Ex Officio Shirley Bush Helzberg, Chair Emerita Daniel E. Beckley, President and CEO

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

Past Board Chairs Paul H. Henson† 1983-85 R. Crosby Kemper, Jr.† 1985-87 Paul H. Henson† 1987-88 George E. Powell, Jr.† 1988-90 David W. Hunerberg 1990-95 Shirley Bush Helzberg 1995-2013 William M. Lyons 2013-19 Patrick McCown 2019-23 † In memoriam

Founding Directors In memoriam

Henry W. Bloch William N. Deramus III George C. Dillon James H. Hale Donald J. Hall Paul H. Henson R. Crosby Kemper, Jr. George E. Powell, Jr. George A. Russell Richard H. Spencer Richard J. Stern Foundation Board of Directors Christine Kemper, President Julia Irene Dennie-Kauffman, Vice President Russell W. Baker, Jr., Secretary Chris Schumm, Treasurer Emily Hill David Powell Kellie Sullivan, Auxiliary Representative Lori Feek, Foundation Coordinator

19 0 0 D I A M O N D PA R K W AY | N O R T H K A N S A S C I T Y, M O 6 4116 M J E W E L R Y. C O M ( 816 ) 4 5 3 -1111

2026/27

KC Symphony Staff Executive

Danny Beckley, President and CEO Young Young Wang, Assistant to the President AJ Harbison, Content Developer and Executive Support Specialist

Production Ben Motter, Chief Production Officer Kate Breytspraak, Director of Artistic Administration Stephanie Brimhall, D irector of Education and Community Engagement Justin White, Director of Orchestra Operations Elena Collins, Manager of Orchestra Personnel Jackie Esquivel, Manager of Orchestra Operations Annie McPherson, Manager of Artistic Administration Patrick Chamberlain, Artistic Advisor Patrice Sollenberger, Assistant Chorus Director Development Eva James Toia, Chief Development Officer Daniel Morel, Director of Development Mark Laverentz, Manager of Corporate Partnerships Nathan Shields, Manager of Leadership Giving Roslinde Rivera, Annual Fund Manager Marcy Osburn, Donor Information Specialist Virginia Reed, Development Operations Associate Xavier Bowling, Special Projects Coordinator

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

Finance and HR Sara Lohe, Chief Financial Officer Katy Koepke, Accounting Manager Toni Stock, Senior Accountant Michal McIntyre, Staff Accountant Marketing and Sales Julius Lai, C hief Marketing and Experience Officer Adrienne Dopf, Director of Marketing Ross Lowinske, Creative Director Hannah Goodwin, D igital Marketing Manager Gabrielle Guignon, M arketing Coordinator Claire Martin, M anager of PR and Partnerships Lauren Murphy, Graphic Designer Box Office Stephen Borodkin, Associate Director of Ticketing and Patron Services Jacob Bross, Receptionist and Office Coordinator Adeca Chareunsab, Customer Relations Representative Catherine Cone, Customer Relations Representative Gabby Lacey, Customer Relations Representative Evan Nelson, Customer Relations Representative

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2026/27

KC Symphony Orchestra Roster MATTHIAS PINTSCHER, MUSIC DIRECTOR MICHAEL STERN, MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE FIRST VIOLINS Jun Iwasaki, Concertmaster Miller Nichols Chair Stirling Trent, Associate Concertmaster Sunho Kim, Assistant Concertmaster Anne-Marie Brown Michael Brown Betty Chen Anthony DeMarco Susan Goldenberg* Tomoko Iguchi Dorris Dai Janssen Chiafei Lin Yun-Chung Lin^ Vladimir Rykov Alex Shum* SECOND VIOLINS Tamamo Someya Gibbs, Principal Carter Coleman, Associate Principal Kristin Velicer, Assistant Principal Minhye Helena Choi Mary Garcia Grant Kazato Inouye Rena Ishii Paul Kim Stephanie Larsen Filip Lazovski∆ Sodam Lim Ayrton Pisco VIOLAS MingYu Hsu, Principal Duncan Steele, Associate Principal Jessica Nance, Assistant Principal Kent Brauninger Sean Brumble Marvin Gruenbaum Jenifer Houck Duke Lee Jesse Yukimura

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

CELLOS Mark Gibbs, Principal Robert A. Kipp Chair Susie Yang, Associate Principal Richard Hill Chair Alexander East, Assistant Principal Maria Crosby John Eadie Lawrence Figg Sally Kim Meredith McCook Allen Probus DOUBLE BASSES Landon Honolka^, Principal Evan Halloin, Associate Principal Nils Aardahl Joseph Nuñez Richard Ryan Michael Zogaib^ FLUTES Michael Gordon, Principal Marylou and John Dodds Turner Chair Shannon Finney, Associate Principal Alejandro Lombo^ PICCOLO Alejandro Lombo^ OBOES Kristina Fulton, Principal Shirley Bush Helzberg Chair Alison Chung, Associate Principal Matthew Lengas ENGLISH HORN Matthew Lengas

CLARINETS Raymond Santos, Principal Bill and Peggy Lyons Chair Javier Morales-Martinez, Associate Principal John Klinghammer E-FLAT CLARINET Javier Morales-Martinez BASS CLARINET John Klinghammer BASSOONS Ann Bilderback, Principal Barton P. and Mary D. Cohen Chair Thomas DeWitt, Associate Principal Maxwell Pipinich CONTRABASSOON Thomas DeWitt

TUBA Jarrett McCourt, Acting Principal Frank Byrne Chair TIMPANI Timothy Jepson, Principal Michael and Susan Newburger Chair PERCUSSION David Yoon, Acting Principal Justin Ochoa∆, Acting Associate Principal Adrian and Nancy Kay Hertog Family Chair HARP Chai Lee, Principal LIBRARIANS Elena Lence Talley, Principal Fabrice Curtis, Associate Principal

HORNS Roy Femenella^, Principal Landon and Sarah Rowland Chair David Sullivan, Associate Principal Elizabeth Gray David Gamble Stephen Multer

DAVID T. BEALS III ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR Daniel Wiley

TRUMPETS Julian Kaplan, Principal James B. and Annabel Nutter Chair Shea Kelsay∆, Acting Associate Principal Hyojoon Park∆

Elena Collins, Manager of Orchestra Personnel

Justin White, Director of Orchestra Operations

TROMBONES Evelyn Carlson, Principal Porter Wyatt Henderson, Associate Principal Joseph Maiocco BASS TROMBONE Joseph Maiocco

* Non-Rotating Musician ^ New Member ∆ One-Year Member

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

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SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Out of This World Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 4 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Matthias Pintscher, Music Director and Conductor Colonel Guy Gardner (USAF, Ret.), Host and Narrator Richard Strauss

Also sprach Zarathustra, op. 30 I. Sunrise

Mason Bates

The B-Sides for orchestra and electronica III. Gemini in the Solar Wind

James A. Beckel, Jr.

From the Earth to the Moon and Beyond Col. Guy Gardner, narrator

Claude Debussy (arr. Luck)

Clair de lune

John Williams

Celebrate Discovery

Gustav Holst

The Planets IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

W.A. Mozart (arr. McAlister)

Variations on “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” K. 265

Jessie Montgomery (arr. Norpoth)

Starburst

John Williams

Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

The 2026/27 season is generously sponsored by SHIRLEY and BARNETT C. HELZBERG, JR. Additional support provided by:

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Out of This World

MATTHIAS PINTSCHER

MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR atthias Pintscher is the music director of the Kansas City Symphony (KCS) since the 2024/25 season and has recently been extended through the 2033/34 season. Following the launch of his tenure with the orchestra’s inaugural European tour, they returned in August 2026 for performances in Amsterdam, Hamburg and Berlin. In August 2026 Pintscher was named as the next music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) starting with the 2027/28 season. His next appearance with LACO will be in April 2027. Pintscher’s 2026/27 season includes guest engagements with the Cincinnati, Dallas, San Diego and Utah symphonies, as well as appearances in Europe with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Stockholm Philharmonic, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, HR Sinfonieorchester, Boulez Ensemble and Musikkollegium Winterthur. Alongside his distinguished conducting career, Pintscher is internationally acclaimed as a composer. His music is championed by many of today’s finest performing artists, conductors, and orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris. During the coming season, two new works will receive their world premieres: à tout moment, performed by the Ensemble intercontemporain, and a suite from Das kalte Herz, Pintscher’s opera that debuted earlier this year at the Staatsoper Berlin under his baton. He is published by Boosey and Hawkes; works written before 2023 are published by Bärenreiter. Pintscher has been creative partner of the Cincinnati Symphony since the 2020/21 season. His previous titled positions include music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporain (2013–2023), artist-in-association with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (2010–2018), principal conductor of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra (2016–2018), music director of the 2020 Ojai Music Festival, and season creative chair of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich (2018/19). Among many prestigious prizes, Pintscher was awarded the Prix Prince Pierre de Monaco and the Polar Prize together with Ensemble intercontemporain, and is Chevalier de l’Ordre des Lettres et des Arts. Born in Marl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Pintscher studied conducting with Pierre Boulez and Peter Eötvös.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

COLONEL GUY GARDNER HOST AND NARRATOR

uy was born in Altavista, Virginia on January 6, 1948, and grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. As a young boy, he loved being outdoors, reading science fiction and dreaming of flying in space someday. He was in 8th grade when the first astronauts flew to outer space, confirming his dream could be realized. Since all the early astronauts were test pilots, he chose to pursue that route — Air Force Academy, Purdue University, fighter pilot, test pilot, astronaut. Selected by NASA as a pilot astronaut in 1980, Guy worked in many areas of Space Shuttle and Space Station development and support. Fulfilling his boyhood dream, Guy first flew in space as pilot on the crew of STS-27, aboard the Orbiter Atlantis, on December 2-6, 1988. The mission carried a classified Department of Defense payload. Guy next flew as pilot on the crew of STS-35, aboard the Orbiter Columbia, on December 2-10, 1990. The mission carried the ASTRO-1 astronomy laboratory, consisting of three ultraviolet telescopes and one X-ray telescope. After his second space flight, Guy returned to the Air Force as Head of the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. In 1992, he retired from the Air Force to rejoin NASA, this time at NASA Headquarters as the Associate Administrator for Space Flight (Russian Programs) with the primary role of Program Director of the joint U.S./ Russian Shuttle Mir program. He also served as Mission Director and Director of Quality Assurance. Guy also has been an aviation safety administrator, math and physics teacher, director of a space tourism company and president of both a high school and a junior college. In recent years Guy has taught high school physics, government and economics to students in homeschool co-ops. He currently spends his time enjoying family, hiking and biking, as well as frequently mingling with visitors and speaking at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

Playful Splashes Sun-Soaked Laughter

Heartfelt Moments

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SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Windborne’s The Music of Tom Petty Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 8 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Brent Havens, Guest Conductor Jonah Bobo, Vocals George Cintron, Guitar Dan Clemens, Bass Adam Michaelson, Keyboards Powell Randolph, Drums

Selections will be announced from the stage. There will be an intermission.

The 2026/27 season is generously sponsored by SHIRLEY and BARNETT C. HELZBERG, JR. Additional support provided by:

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Windborne’s The Music Of Tom Petty BRENT HAVENS

ARRANGER / CONDUCTOR erklee-trained arranger/conductor Brent Havens has written music for orchestras, feature films and virtually every kind of television. His TV work includes movies for networks such as ABC, CBS and ABC Family Channel Network, commercials, sports music for networks such as ESPN, and even cartoons. Havens has also worked with the Doobie Brothers and the Milwaukee Symphony, arranging and conducting the combined group for Harley-Davidson’s 100th Anniversary Birthday Party Finale attended by over 150,000 fans. He has worked with some of the world’s greatest orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic and BBC Concert Orchestra in London, CBSO in Birmingham, England, Malaysian Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Orchestra of Opera North in Leeds, England and countless others. Havens recently completed the score for the film “Quo Vadis,” a Premier Pictures remake of the 1956 gladiator film. In 2013 he worked with the Baltimore Symphony and the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens to arrange and produce the music for the Thanksgiving Day halftime show between the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, adapting both classical music and rock songs into a single four-minute show. Havens is arranger and guest conductor for all of the symphonic rock programs for Windborne Music.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

JONAH BOBO VOCALS

onah Bobo is a New York City– based musician and theatre artist who is passionate about both live performance and studio production. He is a record producer and multiinstrumental session musician, having worked with artists in New York and across the nation. In the last five years alone, he has produced three albums of his own and over 30 releases for other artists. Jonah has toured internationally as a lead vocalist in “The British Invasion: Live on Stage” in addition to “The Simon & Garfunkel Story,” in which he starred as Paul Simon. As a composer/lyricist and librettist, Jonah’s theatrical work has been seen Off-Broadway and earned awards from the Richard Rodgers Award Foundation, the Eugene O’Neill National Theatre Center and the Calliope Stage Company. His repertoire as a solo performer spans several instruments and countless genres, including his debut album “Newgrass Suite” (2021), a deep dive into bluegrass, “Rainbow LP” (2023), an exploration of alternative R&B/soul, and “Charm School” (2025), a pop-soul retrospective. Jonah began his career in the arts as a young film actor, starring in such movies as “Choke,” “Zathura” and “Crazy Stupid Love.”

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

Your signature is someone’s second chance. Bryan Busby’s name is influential. You know him as the chief meteorologist at KMBC 9, a percussionist who has performed with the Kansas City Symphony, and an advocate for organ, eye and tissue donation. His goddaughter, Helena, needed a heart transplant. She passed away at 20 years old while waiting for the gift of a donor heart. In her honor, Bryan is a Green Ribbon Champion with Midwest Transplant Network. He encourages people across the metro to learn what it means to be a registered donor. He knows his name could save lives — and yours can, too.

A N

O R G A N

D O N O R .

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Yo-Yo Ma with the Kansas City Symphony Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Matthias Pintscher, Music Director and Conductor Yo-Yo Ma, Cello For more information on Music Director and Conductor Matthias Pintscher, please see page 14. Bedřich Smetana

“Šárka,” No. 3 from Má vlast (My Country)

Bedřich Smetana

“Vltava” (The Moldau), No. 2 from Má vlast (My Country)

Antonín Dvořák

Concerto in B Minor for Cello and Orchestra, op. 104, B. 191 I. Allegro II. Adagio ma non troppo III. Finale: Allegro moderato Yo-Yo Ma, cello

The 2026/27 season is generously sponsored by SHIRLEY and BARNETT C. HELZBERG, JR. Additional support provided by:

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Yo-Yo Ma with the Kansas City Symphony YO-YO MA CELLO

o-Yo Ma’s multifaceted career is testament to his belief in culture’s power to generate trust and understanding. Whether performing new or familiar works for cello, bringing communities together to explore culture’s role in society or engaging unexpected musical forms, Yo-Yo strives to foster connections that stimulate the imagination and reinforce our humanity. Most recently, Yo-Yo began Our Common Nature, a cultural journey to celebrate the ways that nature can reunite us in pursuit of a shared future. Our Common Nature follows the Bach Project, a 36-community, six-continent tour of J.S. Bach’s cello suites paired with local cultural programming. Both endeavors reflect Yo-Yo’s lifelong commitment to stretching the boundaries of genre and tradition to understand how music helps us to imagine and build a stronger society. Yo-Yo Ma was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris, where he began studying the cello with his father at age 4. When he was 7, he moved with his family to New York City, where he continued his cello studies before pursuing a liberal arts education. Yo-Yo has recorded more than 120 albums, is the winner of 20 Grammy® Awards and has performed for nine American presidents, most recently on the occasion of President Biden’s inauguration. He has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of the Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Birgit Nilsson Prize. He has been a UN Messenger of Peace since 2006, and was recognized as one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

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SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Yo-Yo Ma with the Kansas City Symphony

“Šárka,” No. 3 and “Vltava” (The Moldau), No. 2 from Má vlast (My Country) (1874-5) BEDŘICH SMETANA (1824–1884) Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, suspended cymbals, triangle, harp and strings.

THE STORY

The late nineteenth century was a heady time for the arts and for music in particular. Composers like Wagner were stretching tonality to the breaking point. French composers like Debussy and Ravel were reimagining traditional orchestration and experimenting with “exotic” musical materials like the whole-tone and pentatonic scales, as music from the Far East reached Europe through increasing trade and globalization. And all over Europe, composers were being caught up in the fervor of nationalism. Bartók, Vaughan Williams and many others looked to the folk music of their countries for melodies, rhythms and harmonies. Composers like Sibelius in Finland and Paderewski in Poland wrote patriotic works that served political purposes as well as musical ones. And everywhere artists were debating what a national art for their nation would, could or should look like. Bedřich Smetana felt this pull as well, and his native nation of Bohemia certainly had more than its fair share of political turmoil at that time as its Slavic people called for independence from Austrian rule and a revival of the Czech language and culture. In the 1860s, the composer returned to Prague from living abroad and declared, “My home has rooted itself into my heart so much that only there do I find real contentment. It is to this that I will sacrifice myself.” He became one of the foremost proponents of and advocates for a Czech national style of music, especially opera, and by the end of his life was recognized in his country as the father of Czech music. (Dvořák, whose cello concerto we are also performing on this concert, was 17 years younger than Smetana and took up his torch. If Smetana is the father of Czech music, Dvořák is its favorite son.)

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

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SEPT 19, 25 & 27, 2026

NOV 7, 13 & 15, 2026

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SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Yo-Yo Ma with the Kansas City Symphony Smetana is best known internationally for his tone poem cycle Má vlast (My Country), composed between 1874 and 1879, which marries the symphonic tone poem form pioneered by Franz Liszt with inspiration from the history, legends and landscapes of Bohemia. Each of the six pieces were conceived and composed as individual works, but they are often presented as a single work with six movements. We are performing the second and third pieces from the cycle at our concert tonight.

ŠÁRKA 11 MINUTES The third of the pieces was inspired by a Bohemian legend about a woman warrior. Vlasta was a mythical figure who led a revolt to create a state ruled by women instead of men. Šárka was one of Vlasta’s lieutenants, beautiful, ruthless and clever; she was jilted by her lover and swore vengeance on all men as a result. Smetana tells her tale this way: Šárka ties herself to a tree as bait and waits to be saved by the princely knight Ctirad, deceiving him into believing that she is an unwilling captive of the rebelling women. Once released by Ctirad, who has fallen in love with her, Šárka serves him and his comrades with drugged mead and once they have fallen asleep she sounds a hunting horn: an agreed signal to the other women. The story ends with the warrior maidens murdering the sleeping men. After a dramatic introduction, a solo clarinet sings out the feigned cries of Šárka, answered by Ctirad, played by the cello section. Love music follows, as well as the carousing of the men. Their music humorously gets quieter and slower as they fall asleep. Šárka’s horn is heard sounding a single note; drama builds until the warrior maidens burst from the trees and the music vividly paints their fell deeds. There is a short shift to a major key near the very end, but by the time the last chord rings out the minor has triumphed.

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Yo-Yo Ma with the Kansas City Symphony VLTAVA 11 MINUTES By far the most famous piece of the set (and of any of Smetana’s works), “Vltava,” also known in English as “The Moldau,” is a musical depiction of Bohemia’s longest river. Smetana describes the piece this way: The composition describes the course of the Vltava, starting from the two small springs, the Studená and Teplá Vltava, to the unification of both streams into a single current, the course of the Vltava through woods and meadows, through landscapes where a farmer’s wedding is celebrated, the round dance of the mermaids in the night’s moonshine: on the nearby rocks loom proud castles, palaces and ruins aloft. The Vltava swirls into the St. John’s Rapids; then it widens and flows toward Prague, past the Vyšehrad, and then majestically vanishes into the distance, ending at the Elbe. The famous melody from this piece is Smetana’s adaptation of an old Czech folk song with the rather interesting title “Kočka leze dírou” (The cat crawls through the hole); it is also attested as a 16thcentury Italian song and a Swedish folk song, and another adaptation is used as the music for Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah.” The music begins with two flutes trading a flowing line back and forth, with other instruments gradually being added, until the violins and oboes introduce the theme. A contrasting section in duple meter represents the festive wedding celebration. The flutes return, accompanied by muted strings and strummed harp chords, to play the part of water nymphs in the moonlight; quiet brass chords conjure up the castles and ruins high above. The main melody returns, flowing into the rapids, musically painted by repeated brass chords, loud timpani rolls and swirling fragments in the strings. The widening current toward Prague is represented by a faster, grander, major-key version of the melody. The music dies away to high strings before finishing with two forceful chords. — AJ Harbison

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

TAKE CENTER

STAGE Connect with Your Audience this Season and Advertise in Kansas City’s Top Theater and Performance Venues. Contact Christin Painter at: christin@kcindependent.com • 816-471-2800 x218 • kcindependent.com

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Yo-Yo Ma with the Kansas City Symphony

Concerto in B Minor for Cello and Orchestra, op. 104, B. 191 (1894-95) ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841–1904) 40 MINUTES Solo cello, piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle and strings.

THE STORY

Composing a concerto for a solo cello with orchestra has always been tricky. The cello doesn’t have the volume to be heard through the full orchestra, as the piano does, nor does it have the range to soar above the full orchestra, as the violin does. Czech composer Antonín Dvořák felt this way, and it contributed to his lifelong reluctance to compose one. He was finally convinced by hearing a cello concerto by fellow composer Victor Herbert. Herbert’s effective use of the high range of the cello and his use of three trombones inspired Dvořák to give it a try. (It also inspired Dvořák’s inclusion of three trombones in his own score, as well as the key of B minor.) Dvořák navigated the pitfalls of the cello being lost in the orchestra’s sound by lightly scoring around the cello solos, while also using the cello in an accompanying role for solos by other instruments in the orchestra. When he showed the work to his friend Hanuš Wihan, a great Czech cellist, Wihan proposed numerous changes, including two cadenzas that would feature the cello in a more flashy, virtuosic role. But Dvořák was committed to his vision of the concerto as more of a dialogue than an opportunity for the cello to show off, and he only accepted a few minor changes. He wrote to his publisher, “[You must] promise me that no one — not even my friend Wihan — shall make any alteration in it without my knowledge and permission … Its form shall be as I have felt it and thought it out.”

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

THE MUSIC

The clarinets introduce the theme at the very beginning of the piece. It is developed and played fortissimo (very loud) and grandioso (grandly) before subsiding into a lyrical theme played first by a solo horn that also grows to a fortissimo statement. A short transition featuring the strings finally leads to the solo cello’s entrance. The opening theme recurs throughout the movement in various alterations, and also comes back at the end of the concerto. While the cello has singing melodies, there are also some flashy passages featuring double- and triple-stops (playing on two and three strings at a time) as well as playing in the instrument’s extreme high register.

Dvořák navigated the pitfalls of the cello being lost in the orchestra’s sound by lightly scoring around the cello solos, while also using the cello in an accompanying role for solos by other instruments in the orchestra.

The second movement is mostly slow, soft and lyrical, punctuated by outbursts from the orchestra. Near the end there is a cadenza-like passage, very lightly accompanied by a handful of wind instruments, that features a technique where the cellist plays a melody on the higher strings, stopping the notes with the fingers of their left hand, while using a free finger or two on the same hand to pluck the lower, open strings. The main theme of the third movement, continually recurring in various adaptations, is a fanfare-like melody that is distantly related to the main theme of the first. A few minutes before the end, the lively movement takes an unexpected turn and becomes quiet and reflective, giving a tender treatment to the fanfare melody. But in the final bars there is a frenzied crescendo that finishes the concerto on a triumphant note. — AJ Harbison kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

POPS SERIES

Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown Friday and Saturday, October 16-17, 2026 at 8 p.m. Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 2 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Stuart Chafetz, Guest Conductor Chester Gregory, Vocals Crystal Monee Hall, Vocals Darren Lorenzo, Vocals Chris Kuffner, Bass Eric Metzgar, Drums

The 2026/27 season is generously sponsored by SHIRLEY and BARNETT C. HELZBERG, JR. Additional support provided by:

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

Creative Team Robert Thompson, Producer Jeff Tyzik, Producer & Arranger Jami Greenberg, Producer & Booking Agent Betsey Perlmutter, Producer Alex Kosick, Associate Producer

For more information on the music and artists featured in Dancing in the Street, use this code to access the Digital Concert Program.

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

Care wherever you call home. KCHospice.org | 816.363.2600

POPS SERIES

Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown

A Schirmer Theatrical/Greenberg Artists co-production Arrangements by Jeff Tyzik DANCING IN THE STREET, by Marvin Gaye, Ivy George Hunter and William Stevenson As Recorded by Martha Reeves

LET’S GROOVE TONIGHT, by Maurice White and Wayne Lee Vaughn As Recorded by Earth, Wind & Fire

YOU REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME, by Smokey Robinson As Recorded by The Miracles

I FEEL GOOD, by James Brown As Recorded by James Brown

MAN’S WORLD, by James Brown, Betty Jean Newsome and Dwight Grant As Recorded by James Brown

MY GUY, by Smokey Robinson As Recorded by Mary Wells

REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE, by Holland, Dozier and Holland As Recorded by the Four Tops TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING, by Michael Masser and Ronald Norman Miller As Recorded by Diana Ross JUST TO SEE HER, by Jimmy George and Louis Pardini As Recorded by Smokey Robinson

MY GIRL, by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White As Recorded by The Temptations ENDLESS LOVE, by Lionel Richie As Recorded by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE, by Melvin Steals and Mervin Steals As Recorded by The Spinners

HOW SWEET IT IS, by Holland, Dozier and Holland As Recorded by Marvin Gaye

DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY, by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert As Recorded by Thelma Houston

AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH, by Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson As Recorded by Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson

HIGHER AND HIGHER, by Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner and Carl William Smith As Recorded by Jackie Wilson

SONG FOR YOU, by Leon Russell As Recorded by Donny Hathaway

ALL NIGHT LONG, by Lionel Richie As Recorded by Lionel Richie

SUPERSTITION, by Stevie Wonder As Recorded by Stevie Wonder

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, by Stevie Wonder, Lee Garrett, Lula Mae Hardaway and Syreeta Wright As Recorded by Stevie Wonder

Intermission

All Arrangements Licensed by Schirmer Theatrical, LLC

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

POPS SERIES

Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown STUART CHAFETZ GUEST CONDUCTOR

tuart Chafetz is the principal pops conductor of the Columbus Symphony and principal pops conductor of the Chautauqua and Marin symphonies. Chafetz, a conductor celebrated for his dynamic and engaging podium presence, is increasingly in demand with orchestras across the continent and this season he will be on the podium in Detroit, Fort Worth, Naples, Buffalo, North Carolina and Seattle. He enjoys a special relationship with The Phoenix Symphony where he leads multiple programs annually. He has had the privilege to work with renowned artists including Ne-Yo, Ben Folds, Natalie Merchant, Leslie Odom Jr., En Vogue, Kenny G, David Foster with Catherine McPhee, The O’Jays, Chris Botti, 2 Cellos, Hanson, Rick Springfield, Michael Bolton, Kool & the Gang, Jefferson Starship, America, Little River Band, Brian McKnight, Roberta Flack, George Benson, Richard Chamberlain, The Chieftains, Jennifer Holliday, John Denver, Marvin Hamlisch, Thomas Hampson, Wynonna Judd, Jim Nabors, Randy Newman, Jon Kimura Parker and Bernadette Peters. He previously held posts as resident conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and associate conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. As principal timpanist of the Honolulu Symphony for twenty years, Chafetz would also conduct the annual Nutcracker performances with Ballet Hawaii and principals from the American Ballet Theatre. During that time Chafetz also led numerous concerts with the Maui Symphony and Pops. He has led numerous spring ballet productions at the world-renowned Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. When not on the podium, Chafetz makes his home near San Francisco, California, with his wife Ann Krinitsky. Chafetz holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the CollegeConservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

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Saint Luke’s Bishop Spencer Place, located near the Country Club Plaza, provides easy access to nearby arts and culture. Our residents enjoy monthly programming full of musicians, artists, and more. Our vibrant community offers an independent lifestyle backed by a full spectrum of health care services as part of Saint Luke’s. Our on-site care options include:

Independent living Assisted living Skilled nursing and rehabilitation Memory care Schedule a tour today 816-595-5878 BishopSpencerPlace.org

POPS SERIES

Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown CHESTER GREGORY VOCALS

hester Gregory is an award-winning Broadway actor, singer and recording artist, renowned for his extraordinary vocal talent, commanding stage presence and deep emotional resonance. With starring roles in iconic productions such as Hairspray, Dreamgirls, Sister Act, Disney’s Tarzan, and Motown: The Musical, Chester has become a dynamic force in musical theater and live performances, captivating audiences with a unique energy that resonates across both grand Broadway stages and intimate concert settings. His breakthrough role as legendary singer Jackie Wilson in The Jackie Wilson Story earned him widespread acclaim and a personal standing ovation from Michael Jackson. Known for blending soul, storytelling and precision, Chester brings authenticity to every performance, whether delivering an electrifying showstopper or a heartfelt ballad. A recipient of the NAACP Theatre Award, Joseph Jefferson Award and Black Theatre Alliance Award, Chester has performed across the U.S., gaining recognition not only for his vocal abilities but also for his emotional depth and stage presence. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, he ensures every performance is an unforgettable experience. Chester’s social media presence reaches millions across platforms, where he shares humor, wellness and the arts. Stay connected with Chester on social media @chestergregory for updates, and visit ChesterGregory.com for more information.

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

POPS SERIES

Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown CRYSTAL MONEE HALL VOCALS

rystal Monee Hall is a powerhouse singer/songwriter, actress and vocal director/arranger/producer whose career spans roles on Broadway (Rent), TV (HBO’s “High Maintenance” and “Walker”), movies (Disney’s “Wish”) and sold-out tours with Ben Platt and Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead). She has collaborated with an array of top artists, from providing backing vocals for Oleta Adams and Patti Austin to performing with Thomas Rhett at Madison Square Garden and being featured in Cynthia Erivo’s PBS special. A recipient of The Lilly Awards’ Go Write a Musical award and the Black Theatre Coalition’s inaugural Composer Fellowship award, Hall’s songwriting has been showcased in Kristin Chenoweth’s live concerts and her latest EP “If You Breathe” has been praised by Billboard Magazine. Crystal is the composer of the new musical 3 Summers of Lincoln, which premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in 2025.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

DARREN LORENZO VOCALS

arren Lorenzo hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and received his B.A. in Mass Communications at Clark Atlanta University. Darren has appeared in numerous regional, international and national tours, as well as Off-Broadway, Broadway, concert and theatre productions such as Vegas! The Show (Planet Hollywood Casino/ Saxe Theatre); headliner, Way Back Music one-man show (Norwegian Cruise Line); vocalist, The Amsterdam Collective (Waterhole); vocalist, Ventuno Nights residency (Ruby Hotel); vocalist, Meeting at the Crossroads one-man show (Super Club); vocalist, Waitress: The Musical (Arts Coastal Carolina); Cal, Rock and Roll Man (New Stages NYC); Tin Man and Lion, The Wiz (Fulton Theatre and NBFT); Ol’ Mister, The Color Purple (MSMT); Performer, After Midnight (Norwegian Creatives); quartet leader, Five Guys Named Moe (Fulton Theatre & Playhouse on Park); Big Moe, Saturday Night Fever (second Broadway national tour); DJ Monty, Madagascar the Musical (first national/international tour); Maurice, Smokey Joe’s Café (Broadway national tours); Ken/ Adrian, No Strings (Encore City Center/NYC); ensemble, Fosse (UK tour); leading player, Hair (European tour); Hud, Daddy Cool (European tour); reverend, Philip Hamilton’s Voices (Lincoln Center/ Edinburgh Fringe Festival); vocalist, Freestyle Love Supreme (with Lin-Manuel Miranda); vocalist and Mic 2, Classic (Florence Gould Hall); featured vocalist, What the World Needs Now (Holland tour); vocalist, Solid Gold Soul (UK tour). Upward and onward, folks.

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2026/27 Season

STUNNING VENUES. EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE.

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HEARTLAND MEN’S CHORUS KANSAS CITY SEASON 41

AMPLIFY DON WE NOW!

UR S NG!

ALL OF US!

December 4-6, 2026

March 19-21, 2027

June 26-27, 2027

The Folly Theater

Yardley Hall in the Midwest Trust Center at JCCC

THE MUSIC OF

ELT N J HN

V I S I T H M C KC O R F O R D E TA I L S L I K E , F O L LO W & S U B S C R I B E :

2026/27

About the Kansas City Symphony only its 45th season, the Kansas City Symphony has already become one of America’s most vibrant major orchestras and has gained national and international recognition. With the 2024/25 season, the Symphony welcomed conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher as its new music director. Pintscher regularly conducts many of the world’s best orchestras and opera companies and ranks as one of the world’s foremost composers of orchestral music. Continually creating live music experiences in Helzberg Hall, located in the prestigious Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Symphony serves Kansas City’s metro population of more than 2.2 million people as well as welcoming visitors from around the globe. The Symphony’s 80 full-time musicians from around the world bring a diverse and dynamic range of musical experiences to our audiences in both orchestral and chamber music formats each season. In addition to concerts in Helzberg Hall, Symphony musicians perform throughout the region on our portable stage, the Mobile Music Box. The Symphony also serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, adding to the rich cultural experiences that these organizations offer to the community. Top international soloists perform with the Kansas City Symphony every season, including brilliant classical musicians, popular singer/ songwriters, rock bands and other creative performers. The Symphony also performs live soundtracks for a variety of fan-favorite films, with the movie projected on a giant screen above the stage. Music connects us; it has the unique ability to draw us closer to our inner selves and also closer to one another, transcending our differences. Every Kansas City Symphony concert will take you on an emotional journey — a journey that’s deeply personal but also a journey that we all experience together as one. We’re happy you are here. We are your Kansas City Symphony.

FOR MORE INFORMATION,

please visit kcsymphony.org kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

SUPPORTERS

Symphony Society Contributors The list of individual contributors includes gifts of $2,500 or more received between July 1, 2025 and July 15, 2026. Drs. Wallace and Mary Fern Souder Jonathan and Anonymous Web and Tracy Bixby Meredith Sternberg Ann Baum / G. Kenneth and Dr. Carol Blum and Linda S. Stevens Ann Baum Philanthropic Mr. Steven Wilson Robert M. Suhre Fund The Brandmeyer Family Bill and Marilyn Taylor Barnett and Shirley Helzberg Marian Wood Bump Ursula Terrasi and Jim Miller J.B.† and Anne Hodgdon Kenny and Sherrie Burgess Melanie and Michael† and Curtis and Lillian Cooper H. Wayne Thompson, Jr. Susan Newburger William Hudson Curry† Ann Marie Trask John and Marny Sherman John and Jane† Davis Marylou Turner Paul and Lynn Douthat John M. and Mary Ann Edgar / Chasitie and Michael Walden / Burgess Family Foundation COMPOSER’S CIRCLE Edgar Law Firm LLC Connie Walker ($50,000 to $99,999) Warren and Jenny Erdman Daniel Walker Anonymous (2) John and Myonza Gray Virginia and Charles† Clark Kenneth and Marilyn Hager Hargroves Family Foundation John and Innes Hale CRESCENDO CIRCLE Carol and John Kornitzer Donald Hall, Sr.† ($6,000 to $12,499) Ford and Christine Maurer Dr. Sara Hicks and Anonymous (2) Pat and Beth McCown Mr. Michael O’Connell M. Wayne Alexander and Betty C. Scott Kim and Ted Higgins John W. Braum Paul J. Sekhri Liz and John Hjalmarson Sara and Dana Seeley Grace G. and Stephen Balawajder Vera and Mike† Seeley Dr. James M. Hobbs II Christopher Beal and Kent Sunderland Ellen and Irv Hockaday Timothy Van Zandt Chris and Adele Hodgdon Melinda Beal Rita and Lamar Hunt, Jr. Leonard and Irene Bettinger MUSICIAN’S CIRCLE Steve Joss Philanthropic Fund of the ($30,000 to $49,999) Julie Kemper Foyer and Jewish Community Anonymous Jean-Charles Foyer June Beaver Carl Manning and Dana Fields Foundation of Greater Kansas City Susan and Charles Chambers Doug and Nina McKenna Tim Cook John and Jackie Middelkamp Brian and Jennifer Blake Suzanne Block J. Scott Francis, Sue and Lewis Nerman Robert and Silvy Brookby Discretionary Fund / Dr. Ron and Donna Patton Grant and Wendy Burcham Francis Family Foundation Drs. Sanford and Wendy and Troy Burgess Michael and Marlys Haverty Elizabeth Peterson Martha Comment Joan Horan George and Wendy Powell Bunni and Paul Copaken Rod and Susan Kelley Jill Ingram Reynolds Uta Cross Bill and Peggy Lyons Sid and Jeannine Richison Michael and Diane Dark Edward P. Milbank Charlotte and Bob Ronan Betsy Piebenga William and Nancy Scheerer Nancy Doty Davis Paul DeBruce and Gary C. Robb and Ken Schmitz Linda Woodsmall-DeBruce / Anita Porte Robb Randy Sedlacek and The DeBruce Foundation Randy and Mary Ann St. Clair Mary Ventura Richard and Maureen Linda and Steve Taylor Durwood Foundation

MAESTRO’S CIRCLE ($100,000 and Above)

BRAVURA CIRCLE ($12,500 to $29,999)

† In memoriam 44

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

Mark and Lisa Ebbitts Howard and Anne Elsberry Sue Ann and Richard Fagerberg Michael D. Fields Ernest and Amy Fleischer Donald Flora and Janet Stallmeyer Shelly Freeman and Kimberly Jones Bradley and Theresa Freilich Joyce French Suzanne Frisse Marilyn A.W. and Norman E. Gaar, Esq.† Michael and Sara Gentry Jacob Gerson James Gerson John and Lynn Gerson Levi and Emily Gerson Peter and Chris Godfrey Chuck and Karen Haber Bill and Nicki Hancock Christopher and Marsha Haufler Susie and Spence Heddens James Heryer and Annette Evans Bill and Irma Lou Hirsch Bradley and Karen Hodges Sharon and John Hoffman Paul and Amy Holewinski Linda Houston Foundation Quinton and Kristen Huffman Beth Ingram Sue and Ken Ingram Roger and Sandy Jackson Vicki and Harold James Tom and Madeline Johnson Nancy L. Kain Dr. Andrew Kao Homer and Becky Kay Kirk Foundation / Judy Kirk James C. Kogel Mordy Kopperman Thomas and Janice Kreamer Lois Lacy Michael and Patricia Manners JoZach Miller and Peter Bali Stephen and Susan Miller Pete and Michelle Mirakian Dr. and Mrs. Fred Neuer George and Cynthia Norton Edward and Chris Null George and Suzy Pagels John and Linda Perkins Sam Price Family Foundation Sarah, Joseph, Pamela and Donald Raffurty

Greg and Caroline Reintjes Lisa and Charles Schellhorn Don W. Shanks Dr. John Sheets and Dr. Joy Stevenson Joe and Susan Sims Dr. Gregory and Janet Starks Greg and Barbara Storm Ann and John Sundeen, Jr. David and Meg Swant Fr. Paul Turner Patricia Werthan Uhlmann Steven and Janet Walker Robert and Merrill Walz Lynne and Carl Weilert Howard and Irene Weiner Gena and Steven Williams John and Mary Sue Williams George and Beverley Wilson

Pamela T. Henderson Kathleen Honan Pegge Hudgins Dr. Randall and Doranne Hudson Randy and Kelly Huffman Dr. and Mrs. Allen Iske, Jr. Allen and Carol Jenks Bruce and Janet Kernes Dr. Robert Klein Rachel Krantz and Edward Goldstein William and Linda Kornitzer Norman and Margaret Kressmann Dr. and Mrs. Steven B. Laster Dr. Julio and Vivian León Larry and Marilyn Lewis Dr. Barbara Lukert and Estate of Mary Stoskopf Greg, Terri, and OVERTURE CIRCLE Martha Maddux ($3,500 to $5,999) Michael and Julie McCann Anonymous (3) Dr. David L. McLaren Patty Aenchbacher George and Linda Neill Mr. and Mrs. James Andrews Pam and Jim Nolan Scott and Bernadette Ashcraft Christopher and Megan Olvera Richard and Emily Ballentine Dr. Jayne Opeña Bumgarner Scott and Robin Boswell and Mr. Jerry Bumgarner Doug and Cindy Brown Lyman and Sally Ott Robert and Pamela Bruce Nancy Panzer-Howell Steve and Sally Burk Willy Pegues and Mary Canham Hayat Abdullahi Robert L. Claassen Leslie Pfriem Patricia Cleary Miller William and Stacy Pratt Stephen and Karen Clegg Cyndy Price Joe Clerico and Cecelia Witt Patricia Raffel Donna Gould Cohen Fred and Susan Reynolds Jane and George Cornwell Scott and Beth Riekeman Jeff Cotter and Karen Suhre Michelle and Chuck Ritter Margaret Cummings Glen and Susan Sands Sally and Jack Danforth Miriam and Daniel Scharf Steven DeWilde and Clarence E. Simmons, Jr. Bradley Pearson Christopher and Lisa Sirridge Tim and Deanna Diebolt Charlie and Jeanne Sosland Michael and Melanie Fenske Susan and Tuck Spaulding Joerg and Christa Finger Jeannine Strandjord Mark Gardner Dr. Angela and Mark and Nancy Gilman Mr. Patrick Valadez Dr. and Deanna and Larry Van Cleave Mrs. Charles W. Gorodetzky Dale E. Walker Carol Grantham Myron and Nicole Wang Denise Griffey and Charles and Linda Wells Leon Langlitz Janice White Sally Groves Dr. Michael J. and Dr. Allen and Cindy S. Wurm Mrs. Gail Gutovitz Bernie Young and Sandra Holt Katie and Aaron Hackman Karl and Beth Zobrist Dr. Richard and Julie Hellman

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

SUPPORTERS

Symphony Society Contributors (cont.) FANFARE CIRCLE ($2,500 to $3,499) Anonymous (2) Roger Hurwitz Rob Adams and Rob Gray Robert and Anne Hutcherson Susan and Ho Anthony Ahn John and Ann Kenney Steve and Jeri Allison Allan King and Nancy Bean Jim and Schatzi Ball Drs. Kathy M. Krause and Ken and Bobbie Bower Robert H. Lee Cheryl and Barry Brady Ermalyn Kubart and Stephen and Susan Bubb Clinton Ludeman Gerard and Judy Bukowski Gloria LaDue Vince and Julie Clark Robert and Una Creditor Margaret Ann Langdon Bill Dickinson and Mary Leonida Barbara Loots Bruce and Priscilla Long Carol and Mark Dirkes Tim and Martha Madderom Dr. Margaret Estrin Drinkwine Graham and Helen Marcott and Mr. Frank Drinkwine Donna and Rex Martin Peggy and Terry Dunn Kay Martin Barb and Scott Eckley Mr. and Mrs. Barry C. Mayhew Ellen Feldhausen Julia Meyer Deborah Fick Pam and Joe Meyer Ginny Fisher Sharon Milens Brad and Mary Footh Donald and Linda Milligan Dr. John and Mrs. Hilary Fried C. Michel Minor John and Ellen Goheen Stephen and Erin Mos Susan and Zack Hangauer Mona Nelson John Hardesty and Melodie A. Powell and Marilyn Macha Jerry L. Short Michael Henry and Kathryn and James Prevost Terry Anderson David Raffel Dale and Debra Herrick Philip and Nancy Reicher Charles and Mary Kay Horner Dennis and Palle Rilinger

Constance Roeder Dr. Thomas Russell Carmen Sabates Jim and Barb Scherer Jack and Errett Schmid Janice and Mark Schonwetter Zachary and Christina Shafran Suzanne Shank and John Lohmeyer Lora Smith Rick and Betsey Solberg Barbara and Jack† Spilker Drs. David E. and Frances G. Sternberg Connie Stirgus-Marley Terry and Pam Sullivan Sven and Julia Sykes Dr. Anne Regier and Dr. Robert Takacs Tate Family Foundation Don and Cathy Thomson John and Angela Walker Mr. and Mrs. William F. Webb Heinz Wehner and Judith Biggs Sheila Wikas John and Carol Yorke John and Karen Yungmeyer

† In memoriam

We are grateful for all donations. We make every effort to list donors accurately. Space limitations, however, don’t allow us to print every gift in the program book. If we have omitted a name, or if you would like to modify your listing, please call 816.218.2624.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

P L AC E

CALL

2026-27 Season

Rising stars. Creative voices. Stories that feel like home.

Your seat is waiting.

SUPPORTERS

Foundations and Organizations The list of foundation and organization contributors includes gifts received between July 1, 2025 and July 15, 2026. MAESTRO’S CIRCLE ($100,000 and Above)

City of Kansas City, Missouri The Hearst Foundation, Inc. Jackson County, Missouri The Jewel Ball Bebe and Crosby Kemper Foundation for the Arts, UMB Bank n.a., Trustee William T. Kemper Foundation — Commerce Bank, Trustee Missouri Arts Council Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts — Commerce Bank, Trustee Symphony League

COMPOSER’S CIRCLE ($50,000 to $99,999)

Hall Family Foundation Kansas City Symphony Guild Kansas City Symphony Alliance Kao Family Foundation Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation McCown Family Foundation National WWI Museum and Memorial The Seeley Foundation

MUSICIAN’S CIRCLE ($25,000 to $49,999)

Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation Curry Family Foundation Michael and Marlys Haverty Family Foundation Fund Frank and Margaret G. McGee Fund Oppenstein Brothers Foundation Pemberton Family Charitable Foundation J.B. Reynolds Foundation

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

BENEFACTOR ($10,000 to $24,999)

Anonymous The DeBruce Foundation The Ronald D. Deffenbaugh Foundation Fondation Foyer, Julie Kemper Foyer and Jean-Charles Foyer The Ingram Family Foundation Enid and Crosby Kemper Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee Kirk Foundation Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, City of Kansas City, Missouri Sam Price Family Foundation Richard and Katherine Spencer Family Fund Victor E. and Caroline E. Schutte Foundation Ralph L. Smith Illumination Fund

PATRON ($5,000 to $9,999)

Almy Legacy Fund Barton P. and Mary Davidson Cohen Charitable Trust Elsberry Family Foundation Gerson Family Foundation Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Bill McGlaughlin Education Fund Nichols Company Charitable Trust Veterans of Foreign Wars

SUSTAINER ($1,000 to $4,999)

The Breidenthal-Snyder Foundation John and Bernice Hamra Foundation R.A. Long Foundation Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation Northern Trust Padgett Family Foundation Payne & Jones, Chartered Louis and Frances Swinken Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City Henry E. Wurst Family Foundation

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SUPPORTERS

Business Alliance Corporate Contributions The lista of corporate contributors includes gifts received between July 1, 2025 and July 15, 2026. BUSINESS ALLIANCE MAESTRO’S CIRCLE ($100,000 and Above)

BUSINESS ALLIANCE PRINCIPAL PARTNER ($3,000 to $9,999)

Bank of America Hallmark Corporate Foundation HMXLive

Ash Grove Cement Company Black & McDonald BlueScope Foundation Burns & McDonnell CBIZ Country Club Plaza CPKC Community Investment Dillingham Enterprises, Inc. EPR Properties Foley Equipment Forvis Mazars Global Prairie Howden J. Rieger & Co. Kansas City Life Insurance Company Kansas City University Mark One Electric Company, Inc. MC Realty Group, LLC Polsinelli PC Restless Spirits Distilling Santee Floral Designs Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP U.S. Engineering Holdings VanTrust Real Estate, LLC State Street Straub Construction Company, Inc. Sunbelt Bakery Terracon

BUSINESS ALLIANCE COMPOSER’S CIRCLE ($50,000 to $99,999) Ford Motor Company

BUSINESS ALLIANCE PLATINUM PARTNER ($25,000 to $49,999) AdventHealth Helzberg PNC Foundation Spencer Fane LLP Union Station

BUSINESS ALLIANCE GOLD PARTNER ($10,000 to $24,999) Cerris Dollar, Burns, Becker & Hershewe Evergy JE Dunn Construction Company Kissick Construction Company McCownGordon Construction UMB Bank, n.a.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

BUSINESS FRIEND ($500 to $2,999) American Century Investments AM CPA Amos Family Funeral Home Aon Argana Investments Arterra KC Apartments Artisan Financial Planning LLC Assured Partners Bach To Rock Beer Kitchen Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City BRR Architecture BUBBL’R CB Construction Services / PEMCO, Inc. Cellar Rat Wine Merchants Creative Planning Floor & Decor Footprints Heroes Home Gate Foulston Siefkin LLP Garmin Global Ground Support, LLC Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

Heavenly Homes Team Real Estate Services His & Her Fitness™ Leawood Kansas John Rufenacht Assoc. Inc. Kansas City Bier Company Katie Grimes CrossCountry Mortgage KC Strings Kembell Woods & Martinsen, LLP LEADER Worldwide Chauffeured Services Lockton Companies , LLC Mariner Metcalf Auto Plaza Michelle Deutch D.D.S. Mixture No Coast Real Estate SHS MedTech Consulting Group LLC / Sujal H. Shah TouchBase Chiropractic & Wellness Union on the Hill Restaurant Walz Tetrick Advertising Wandering Vine at the Castle Warriors’ Ascent West Bottoms Whiskey Co.

To learn more about the Kansas City Symphony Business Alliance and the extraordinary benefits that your company and employees would receive, please contact Mark Laverentz, Manager of Corporate Partnerships, at 816.218.2601 or mlaverentz@kcsymphony.org.

kcsymphony.org |

2026/27 Season

SUPPORTERS

Sempre Society Contributors You can have a lasting impact on the Symphony, music and city you love. Join Sempre Society — a community of generous supporters like you who have included legacy gifts to the Kansas City Symphony in their estate plans. Keep the Symphony’s music playing for generations. Anonymous (16) Mr. Allen Acheson† Richard† and Mimi Ahsmuhs M. Wayne Alexander and John W. Braum Dr. Louise Arnold† Myrtle Bales† Ruth Beedle, in loving memory of Thomas L. Pope Mr. and Mrs. James H. Bernard, Sr.† Sandra Bowlby Tom and Judy Bowser Ann T. Reed Stephen Bumgarner and Larry Dingman John and Laurie Burgess Troy and Wendy Burgess Gary and Donna Cole Russell Correll† and Samantha A. Mixan Mr. and Mrs. Bernard D. Craig Morton† and Una Creditor Don and Patricia Dagenais Marty and Teal Dakan Pat and Liz Daniels Serena Dehoney Tim Dodge and Cherie Keogh-Dodge Carol B. Bayer† Barton P. Cohen† Mrs. G.M. Mulhern† Loys Smith† Michael D. Fields Howard H. Fitch† Dr. and Mrs. Merle E. Frey† Christine Frietchen Trust Suzanne Frisse Marilyn A.W. Gaar, in memoriam Norman E. Gaar

Janos and Kelli Glynn Dennis and Donna Haines Charmaine Hall Laurie J. Hamilton Zack and Susan Hangauer Gary D. Harms Larry and Marcia Hawk Mr. and Mrs. Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr. Adrian A. and Nancy K.† Hertog J. Kenneth Higdon† Richard Hill† Ellen and Irv Hockaday Laura Rollins Hockaday†, in memory of Clara S. Hockaday J.B.† and Anne Hodgdon Adele and Chris Hodgdon Ms. Joan Horan Dr. Randall and Doranne Hudson Quinton and Kristen Huffman Helen T. Hummel† William Augustus Horacio Hunter Larry and Elizabeth Hunter-Blank Patricia A. Jacobs Nigel R. Jones Mr. and Mrs. Ronald F. Jones Mr. Charles Stevens Joss, Jr. Nancy L. Kain Mr.† and Mrs. R. Crosby Kemper, Jr. Tom and Judy Kezlan Jim and Ruth Kindall Dr. and Mrs. Gordon Kingsley Mr.† and Mrs. Robert A. Kipp James C. Kogel Norman and Margaret Kressmann Art and Marianne† Lafex

† In memoriam 52

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

Denise Griffey and Leon Langlitz Jeanne E. Levy Frank Lott† Annette Luyben and Rich Coble Bill and Peggy Lyons Dan and Marisa Malanowski Brittani Paige Marley Norman† and Lorraine† Martin John and Wendy Marvin Francis Medaris JoAnn Meierhoff† Lindsay Meyer and Corey Brunk† C. Michel Minor Michael† and Susan Newburger Dr. Robin L. Onikul Lyman and Sally Ott Allen G.† and Jean L. Parelman Dr. Ron and Donna Patton Bradley Petzold Mr. and Mrs. George E. Powell III Paul M. Russell Dr. Mary Jo Rahatz† Michael and Nancy Ramirez Colonel Fred and Mrs. Susan Reynolds Dennis and Palle Rilinger Mrs. Charles D. Roberts, Jr. Constance Roeder Charlotte and Bob Ronan Jack† and Jean Rosenfield Elizabeth S. Rowe, in loving memory of Edward and Karen Rowe William and Nancy Scheerer John and Errett Schmid

Mr.† and Mrs. Thomas M. Scott Don Shanks and Terry Pritchett† Donald C. Shoberg† Joe and Susan Sims Rick and Betsey Solberg Linda S. Stevens Rosemary Stipe Robert M. Suhre Foundation Linda and Steve Taylor Marilyn and William B. Taylor Ursula Terrasi Kaleen Tiber† Marylou and John† Dodds Turner Patricia Werthan Uhlmann Susan K. Vick Daniel Walker Robert and Merrill Walz Kyle and Jacquelyn Ward Dale and Diane Wassergord Daniel† T. and Christine Webster Sheila M. Wikas Bryce H. Wilson

To learn more about legacy giving at the Symphony, contact: Daniel Morel, Director of Development 816.218.2624 dmorel@kcsymphony.org

2026/27

Emergency Evacuation Procedure The Kauffman Center is equipped with advanced life-safety early alert systems. Each performance hall is designed with emergency exits in case of an evacuation. In the event of severe weather, shelter in place inside the hall, not in a lobby area, and await further instructions. In the event of an emergency, the performance will be interrupted. Horns and strobes will sound. Emergency instructions will be delivered from the stage. Please remain seated as staff use an appropriate amount of investigational time to verify the source of the alarm.* Should an evacuation be necessary, lighted red (Muriel Kauffman Theatre) and green (Helzberg Hall) exit signs will lead patrons to one of eight emergency exit paths. Patrons who are not able to safely and comfortably navigate stairs should remain in the venue near one of the marked “Emergency Evacuation Assistance” areas. First responders will evacuate those requiring assistance immediately upon their arrival. Elevators, primary entrances and the Brandmeyer Great Hall staircase are NOT used in the case of an emergency evacuation. For more information on emergency evacuation procedures, visit kauffmancenter.org/policies.

2026/27 Season | kcsymphony.org

* Kauffman Center’s emergency egress plan, which includes an appropriate amount of investigational time to verify the source of an alarm, was developed with the assistance of the Kansas City, MO Fire Marshall’s Office.

LEAWOOD TOWN CENTER PLAZA • OAK PARK MALL LIBERTY WILSHIRE PLAZA • 39TH STREET — INDEPENDENCE SUMMIT WOODS CROSSING • ZONA ROSA

Kansas City Symphony, Sept-Oct, 2026-2027 Season