Austin Symphony Orchestra
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

One of Tim Burton’s most celebrated films, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, will be projected on the big screen with dialog and effects accompanied by Danny Elfman’s enigmatic score played live by your Austin Symphony Orchestra! The film follows the earnest-but-misguided adventures of Jack Skellington, Halloween Town's beloved Pumpkin King. Bored with the same old scare-and-scream routine of Halloween, Jack longs to try something new. Convinced that he can spread the joy of Christmas and against the advice of Sally, a caring and clever ragdoll, Jack enlists three mischievous trick-or-treaters – Lock, Shock, and Barrel – to kidnap Santa Claus. But Jack’s merry mission puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere.

Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts.® All rights reserved.

PROGRAM:
Film with orchestra
Rated PG

Get your tickets HERE.

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

Ginny Ryan & Doug Emblidge, narrators
Peter Bay, conductor
Eastman Theater

Happy 92nd Birthday, John Williams! Celebrate the legendary composer and experience the magic of his iconic film scores from Star Wars, Jaws, and Jurassic Park to E.T., Close Encounters, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Join us for this one-night-only concert honoring Williams’ unparalleled contribution to cinematic music and an unforgettable evening!

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Ephraim Owens, trumpet
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Trumpeter Ephraim Owens leads a celebration of American music, featuring a diverse selection of works. The program begins with Duke Ellington and Luther Henderson's evocative Three Black Kings, followed by the world premiere of Sam Lipman's poignant Cradled by Grace. Leonard Bernstein's vibrant On the Town: Three Dance Episodes captures the energy of New York City, while George Gershwin's iconic An American in Paris transports listeners to the bustling streets of the French capital, showcasing the rich tapestry of American musical influences.

PROGRAM:
DUKE ELLINGTON/Luther Henderson: Three Black Kings
SAM LIPMAN: Cradled by Grace (World Premiere)
LEONARD BERNSTEIN: On the Town: Three Dance Episodes
GEORGE GERSHWIN: An American in Paris

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Ephraim Owens, trumpet
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Trumpeter Ephraim Owens leads a celebration of American music, featuring a diverse selection of works. The program begins with Duke Ellington and Luther Henderson's evocative Three Black Kings, followed by the world premiere of Sam Lipman's poignant Cradled by Grace. Leonard Bernstein's vibrant On the Town: Three Dance Episodes captures the energy of New York City, while George Gershwin's iconic An American in Paris transports listeners to the bustling streets of the French capital, showcasing the rich tapestry of American musical influences.

PROGRAM:
DUKE ELLINGTON/Luther Henderson: Three Black Kings
SAM LIPMAN: Cradled by Grace (World Premiere)
LEONARD BERNSTEIN: On the Town: Three Dance Episodes
GEORGE GERSHWIN: An American in Paris

Get your tickets HERE.

Lubbock Symphony Orchestra

Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Peter Bay, conductor
The Buddy Holly Hall

PROGRAM:
MENDELSSOHN: The Fair Melusina Overture
NIELSEN: Symphony No. 1
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Jon Kamura Parker, piano)

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Chorus Austin
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Your ASO and Chorus Austin will give a mesmerizing performance of Carl Orff's monumental work, Carmina Burana. The evening opens with Kevin Puts' dynamic Concerto for Orchestra, setting the stage for Orff's powerful choral masterpiece. Carmina Burana features captivating vocal solos, intricate choral harmonies, and rhythmic intensity, exploring themes of love, fate, and the human experience with dramatic flair.

PROGRAM:
PUTS: Concerto for Orchestra
DUNPHY: Canticum Novum [world premiere]
ORFF: Carmina Burana*
*Hila Plitmann, soprano / Brian Giesler, tenor / John Brancy, baritone /
Illumine Choirs / Chorus Austin (Ryan Heller, artistic director)

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Chorus Austin
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Your ASO and Chorus Austin will give a mesmerizing performance of Carl Orff's monumental work, Carmina Burana. The evening opens with Kevin Puts' dynamic Concerto for Orchestra, setting the stage for Orff's powerful choral masterpiece. Carmina Burana features captivating vocal solos, intricate choral harmonies, and rhythmic intensity, exploring themes of love, fate, and the human experience with dramatic flair.

PROGRAM:
PUTS: Concerto for Orchestra
DUNPHY: Canticum Novum [world premiere]
ORFF: Carmina Burana*
*Hila Plitmann, soprano / Brian Giesler, tenor / John Brancy, baritone /
Illumine Choirs / Chorus Austin (Ryan Heller, artistic director)

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra with Ballet Austin

Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Following the success of POE / A Tale of Madness, Stephen Mills presents two World Premieres! We celebrate the arrival of the season of wildflowers and renewal as Stephen Mills shares a pair of new works.  

The first work is set to Czech composer Antonin Dvořák’s “String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96.” Nicknamed the American Quartet, Featuring live accompaniment by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the moving melodies of Dvořák’s composition evoke the exuberant feelings of springtime.   

The second piece on the program features the music of contemporary composer and Grammy award-winning artist Bryce Dessner: guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter for his band, The National. Called “a vital and rare force in new music,” Dessner’s compositions have been performed by Orchestre de Paris, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and many more. He has worked with a variety of artists, including Philip Glass, Paul Simon, Bon Iver, and Taylor Swift on her song “Coney Island.” Dessner’s “Concerto for Two Pianos,” written for and first performed by Katia and Marielle Labèque, premiered in 2018 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Dessner regularly tours with his band, including a recent performance at Austin’s Moody Center in November of 2023.  

Love’s Gentle Spring unites the beauty of spring, music, and movement harmoniously in concert. 

PROGRAM:
DESSNER: Concerto for Two Pianos

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra with Ballet Austin

Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Following the success of POE / A Tale of Madness, Stephen Mills presents two World Premieres! We celebrate the arrival of the season of wildflowers and renewal as Stephen Mills shares a pair of new works.  

The first work is set to Czech composer Antonin Dvořák’s “String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96.” Nicknamed the American Quartet, Featuring live accompaniment by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the moving melodies of Dvořák’s composition evoke the exuberant feelings of springtime.   

The second piece on the program features the music of contemporary composer and Grammy award-winning artist Bryce Dessner: guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter for his band, The National. Called “a vital and rare force in new music,” Dessner’s compositions have been performed by Orchestre de Paris, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and many more. He has worked with a variety of artists, including Philip Glass, Paul Simon, Bon Iver, and Taylor Swift on her song “Coney Island.” Dessner’s “Concerto for Two Pianos,” written for and first performed by Katia and Marielle Labèque, premiered in 2018 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Dessner regularly tours with his band, including a recent performance at Austin’s Moody Center in November of 2023.  

Love’s Gentle Spring unites the beauty of spring, music, and movement harmoniously in concert. 

PROGRAM:
DESSNER: Concerto for Two Pianos

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra with Ballet Austin

Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Following the success of POE / A Tale of Madness, Stephen Mills presents two World Premieres! We celebrate the arrival of the season of wildflowers and renewal as Stephen Mills shares a pair of new works.  

The first work is set to Czech composer Antonin Dvořák’s “String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96.” Nicknamed the American Quartet, Featuring live accompaniment by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the moving melodies of Dvořák’s composition evoke the exuberant feelings of springtime.   

The second piece on the program features the music of contemporary composer and Grammy award-winning artist Bryce Dessner: guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter for his band, The National. Called “a vital and rare force in new music,” Dessner’s compositions have been performed by Orchestre de Paris, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and many more. He has worked with a variety of artists, including Philip Glass, Paul Simon, Bon Iver, and Taylor Swift on her song “Coney Island.” Dessner’s “Concerto for Two Pianos,” written for and first performed by Katia and Marielle Labèque, premiered in 2018 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Dessner regularly tours with his band, including a recent performance at Austin’s Moody Center in November of 2023.  

Love’s Gentle Spring unites the beauty of spring, music, and movement harmoniously in concert. 

PROGRAM:
DESSNER: Concerto for Two Pianos

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Yeol Eum Son, piano
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Pianist Yeol Eum Son takes audiences on a journey through the rich musical traditions of Germany and Austria. The program opens with Johann Strauss Jr.'s beloved waltz, On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314," setting a graceful tone for the evening. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's sublime Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482 showcases Son's virtuosity and sensitivity. Richard Strauss' dramatic tone poem Don Juan, Op. 20 and Johannes Brahms' spirited Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 round out the program, highlighting the depth and variety of Germanic musical expression.

PROGRAM:
JOHANN STRAUSS, JR.: The Blue Danube, Op. 314
W.A. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482
RICHARD STRAUSS: Don Juan, Op. 20
JOHANNES BRAHMS: Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Yeol Eum Son, piano
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Pianist Yeol Eum Son takes audiences on a journey through the rich musical traditions of Germany and Austria. The program opens with Johann Strauss Jr.'s beloved waltz, On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314," setting a graceful tone for the evening. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's sublime Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482 showcases Son's virtuosity and sensitivity. Richard Strauss' dramatic tone poem Don Juan, Op. 20 and Johannes Brahms' spirited Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 round out the program, highlighting the depth and variety of Germanic musical expression.

PROGRAM:
JOHANN STRAUSS, JR.: The Blue Danube, Op. 314
W.A. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat Major, K. 482
RICHARD STRAUSS: Don Juan, Op. 20
JOHANNES BRAHMS: Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80

Get your tickets HERE.

Arizona Philharmonic
Peter Bay, conductor
Ruth Street Theater

Join us for Arizona Philharmonic’s exciting, last concert of the season, featuring soloist James D’León under the baton of Maestro Peter Bay. 

The program spans diverse musical eras, starting with the minimalist and spiritual tones of Arvo Pärt's Fratres and moving through Ernest Bloch’s Baroque-inspired Concerto Grosso No. 1, which interweaves the warmth of traditional harmonies with the richness of modern expression. 

Frederick Delius's Prelude to Irmelin, known for its lyrical beauty and serene, fairytale atmosphere, precedes the concert’s highlight: Nikolai Kapustin's Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 56. Here, D’León embarks on a thrilling and virtuosic ride, blending classical precision with the spontaneous excitement of jazz. This lineup promises a richly varied musical journey from quiet transcendence to a jazz-infused climax.

PROGRAM:
ARVO PÄRT: Fratres (1978, rev. 1991)
ERNEST BLOCH: Concerto Grosso No. 1 (1925)
FREDERICK DELIUS : Prelude to Irmelin
NIKOLAI KAPUSTIN: Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 56 (James D’Léon, piano)

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra with Ballet Austin

Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Ballet Austin closes the season on Mother’s Day weekend with the most enduring story of young love, Romeo & Juliet. Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s unforgettable score, performed live by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, this time-honored tale of “star-crossed lovers” leaves us believing in the sweet promise of first love. Tommy Bourgeois designed stunningly beautiful, period-appropriate costumes and a set brilliantly illuminated by an Italianate tapestry of stained-glass colors, both of which paired exquisitely with Stephen Mills’ classic choreography. Shakespeare’s magnificent story comes to life in an elegant, dramatic, and simply gorgeous ballet.

PROGRAM:
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra with Ballet Austin

Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Ballet Austin closes the season on Mother’s Day weekend with the most enduring story of young love, Romeo & Juliet. Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s unforgettable score, performed live by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, this time-honored tale of “star-crossed lovers” leaves us believing in the sweet promise of first love. Tommy Bourgeois designed stunningly beautiful, period-appropriate costumes and a set brilliantly illuminated by an Italianate tapestry of stained-glass colors, both of which paired exquisitely with Stephen Mills’ classic choreography. Shakespeare’s magnificent story comes to life in an elegant, dramatic, and simply gorgeous ballet.

PROGRAM:
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra with Ballet Austin

Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

Ballet Austin closes the season on Mother’s Day weekend with the most enduring story of young love, Romeo & Juliet. Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s unforgettable score, performed live by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, this time-honored tale of “star-crossed lovers” leaves us believing in the sweet promise of first love. Tommy Bourgeois designed stunningly beautiful, period-appropriate costumes and a set brilliantly illuminated by an Italianate tapestry of stained-glass colors, both of which paired exquisitely with Stephen Mills’ classic choreography. Shakespeare’s magnificent story comes to life in an elegant, dramatic, and simply gorgeous ballet.

PROGRAM:
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Vocalists
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

This performance features a blend of contemporary and classic works, capturing the essence of summer. The evening opens with Carlos Simon's stirring "Amen! ", a dynamic and soulful exploration of faith and resilience. George Gershwin's beloved opera Porgy and Bess closes the program, featuring iconic tunes such as "Summertime" and "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," transporting audiences to the vibrant streets of 1920s Charleston, South Carolina, in a timeless tale of love and redemption.

PROGRAM:
SIMON: Amen!
GERSHWIN: Porgy and Bess (concert version by Andrew Litton)
Kenneth Overton, bariton (Porgy), Laquita Mitchell, soprano (Bess), Karin Slack, soprano (Serena), Frank L. Humphrey III, tenor (Sportin’ Life)

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra

Masterworks Series

Vocalists
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

This performance features a blend of contemporary and classic works, capturing the essence of summer. The evening opens with Carlos Simon's stirring "Amen! ", a dynamic and soulful exploration of faith and resilience. George Gershwin's beloved opera Porgy and Bess closes the program, featuring iconic tunes such as "Summertime" and "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," transporting audiences to the vibrant streets of 1920s Charleston, South Carolina, in a timeless tale of love and redemption.

PROGRAM:
SIMON: Amen!
GERSHWIN: Porgy and Bess (concert version by Andrew Litton)
Kenneth Overton, bariton (Porgy), Laquita Mitchell, soprano (Bess), Karin Slack, soprano (Serena), Frank L. Humphrey III, tenor (Sportin’ Life)

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra
Peter Bay, conductor
Hyde Park Baptist Church

Join Maestro Peter Bay and your Austin Symphony Orchestra for the second installment of its chamber orchestra series on Thursday, May 22. The concert, titled "With Strings Attached," promises to captivate with a rich tapestry of styles and cultures. The program begins with Edvard Grieg's elegant and spirited Holberg Suite, Op. 40, transporting listeners to the refined courts of the 18th century. This is followed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's soulful Andante Cantabile from String Quartet No. 1, Op. 11, arranged by Serebrier, offering lush harmonies and poignant themes. Einojuhani Rautavaara's Divertimento for Strings showcases vibrant rhythms and inventive textures, while William Grant Still's Danzas de Panama celebrates lively and colorful rhythms inspired by traditional Panamanian folk music. Anderson's playful Jazz Pizzicato dazzles with rhythmic pizzicato techniques, leading to an exhilarating finale with Bartók's spirited Romanian Folk Dances, arranged by Willner. This extraordinary concert highlights the beauty and diversity of string music and is sure to be an unforgettable night.

PROGRAM:
EDVARD GRIEG: Holberg Suite, Op. 40    
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY/Serebrier: Andante Cantabile from String Quartet No. 1, Op. 11
EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA: Divertimento for Strings
WILLIAM GRANT STILL: Danzas de Panama
ANDERSON: Jazz Pizzicato
BARTÓK/Willner: Romanian Folk Dances

These concerts are made possible thanks to generous supporters of the the Peter Bay Artistic Fund

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra
Peter Bay, conductor
Long Center’s Dell Hall

As a follow-up to the sold-out performance in 2023, your ASO will present Part 2 of John Williams' music. Best known for his film scores and ceremonial music, Williams is also a noted composer of concert works and a renowned conductor. Come hear your favorite John Williams pieces come to life in the beautiful Dell Hall. Cosplay as your favorite character from a John Williams’ scored film and make it an even more magical experience!

PROGRAM:
Hook: The Flight to Neverland
1941: March
The Lost World: Jurassic Park: Theme
Jaws: Suite (arr. Cacavas)
Midway: The Men of Yorktown
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: A Bridge to the Past
Superman: March

MUSIC FROM THE STAR WARS SAGA:
A New Hope: Here They Come
The Empire Strikes Back: Yoda’s Theme
Return of the Jedi: The Forest Battle
The Phantom Menance: Anakin’s Theme
The Force Awakens: The Jedi Steps and Finale

Get your tickets HERE.

Austin Symphony Orchestra
Peter Bay, conductor
Vic Mathias Shores