The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has announced a 2024-25 season of “new sounds, a sense of wonder, our city’s shining stars and ‘Beyond the Music’ experiences,” for its 129th year and 17th under the direction of Manfred Haneck.
Guest artists for the BNY Mellon Grand Classics season include Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, Lang Lang and Yo-Yo Ma, while the schedule includes four world premieres/PSO commissions, 11 artist debuts and 20 PSO premieres.
and so much more.” – Manfred Honeck
(Image: George Lange)
PNC Pops, led by Byron Stripling, crosses musical genres as diverse as rock, Broadway, cinema, soul and holiday favorites.
On September 21, 2024 PSO launches its new season with the Opening Night Gala — a one-night-only concert extravaganza of film music favorites, featuring legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman and honoring his commitment to music education.
Artists making their PSO debuts include pianists Tom Borrow, Janice Carissa, and Vikingur Ólafsson; cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, saxophonist Steven Banks, violinists Vadim Gluzman and Nemanja Radulovic, conductors Elim Chan and Lorenzo Viotti; soprano Lilit Davtyan; and baritone Joshua Hopkins.
World premieres and PSO commissions are by composers Lera Auerbach, Hannah Ishizaki and Reza Vali. Honeck also creates a new orchestral suite from Strauss’s opera, Arabella, the latest in his distinguished line of opera arrangements.
PSO premieres in the new season include works by 12 living composers: Unsuk Chin, Hannah Eisendle, Reena Esmail, Iman Habibi, Adolphus Hailstork, Sophia Jani, Noriko Koide, Samy Moussa, Nina Shekhar, Sean Shepherd, Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, and Carlos Simon.
Featured artists “who got their start here, live here, and help put our city on the map,” include world premieres by Hannah Ishizaki and Reza Vali, and Sean Shepherd’s “hauntingly beautiful” composition, Sprout, will be heard for the first time at Heinz Hall. Taking center stage as soloists on two concerts are principal flute Lorna McGhee and principal oboe Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida.
Classic works to look forward to are Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony, Debussy’s La Mer, Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral,” among others.
Launched in the 2022-23 season, PSO Disrupt concerts offer experiences that take concertgoers deeper into the music. “Whether you’re new to classical music or seeking greater insight into your favorite works, expect moments of fascination guided from the stage.” PSO Disrupt concerts feature a more relaxed atmosphere, shorter lengths, on-stage hosts, and signature cocktails.
PSO 360 also continues next season, offering up-close experiences with renowned artists on the Heinz Hall stage. These limited-capacity concerts feature artists such as pianist Tom Borrow (October 2024), cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason (March 2025), and pianist Alice Sara Ott (June 2025).
The wide-ranging PNC Pops season, the fifth under the direction of principal conductor Stripling, takes audiences from the Beatles to Broadway’s Chicago favorites to music from Pixar films. The PNC Pops season concludes with ’80s hits, celebrating “the kings of soul to the rich songbooks of era-defining women,” Stripling says.
Here’s that and more to look forward to in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra upcoming season:
PSO 2024-25 BNY GRAND CLASSICS SCHEDULE
(Includes “exclusive” concerts.* All events at Heinz Hall)
(Image: Lisa Maria Mazzucco)
Opening Night Gala Honoring Itzhak Perlman * I September 21, 2024
Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances I September 27 – 29, 2024
Ravel’s Piano Concerto I October 18 – 20, 2024
Brahms and Schumann I November 1 – 3, 2024
Strauss’ Alpine Symphony I November 15 – 17, 2024
Strauss and Puccini I November 29 – December 1, 2024
Sparks Fly, Voices Soar: Brahms and Fauré I December 6 – 8, 2024
Debussy’s La Mer I January 10 – 12, 2025
Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky I January 17 – 19, 2025
Shostakovich’s Final Symphony I January 31 – February 2, 2025
Dvorák’s New World Symphony I February 14 – 16, 2025
Emanuel Ax Plays Mozart + World Premiere I February 21 – 23, 2025
Mozart & Prokofiev’s Fifth I March 7 – 9, 2025
Lift Every Voice * I Annual concert celebrates spirit & richness of Black music in America I March 15, 2025
Lang Lang * I Manfred Haneck conducts PSO I March 19, 2025
Sheku Kanneh-Mason Performs Shostakovich I March 21 – 23, 2025
Beethoven’s Pastoral I March 28 – 30, 2025
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 I April 11 – 13, 2025
Beethoven and Brahms I April 25 – 27, 2025
Bronfman Plays Beethoven I May 16 -May 18, 2025
Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 I May 30 – June 1, 2025
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Dvořák’s Cello Concerto * I Manfred Honeck conducts PSO I June 4, 2025
Beethoven, Mahler + World Premiere I June 6 – 8, 2025
Shostakovich 10 + World Premiere I June 13 – 15, 2025
PNC POPS 2024-25 SCHEDULE
(All events at Heinz Hall)
Twist & Shout: The Music of the Beatles I October 4 – 6, 2024
Chicago: The Musical in Concert I November 8 – 10, 2024
Highmark Holiday Pops I Byron Stripling conducts PSO Pops with Mamie Parris & More I December 13 – 22, 2024
Pixar in Concert I February 28 – March 2, 2025
and bring Pittsburghers together through the power of music.”
— PSO Principal Pops conductor Byron Stripling
(Image: George Lange)
Total Eclipse of the Chart: Music of the ’80s I April 4 – 6, 2025
Clouds in my Coffee: Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King & Carly Simon
Clouds in my Coffee: Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King & Carly Simon I May 9 – May 11, 2025
Kings of Soul I June 20 – 22, 2025
PSO HOLIDAY CONCERTS SCHEDULE
(All events at Heinz Hall)
Home Alone I Film with PSO Live I November 22-24, 2024
Handel’s Messiah I Manfred Honeck conducts PSO, with Mendelssohn Choir & More I December 7, 2024
Highmark Holiday Pops I Byron Stripling conducts PSO Pops with Mamie Parris & More I December 13 – 22, 2024
Holiday Brass Spectacular I December 17, 2024
Love, Actually I Film (Rated R) with PSO Live I December 19, 2024
PSO 360 SCHEDULE
(All events at Heinz Hall)
Tom Borrow, piano I October 19, 2024
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello I Mar 22, 2025
Alice Sara Ott, piano I June 7, 2025
PSO DISRUPT SCHEDULE
(All events at Heinz Hall)
Strauss’ Alpine Symphony I November 16, 2024
Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 I March 8, 2025
De Sabata’s Plato’s Night & Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé I April 12, 2025
TICKETS AND INFORMATION
Subscriptions to the BNY Mellon Grand Classics and PNC Pops are available now; single tickets will be available to most concerts beginning July 15. Visit pittsburghsymphony.org or call 412-492-4900.
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