The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2025–2026 Pops Season, a lineup that includes performances billed as blending “timeless favorites, thrilling new collaborations and genre-spanning artistry.”
The season includes the annual Highmark Holiday Pops, a performance with Ben Folds, and four movies, along with six PNC Pops Concerts featuring music “across the eras.”
Led by Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling, along with a wide-ranging roster of guest conductors and artists, the Pops season is designed to welcome audiences of all ages, and includes regional collaborators such as the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, The Tamburitzans, Pittsburgh CLO, and Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.
“Music has the power to connect, to inspire, and to bring joy,” said Stripling. “This season is all about welcoming audiences into unforgettable musical experiences, whether you grew up with Bugs Bunny cartoons, love the swing era, or want to relive the energy of the disco age. It’s also about celebrating America in all its variety — its music, its movies, its history and its culture. There’s truly something for everyone.”
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
2025-26 PNC POPS SEASON
Come Swing With Me (October 3–5, 2025): Stripling and vocalist Paul Loren transport audiences to the era of big band jazz, from Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to Louis Prima to Bobby Darin on a journey through the Great American Songbook..
Bugs Bunny at the Symphony (October 31–November 2, 2025): Conducted by George Daugherty, the Pops celebrate Bugs Bunny’s 85th birthday on the big screen above the musicians, with classic Looney Tunes animations synchronized with a live orchestral soundtrack.
South Pacific (January 30–February 1, 2026): A concert of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, in collaboration with Pittsburgh CLO and Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, and conducted by Andy Einhorn. South Pacific follows PSO’s collaboration with the CLO and CMU in February 2024 for Fiddler on the Roof.
America the Beautiful (February 27–March 1, 2026): Conducted by Byron Stripling, the Pops celebrate America’s 250th birthday with “a musical journey that captures the heart and soul of the nation through its rich tapestry of sound, showcasing the evolution of American music from spirituals and gospel tunes that lift spirits to the rhythms of ragtime and the heartfelt passion of the blues.”
Tropical Rock: For 5 O’Clock … Somewhere (April 17–19, 2026): Escape to a tropical paradise with songs such as “Under the Boardwalk,” “Kokomo,” “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” “Brown-Eyed Girl” and more, “as we raise a glass to the power of the surf and the romance of the islands.”
Disco Divas (June 5–7, 2026): Stripling leads a powerhouse trio of vocalists — Shayna Steele, Crystal Monee Hall, and Kelly Levesque — in an celebration of the Queens of Disco: Donna Summer, Gloria Gayner, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan and Diana Ross, along with classic hits from Earth, Wind & Fire, The Bee Gees, Michael Jackson and more.
HIGHMARK HOLIDAY POPS
Highmark Holiday Pops (December 12–21, 2025): Holiday favorites, featuring conductor Daniel Meyer, Broadway star Blaine Alden Krauss, the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and The Tamburitzans, in the festive yuletide splendor of Heinz Hall. (includes a sensory-friendly performance)
MOVIES WITH PSO
Movies roll as their iconic scores are played live by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra,, including the continuation of the Harry Potter film series, with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Holiday movies include Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (October 25-26, 2025) and Elf in Concert (November 21 and 23 2025). Additional movies in the season are yet to be announced.
BEN FOLDS WITH THE PSO
BEN FOLDS (October 7, 2025): Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter-composer Ben Folds joins the PSO for a one-night special. Folds released his first Christmas album in 2024, and last fall recorded a live album with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, where he served for eight years as the first Artistic Advisor to the NSO. The album is slated for release in 2025.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Subscription packages, starting at $196, for the 2025–2026 PNC Pops Season are available now. Single tickets, starting at $25, will go on sale July 22. Tickets: visit www.pittsburghsymphony.org or call 412-392-4900.
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