PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES 2021-2022 SEASON
FULL ORCHESTRA RETURNS TO HEINZ HALL IN SEPTEMBER WITH IN-PERSON AUDIENCE
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HEINZ HALL AS THE HOME OF THE ORCHESTRA
MANFRED HONECK TO CONDUCT FIVE WORLD PREMIERES OF FIVE PSO COMMISSIONS; HONECK ALSO LEADS SIX PSO PREMIERES INCLUDING ONE PSO CO-COMMISSION
BYRON STRIPLING IN FIRST SEASON AS PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR WITH IN-PERSON AUDIENCES AT HEINZ HALL
“BEETHOVEN IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD” PROJECT IN SPRING OF 2022; ALL NINE BEETHOVEN SYMPHONIES PERFORMED IN ONE WEEK
For Immediate Release
June 24, 2021
PITTSBURGH, PA—The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra today announced the 2021-2022 season for its BNY Mellon Grand Classics and PNC Pops subscription series and will welcome back audiences to Heinz Hall with full orchestra for the first time in 18 months in September when its new season begins. The 2021-2022 season is also the 50th anniversary of Heinz Hall, the acoustically-outstanding performing arts center in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, as the home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s 2021-2022 season will be the 14th under the direction of its Music Director Manfred Honeck, the first season with in-person audiences at Heinz Hall under the direction of Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling, and the 126th in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s celebrated history. The season announced today includes 78 concerts: 50 classical concerts (including the Gala and two special concerts); 26 concerts on the Pops series; and two Learning & Community Engagement concerts. The full Learning & Community Engagement season, including the Fiddlesticks Family Series, is expected to be announced later in the summer. Additional Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concerts, such as its innovative series PSO360, and audience favorites like movie scores performed live with the film, are also expected to be announced as the season unfolds.
The BNY Mellon Grand Classics subscription series begins on September 24, 2021, with Manfred Honeck leading the “Opening Celebration Weekend” with virtuoso pianist Hélène Grimaud on a program of Ravel and Tchaikovsky. The PNC Pops subscription season begins on October 1 with Byron Stripling leading “Swingin’ at the Club,” a program inspired by Harlem’s famed musical hot spots and the Great American Songbook. Concerts for the 2021-2022 season are planned with full orchestra; concerts in the fall will be performed without intermission.
“Next season is all about experiencing the power of music together. Music at its heart is about passion and when Manfred Honeck and Byron Stripling are together with our fabulous musicians and our beloved community, it is unforgettable,” said Melia Tourangeau, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. “When we return in September, it will have been a shocking drought of 18 months since we’ve all been together at Heinz Hall. During that time, we did everything possible to keep everyone safe and to deliver on our mission any way possible. We have also spent significant time thinking and talking deeply about our place and responsibilities in this community. Thinking about the season ahead, I feel such gratitude for the gift of composers and musicians for creating exceptional art, from stalwarts like Tchaikovsky and Strauss, to modern contemporary voices like Gloria Isabel Ramos Triano, Wynton Marsalis, Vivian Fung and Michael Daugherty. We could not be more grateful to this community for belief in great music and for their love of this orchestra.”
“As we return to live performances and people fill the hall, it is my greatest hope that music also fills our hearts, that music heals some of the grief of the last year, and that music be a source of joy for being together again. The sound of the Pittsburgh Orchestra, indeed, is one of great joy—of power and sensitivity, clarity and dynamics, with truly great musicians who play from their hearts. It is thrilling to look ahead to welcoming many friends to the stage, both old and new, and to presenting so many new works and composers to Pittsburgh. We can’t wait to be back together with you at Heinz Hall,” said Manfred Honeck, Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
“I’m so honored to be in my first season with this great orchestra, and though it was not at all the season we had imagined, we found new ways to come together and to be lifted. As Mahalia Jackson said, ‘If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living is not in vain; if I can share a song, then my living is not in vain.’ That is what I try to do every time I come on stage,” said Byron Stripling, Principal Pops Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony. “I believe that music has never been so vital to our joy, our healing, our lives. The musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony play with passion because they love it, because it’s their life force. We’re looking forward to a great summer season outside at Hartwood Acres and to kicking off a new Pops journey together at Heinz Hall in October.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2021-2022 CLASSICAL SEASON
Music Director Manfred Honeck Concert Weekends
Premieres and Commissions: Over nine of his 10 subscription weekends, Manfred Honeck leads five world premieres, with five commissions by the Pittsburgh Symphony (in order of appearance): Reza Vali’s “The Girl from Shiraz” from Persian Folk Songs, Michael Daugherty’s Fifteen: Symphony Fantasy on the Art of Andy Warhol, David Ludwig’s Concerto for Two Clarinets and Two Bassoons, Gloria Isabel Ramos Triano’s why?, and Puccini (arr. Honeck/Ille): Symphonic Suite from Turandot. Honeck also conducts six Pittsburgh Symphony premieres, including Wynton Marsalis’ Fanfare, a co-commission. The Daugherty and Ramos Triano commissions were originally scheduled to be presented on the 2020-2021 season in celebration of the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary.
Debuts: Manfred Honeck will conduct concerts in which six soloists will make their Pittsburgh Symphony debuts (in order of appearance): María Dueñas, violin; Kian Soltani, cello, Lauren Snouffer, soprano, and Dashon Burton, bass-baritone, as well as two Pittsburgh Symphony musicians making their debuts on the subscription series: Ron Samuels, clarinet, and Philip Pandolfi, bassoon. Over just one weekend in February, Honeck will conduct a program with a soloist making his debut (Mr. Soltani), two world premieres /PSO commissions (works by Michael Daugherty and Reza Vali), and the Pittsburgh premiere of Erwin Schulhoff’s Five Pieces (also the first time that the orchestra presents a work of Schulhoff).
Recordings: The recipient of multiple GRAMMY® nominations, and two 2018 GRAMMY® Awards, including Best Orchestral Performance, Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will continue the orchestra’s long and illustrious recording history with the recording of four works, including two major symphonic works, over two concert weekends: Bruckner Symphony No. 7 and Mason Bates’ Resurrexit (March 25-27, 2022); and Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 and Giacomo Puccini (arr. Honeck/Ille): Symphonic Suite from Turandot, a Pittsburgh Symphony world premiere and commission (June 17-19, 2022). Honeck and the Orchestra are also expected to release new recordings in the 2021-2022 season. Each recording will be mastered by the Orchestra’s long-time sound engineering partner Soundmirror and released by its label of more than a decade, Reference Recordings.
The Language of Sound: New Voices, Premieres and Commissions
In the 2021-2022 season, the Pittsburgh Symphony will present 14 outstanding soloists and conductors in highly-anticipated debuts with the orchestra on programs that include Strauss and Stravinsky, Beethoven and Barber, and Montgomery and Marsalis.
Conductors making their Pittsburgh debuts (in order of appearance) are Kirill Karabits, Lorenzo Viotti, Nathalie Stutzmann, Matthias Pintscher, and David Afkham. Stutzmann will conduct the Pittsburgh premiere of Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) by Missy Mazzoli in May of 2022.
Soloists making their Pittsburgh debuts on the subscription series are (in order of appearance): Pittsburgh Symphony principal trumpet Micah Wilkinson, violinist María Dueñas, cellist Kian Soltani, violinist Daniel Lozakovich, violinist Alexi Kenney, soprano Lauren Snouffer and bass-baritone Dashon Burton. Also making debuts on the classical subscription series are Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians Ron Samuels, clarinet, and Philip Pandolfi, bassoon, who will join Michael Rusinek, principal clarinet, and Nancy Goeres, principal bassoon, for the world premiere performance of David Ludwig’s Concerto for Two Clarinets and Two Bassoons, commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony to celebrate their longtime musical friendships.
Superstar Conductors and Soloists, and Piano Masters
In addition to the 14 conductors and soloists making their debuts, the 2021-2022 season will welcome back many superstar audience favorites: conductors Pablo Heras-Casado, Juanjo Mena, Juraj Valčuha, and Osmo Vänskä; and, Pablo Sáinz Villegas, guitar, James Ehnes, violin, and Christian Tetzlaff, violin. In addition, ten piano masters who will join the orchestra for performances that show their exceptional abilities and passionate interpretations of great composers (in order of appearance): Hélène Grimaud, Jan Lisiecki, Behzod Abduraimov, Benjamin Grosvenor, Rudolf Buchbinder, Yulianna Avdeeva, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yefim Bronfman, Beatrice Rana, and Emanuel Ax. In a Pittsburgh first, in January 2022, legendary pianist Rudolf Buchbinder performs and leads from the keyboard the five beloved Beethoven Concerti that have inspired pianists and audiences alike for more than 200 years. Buchbinder is celebrated worldwide for renditions with intellectual depth and musical freedom.
Community Connections: 125th Anniversary Programming Moves into the 126th Season
In February 2020, the Pittsburgh Symphony announced an extraordinary season to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the orchestra, the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, including many artistic partnerships, commissions and premieres. Due to the global pandemic, the season as planned (in addition to concerts in the spring and summer of the 2019-2020 season) was cancelled and the Orchestra began plans to welcome artists and projects back as soon as possible.
In the 2021-2022 season, the Pittsburgh Symphony will welcome 16 artists scheduled for the 2020-2021 season, four artists whose appearances were cancelled late in the 2019-2020 season, and three artists who missed both the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 season. Two commissions from the 125th season will be performed on the 2021-2022 season.
Beethoven In Your Neighborhood project carried into spring of 2022: Of the Pittsburgh Symphony’s extensive commemoration of the 250th birth year of Ludwig van Beethoven planned for last season, the “Beethoven In Your Neighborhood” project has been rescheduled for the spring of 2022:
Beethoven Symphonies Festival: For the first time in Pittsburgh history, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Manfred Honeck, will present all nine Beethoven Symphonies in one week, beginning April 26, 2022. The extraordinary festival will culminate with a performance of Beethoven Symphony No. 9., with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh (soloists to be announced at a later date) at Heinz Hall, on April 30. Tickets for the Heinz Hall performance are now available to season subscribers. The remaining dates and locations will be announced on a later date, and will be “pay what you can,” including free tickets.
Library collaboration on Beethoven string quartets: After the Beethoven Symphonies Festival concludes, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Allegheny County Library Association, and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will partner on a ground-breaking collaboration to present all 16 Beethoven string quartets in over 20 libraries, including all 16 original Carnegie libraries. The partners will collaborate on community engagement and artistic responses to the music, and all of the performances will be presented for free to the public. This project was developed to commemorate the shared 125th anniversary years of both the Pittsburgh Symphony and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Partnership with Mendelssohn Choir
In the spring of the 2021-2022 season, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to welcome back to the stage its long-time choral partner, the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh. The long-awaited return of performance of orchestral work with chorus begins on April 30 with a performance of Beethoven Symphony No. 9 at Heinz Hall. The Mendelssohn Choir will also join Manfred Honeck and the Orchestra for the Pittsburgh premiere of Antonin Dvořák’s Te Deum, a joyful, spectacular work that heralded Dvořák’s move to America.
Special Concerts
Gala Concert: A musical superstar for more than four decades, violin virtuoso and four-time GRAMMY® Award winner Anne-Sophie Mutter joins Music Director Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for a gala celebration at Heinz Hall to benefit the Orchestra’s Learning & Community Education programs, which serve more than 30,000 children and adults each year. More information about this event will be available on July 5, 2021, at pittsburghsymphony.org.
Special Concert: The special one-night-only event “An Evening with Honeck & Mutter & Williams” with Music Director Manfred Honeck, violin virtuoso Anne-Sophie Mutter and legendary composer and conductor John Williams that was initially scheduled as part of the Orchestra’s Beethoven 250th celebrations in the 2019-2020 season was cancelled due to the pandemic and has been rescheduled for April 25, 2022. Audience members who held tickets for that concert were refunded and will be contacted first to purchase tickets for the new date; if tickets remain, a sale to the general public will be announced.
A NEW PNC POPS SEASON UNDER THE DIRECTION OF BYRON STRIPLING
The 2021-2022 season will be the first season at Heinz Hall with audiences for Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling, who was appointed to the position in January of 2020. Since he was appointed, Stripling has led varied digital concerts and education programming for the Orchestra presented on the Front Row platform and will lead several Pops concerts at Hartwood Acres this summer. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor is a steward of the symphony’s popular (or, “Pops”) programming, which presents outstanding music from diverse genres including Broadway, movies, jazz, rock and soul, often with popular soloists. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s first Principal Pops Conductor was the great Marvin Hamlisch, who was appointed in 1994. The PNC Pops series this season includes programs that explore the swinging music of Harlem’s heyday, the music of Paul Simon, Motown and Marvin Hamlisch, a circus-dance-theater program, and Bugs Bunny animation. The seasonal favorite Highmark Holiday Pops is also part of Pops programing and this year will be under the baton of Byron Stripling.
LEARNING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONCERTS
A full season of Learning & Community Engagement programs (Fiddlesticks, Schooltime, Side-by-Side, Wilkinsburg Neighborhood Partnership, etc.) will be announced later in the summer. Two programs originally planned on the 125th season that have been scheduled for the 2021-2022 season are:
Lift Every Voice Concert
February 5, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Heinz Hall
Kathryn Bostic, Jessica Lanay and Njaimeh Njie *World Premiere* / *PSO Commission*
The culmination of a year-long collaborative process involving three remarkable female artists—Njaimeh Njie, multimedia artist, Jessica Lanay Moore, writer, and award-winning composer Kathryn Bostic—this world premiere will be a multimedia work interweaving music, visuals, and poetry. Told through the voice of one female protagonist’s transformative journey, the work draws inspiration from two oral history projects of women from Pittsburgh Hill District. Ticket sale information will be announced on a later date.
Manchester Craftsman’s Guild (MCG) Jazz Partnership
Saturday, March 19, 2022 6:00 p.m. and 8::30 p.m.
Manchester Craftsman’s Guild
Byron Stripling, trumpet and guest conductor
Back by popular demand, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will again partner with MCG Jazz for a program celebrating the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim. The two concerts will be part of the 2021-2020 MCG Jazz 35th Season and will feature PSO Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling, members of the Pittsburgh Symphony strings section, and Jobim collaborators Maucha Adnet on vocals and Duduka de Fonseca on percussion. Tickets are currently available on the MCG Jazz subscription series; visit mcgjazz.org.
HEINZ HALL 50TH ANNIVERSARY: SUMMER 2021 RENOVATIONS
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is embarking on the first of two phases of renovation of Heinz Hall, in advance of its 50th anniversary to be celebrated in the orchestra's 2021-2022 season. This summer, a capital investment of $3.5 million includes significant painting and restoration of ornate plaster gold leafing and glazing in the Grand Lobby and Grand Tier Foyer, updating and refreshing backstage areas and the Dorothy Porter Simmons Regency Rooms, as well as accessibility projects including the exterior entrances to the Hall. The 2021 renovations are being funded by a combination of private foundation sources, the Allegheny Regional Asset District, and matching funds from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
SAFELY TOGETHER
Heinz Hall, the home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for 50 years, is committed to providing an exemplary experience, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all who come to the hall. We’re looking forward to seeing you again! When you return, much of what you have come to expect at Heinz Hall is still in place—but we’ve also made improvements to make your experience more comfortable and enjoyable. We will continue to follow public health guidance and government requirements, and promptly communicate with patrons about any changes. Please visit pittsburghsymphony.org/together for the most up to date information and details.
Here is what you can expect:
- Indoor air quality: Through testing and investments, we’ve made sure that Heinz Hall has excellent ventilation and air quality.
- Touchless faucets: New touchless faucets have been installed in all Heinz Hall restrooms.
- Enhanced Cleaning: We will continue to use enhanced cleaning and sanitizing of spaces used by audience, musicians and staff.
- Masks: Use of masks is required only as mandated by government authorities. Heinz Hall is a “mask-friendly” performing arts center, understanding that many in our community will continue to need or prefer to wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status.
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND TICKET INFORMATION
Subscriptions for BNY Mellon Grand Classics and PNC Pops are now on sale online at PittsburghSymphony.org/Renew and through the Heinz Hall Box Office by phone at (412) 392-4900, or toll-free at 800-743-8560. Please note the physical Box Office in Heinz Hall is closed for renovation until September (the specific reopening date will be announced later in the summer), when it will reopen with new accessibility features.
- BNY Mellon Grand Classics season tickets are available in packages of six, seven, 14 and 20 concerts and range in price from $102 to $1,470. Tickets for individual concerts will go on sale in late August. Concert times on Fridays and Saturdays will remain at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.
- PNC Pops season tickets are available in seven-concert packages and range in price from $133 to $658. Tickets for individual concerts will go on sale in late August. Show times on Fridays and Saturdays will remain at 8:00pm and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.
- Subscriber benefits include dedicated Patron Services Representatives, flexible ticket exchange, priority seating, exclusive pre-sale opportunities, reserved parking and savings.
WITH DEEP GRATITUDE
- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra would like to recognize and thank BNY Mellon for its 2021-2022 title sponsorship support of the BNY Mellon Grand Classics series, marking BNY Mellon’s 21st consecutive year as title sponsor of the series.
- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra would like to thank PNC for its 2021-2022 title sponsorship of the PNC Pops series, marking PNC’s 21st consecutive year as title sponsor of the series.
- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra would like to recognize and thank Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield for its 2021-2022 title sponsorship of Highmark Holiday Pops.
- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pittsburgh Foundation for their support of the Lift Every Voice concert commission. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is grateful to the Benjamin Harris Memorial Fund, Samuel and Carrie Arnold Weinhaus Memorial Fund, William Christopher and Mary Laughlin Robinson Fund and Scott Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation for funding for the Lift Every Voice concert.
- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is grateful to Carnegie Corporation for sponsoring the Beethoven symphonies week; to PNC as sponsor for Beethoven concert partnership with the libraries; and the National Endowment for the arts for its sponsorship of the symphonies week and the library partnership concerts.
- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for its support of all commissions in the 2021-2022 season.
- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is grateful for overall support from local and state government entities: Allegheny Regional Asset District, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and PA Department of Community & Economic Development.
- Fairmont Pittsburgh is the official hotel of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
- Radio station WQED-fm 89.3 and WQEJ-fm 89.7 is the official voice of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2021-2022 CALENDAR: SUBSCRIPTION SERIES
BNY MELLON GRAND CLASSICS
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 1: OPENING WEEKEND CELEBRATION
Friday, September 24, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 26, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Hélène Grimaud, piano
Mikhail Glinka: Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila
Maurice Ravel: Concerto in G major for Piano and Orchestra
Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Opus 36
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 2: MENDELSSOHN’S “SCOTTISH”
Friday, October 8, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 10, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Lorna McGhee, flute
Ludwig van Beethoven: Overture to Egmont, Opus 84
Kaija Saariaho: Aile du songe, Concerto for Flute and Orchestra ("Wing of the Dream") *PSO premiere*
Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Opus 56, "Scottish"
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 3: GRIEG’S BELOVED PIANO CONCERTO
Friday, October 22, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 24, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Pablo Heras-Casado, conductor
Jan Lisiecki, piano
Louise Farrenc: Overture No. 1 in E minor, Opus 23 *PSO premiere*
Edvard Grieg: Concerto in A minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 16
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 73
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 4: TCHAIKOVSKY’S FIERY “LITTLE RUSSIAN”
Friday, October 29, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 31, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Kirill Karabits, conductor (debut)
Micah Wilkinson, trumpet (debut)
Igor Stravinsky: Suite from Pulcinella
Franz Joseph Haydn: Concerto in E-flat major for Trumpet and Orchestra, H. VIIe:1
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Opus 17, "Little Russian"
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 5: BEETHOVEN’S FOURTH SYMPHONY
Friday, November 12, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 14, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Juraj Valčuha, conductor
Behzod Abduraimov, piano
Giuseppe Martucci: Notturno in D-flat major, Opus 70, No. 1
Sergei Prokofiev: Concerto No. 2 in G minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 16
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Opus 60
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 6: THANKSGIVING TRADITION: STRAUSS FAMILY FAVORITES
Friday, November 26, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 28, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
María Dueñas, violin (debut)
Nicolai Paganini: Concerto No. 1 in D major for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 6
Strauss Family Waltzes & Polkas
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 7: TCHAIKOVSKY – THE NUTCRACKER SUITE
Friday, December 3, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 4, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 5, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
James Ehnes, violin
Vivian Fung: A Child's Dream of Toys *PSO premiere*
Samuel Barber: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 14
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Suite from The Nutcracker
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 8: RACHMANINOFF PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2
Friday, January 14, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 16, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Lorenzo Viotti, conductor (debut)
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano
Giuseppe Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 in C minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 18
Richard Strauss: Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Opus 59
Maurice Ravel: La Valse
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 9: BEETHOVEN – THE FIVE PIANO CONCERTOS
Friday, January 21, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 22, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 23, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Rudolf Buchbinder, leader and piano
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto No. 1 in C major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 15
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 19
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto No. 3 in C minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 37
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto No. 4 in G major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 58
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 73, "Emperor"
Friday: Concertos No. 2, 4 & 3
Saturday: Concertos No. 3 & 5
Sunday: Concertos No. 1 & 5
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 10: HONECK CONDUCTS THE FIREBIRD
Friday, February 11, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 12, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 13, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Kian Soltani, cello (debut)
Erwin Schulhof: Five Pieces *PSO premiere*
Robert Schumann: Concerto in A minor for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 129
Reza Vali: "The Girl from Shiraz" from Persian Folk Songs *World premiere & commission*
Michael Daugherty: Fifteen: Symphonic Fantasy on the Art of Andy Warhol for orchestra *World premiere & commission*
Igor Stravinsky: Suite from The Firebird (1919 revision)
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 11: WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE
Friday, February 18, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 20, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Michael Rusinek, clarinet
Ronald Samuels, clarinet (debut)
Nancy Goeres, bassoon
Philip Pandolfi, bassoon (debut)
Gioachino Rossini: Overture to William Tell
David Ludwig: Concerto for Two Clarinets and Two Bassoons *World premiere & commission*
Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Opus 40
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 12: RODRIGO’S GUITAR CONCERTO
Friday, March 11, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 13, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Juanjo Mena, conductor
Pablo Sáinz Villegas, guitar
Sergei Prokofiev: Classical Symphony, Opus 25
Joaquin Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra
Claude Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune [Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun]
Witold Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 13: RACHMANINOFF & BRUCKNER
Friday, March 25, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 26, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 27, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Yulianna Avdeeva, piano
Mason Bates: Resurrexit
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Opus 43
Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E major (1883, edition Nowak)
RECORDING WEEKEND
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 14: SCHEHERAZADE PLUS MARSALIS’ FANFARE
Friday, April 1, 2022 8:0 p.m.
Sunday, April 3, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Wynton Marsalis: Fanfare *PSO premiere & co-commission*
Benjamin Britten: Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 13 (1945 revision) *PSO premiere*
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Opus 35
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 15: BRONFMAN PLAYS RACHMANINOFF
Friday, April 22, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 24, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
Gloria Isabel Ramos Triano: why? *World premiere & commission*
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3 in D minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 30
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D major
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 16: Dvořák’S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY
Friday, May 6, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 7, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 8, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Nathalie Stutzmann, conductor (debut)
Daniel Lozakovich, violin (debut)
Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) *PSO premiere*
Johannes Brahms: Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 77
Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Opus 95, "From the New World"
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 17: ALEXI KENNEY PLUS LA MER
Friday, May 20, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 22, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Matthias Pintscher, conductor (debut)
Alexi Kenney, violin (debut)
Maurice Ravel: Ma Mère l'Oye [Mother Goose] (complete ballet)
Claude Debussy: La mer: Three Symphonic Sketches
Béla Bartók: Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra
Maurice Ravel: Alborada del gracioso
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 18: CHRISTIAN TETZLAFF RETURNS
Friday, June 3, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 5, 2022 2:30 p.m.
David Afkham, conductor (debut)
Christian Tetzlaff, violin
Ludwig van Beethoven: Overture to Coriolan, Opus 62
Dmitri Shostakovich: Concerto No. 1 in A minor for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 99
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Opus 68
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 19: TCHAIKOVSKY’S FIRST PIANO CONCERTO
Friday, June 10, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 11, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 12, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Beatrice Rana, piano
Lauren Snouffer, soprano (debut)
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone (debut)
Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh
Jessie Montgomery: Source Code *PSO premiere*
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 23
Francis Poulenc: Gloria
Antonin Dvořák: Te Deum, Opus 103 *PSO premiere*
BNY Mellon Grand Classics 20: EMANUEL AX PLAYS MOZART
Friday, June 17, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 18, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 19, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Emanuel Ax, piano
Giacomo Puccini (arr. Honeck/Ille): Symphonic Suite from Turandot *World premiere & commission*
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto No. 20 in D minor for Piano and Orchestra, K. 466
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Opus 64
RECORDING WEEKEND
PNC POPS AND HIGHMARK HOLIDAY POPS
PNC Pops 1: SWINGIN’ AT THE CLUB
Friday, October 1, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 2, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 3, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Byron Stripling, conductor, vocalist, trumpet
Carmen Bradford, vocalist
Leo Manzari, tap dancer
It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing! Inspired by Harlem’s famed musical hot spots like The Cotton Club and The Savoy, this swingin’ night of musical sensations focuses on Harlem’s heyday when Duke Ellington’s orchestra was the house band, and Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald and Ethel Waters showcased the classics of the Great American Songbook.
PNC Pops 2: TROUPE VERTIGO
Friday, November 5, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 6, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 7, 2021 2:30 p.m.
Daniel Meyer, conductor
This eclectic and refreshing mix of circus-dance-theater will ignite the imagination with mentally and physically spellbinding performances combined with an epic musical score. Troupe Vertigo’s captivating performances astonish through stunning physical feats choreographed into jaw-dropping works of visual art.
Highmark Holiday Pops
Friday, December 10, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 11, 2021 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 12, 2021 2:30 p.m.
* Additional performances not on the subscription series on Dec. 17, 18, 19
Byron Stripling, conductor
Vanessa Campagna, vocalist
Chris Sanders, special guest
It’s the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” to bring the whole family to Heinz Hall and experience the Pittsburgh holiday tradition! Hear all of your favorite holiday music, sing along to classic carols and you’d better be good (for goodness sake) because we have it on good authority that Santa Claus is coming to town!
PNC Pops 3: PAUL SIMON SONGBOOK
Friday, March 4, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 5, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 6, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Byron Stripling, conductor
Paul Loren, vocalist
Emily Drennan, vocalist
Daniel Berryman, vocalist
An evening of music from the legendary Paul Simon explores his unique artistry as a songwriter from his years with Simon and Garfunkel through his solo albums Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints. Songs include “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard,” “The Sound of Silence,” “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” “Graceland” and “Rhythm of the Saints.” All arrangements fully orchestrated by Jeff Tyzik.
PNC Pops 4: WARNER BROS. PRESENTS BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY
Friday, April 8, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 9, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 10, 2022 2:30 p.m.
George Daugherty, conductor
“What’s up, Doc?” An enormously fun blend of classical music and classic animation! Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals return to Heinz Hall for Bugs Bunny at the Symphony! The world’s most iconic Looney Tunes—from What’s Opera, Doc? to The Rabbit of Seville and a dozen others—will be projected on the big screen, while their exhilarating original scores are played live. Created by George Daugherty & David Ka Lik Wong.
TM & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s21)
PNC Pops 5: TO MARVIN, WITH LOVE
Friday, May 13, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 14, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 15, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Jack Everly, conductor
Marissa McGowan, vocalist
Celebrate the memory of our beloved Marvin Hamlisch, with a program of favorites from his storied career and momentous history with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Jack Everly returns to the podium to the lead the Pittsburgh Symphony in a concert that features some very special guests and many memories of Marvin—because nobody does it better.
PNC Pops 6: DANCING IN THE STREET: MUSIC OF MOTOWN
Friday, June 24, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 25, 2022 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 26, 2022 2:30 p.m.
Byron Stripling, conductor
Chester Gregory, vocalist
Michael Lynche, vocalist
Shayna Steele, vocalist
Experience the magic of MOTOWN! This program features smash hits made famous by artists like Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, The Temptations and the one and only Stevie Wonder. Songs include “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Dancing In The Street,” “I Heard it Through The Grapevine,” “My Girl,” “Superstition” and more.
Media Contacts
Julie Goetz | Director of Communications
jgoetz@pittsburghsymphony.org | 412.392.4866 or 412.905.9058 (mobile)