The Utah Symphony has just announced their upcoming season and I, for one, can’t wait! There are so many great performances, special events, and films in concerts coming to Salt Lake City! How lucky are we to have such a talented symphony that we can enjoy these productions throughout the year. We thoroughly enjoyed this last season and know we will enjoy this next one just as much, if not more! Check out what’s in their line up below.
Utah Symphony Delivers Exquisite Musical Storytelling in 2023-24 Season
Season Features Internationally Renowned Artists Including Violinist Itzhak Perlman, Vocalist Audra McDonald, Percussionist Colin Currie, and Pianist Sir Stephen Hough with the World Premiere of His Own Concerto; the Vision of Creative Partner David Robertson in Three Programs, Including Beethoven’s Ninth and a Genre-Crossing Guitar Festival; Conducting Debuts by Sir Donald Runnicles and Lidiya Yankovskaya, Plus Two Returns by David Danzmayr; and New “Masterworks Magnified” Programs
Watch: Mercedes Smith (Principal Flute), Tad Calcara (Principal Clarinet), and Mark Davidson (Principal Trombone) share their excitement—and upcoming favorites—for the Utah Symphony 2023-24 season.
The Utah Symphony’s 2023-24 season will deliver powerful musical narratives, as each program brings its own aspect of storytelling to the stage. Following the conclusion of Thierry’s Fischer’s 14-year tenure as Music Director (Fischer becomes Music Director Emeritus at the end of the 2022-23 season), the symphony continues his legacy of innovation—expanding the symphonic repertoire with world or U.S. premieres of co-commissioned works; creating new avenues for understanding of, and engagement with, traditional repertoire; and inviting 15 renowned conductors to bring their unique vision to Masterworks programs, including Creative Partner David Robertson.
“Every work we present has a story to share, and we continually strive to connect our audiences to these powerful musical narratives—whether it is the idealism of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony contrasted with the darkness of Berg’sWozzeck, the humor in Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel, or the nostalgia of a past era that inspired pianist Stephen Hough’s first concerto,” says President & CEO Steve Brosvik. “As we turn the page to a new chapter at the Utah Symphony, we continue our long-held story of dedication to our entire state and look forward to sharing with Utahns all that the upcoming season expresses.”
An undeniable highlight of the season and confirmation of the symphony’s promise to bring the world’s best artists to Utah, reigning violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman joins the orchestra for a special celebratory evening to showcase a new suite of film music composed or arranged by John Williams from movies including Schindler’s List, Far and Away, and Sabrina.Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded to classical musicians—and he is treasured by audiences worldwide who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for music-making.
While the symphony’s music director search continues, David Robertson begins his three-year term as inaugural Creative Partner—and in the 2023-24 season, he has crafted three distinct and imaginative concert experiences that will excite existing audiences and attract newcomers, each complemented by related education activities. Robertson’s first program willdeepen audiences’ understanding of Beethoven’s Ninth, exploring the highs and lows of humanity by pairing the masterpiece (with its famous “Ode to Joy” proclaiming the dream of universal brotherhood) with the semi-staged final act ofBerg’s opera, Wozzeck, based on the true and brutal story of a tragic contemporary of Beethoven. In his second program,Robertson explores the concept of place expressed through music, with works that paint images of America, Finland, and Germany, including Schumann’s “Rhenish” Symphony.
For his final week in May 2024, Robertson has developed a festival bringing the eight extraordinary acoustic and electric guitarists of the collective Another Night on Earth to the community. With the Guitar Celebrations festival, the ensemble members—including Robertson—will engage with audiences and students in genre-bending performances and education programs in a variety of venues and settings across the Salt Lake Valley. The capstone to the week-long festival is a Masterworks performance at Abravanel Hall with a wide range of music for acoustic and electric guitar with orchestra, fromRodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez (history’s most famous guitar concerto); to arrangements of music by The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Frank Zappa; to new guitar concertos by Another Night on Earth members Steven Mackey and James Moore. This innovative program highlights the versatility of the guitar while pushing the boundaries of classical programming and welcoming together audiences who enjoy popular music of many genres.
Also designed to bring new audiences to the concert hall—and to bring new perspectives to current audiences—the Utah Symphony introduces Masterworks Magnified, successor to the Unwound series, which was offered in years prior to the pandemic. For three Masterworks performances, audiences will enjoy added elements such as video projections and special lighting in the concert hall, conversations with the performers, and lobby activities on theme with the concert, allowing different and deeper experiences of classical repertoire. (The designated Masterworks Magnified programs will be announced later this spring.)
The season’s narrative begins with Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony, inspired by the spiritual storytelling of Native American and African American music, in a program with Utah native Aubree Oliverson as soloist in Barber’s Violin Concerto. The storytelling motif continues with lush symphonic favorites including Copland’s vision of the American dream in Appalachian Spring; the fabled tales of the One Thousand and One Nights translated musically in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade (as well as Ravel’s song cycle of the same name, with Utah Opera favorite Wendy Bryn Harmer); selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, which acts as a masterclass for storytelling through music; tone poems by Strauss and Sibelius; and theatrical and opera overtures by Mozart, Beethoven, and others. This utterly expressive repertoire is brought to life masterfully by the orchestra’s 87 extraordinary artists.
Renowned guest soloists will grace the stage for the Masterworks Series with their own personal narratives and musicality shared through works written specifically for them. For a third straight season, Sir Stephen Hough returns to the Utah Symphony, this time with the world premiere of his own Piano Concerto (The World of Yesterday), co-commissioned by the Utah Symphony and inspired by the decadence of pre-war Vienna. Danny Elfman’s colorful and lively Percussion Concertowas written for—and is performed by—dynamic percussionist Colin Currie, and trail-blazing pianist Awadagin Pratt brings a delightful mix of old and new to the stage with a Bach Keyboard Concerto and Rounds by Jessie Montgomery, who wrote the work specifically for him. Émergences-Résurgences by Swiss composer Michael Jarrell was co-commissioned by the Utah Symphony and written for the world’s most renowned violist, Tabea Zimmermann, who will give its U.S. premiere. Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers will share Arturo Márquez’s dance-inspired Fandango, composed for her, in a spirited season finale.
Co-commissioned by the Utah Symphony, Quinn Mason composed a new Trombone Concerto—bringing out the instrument’s singing quality—for the orchestra’s Principal Trombone Mark Davidson, who gives its world premiere.Continuing her annual appearance as soloist, Concertmaster Madeline Adkins performs the dream-like Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1, led by returning conductor Jun Märkl.
Other familiar faces on the podium include David Danzmayr, who leads the orchestra in two programs (Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Danny Elfman’s Percussion Concerto), Ludovic Morlot (Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony), Rune Bergmann(Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 and Liszt’s Totentanz with Joyce Yang), Markus Poschner (Brahms Symphony No. 2), andformer Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington (Strauss’ Don Juan). Audiences can look forward to the exciting Utah Symphony debuts of Sir Donald Runnicles (Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5), Lidiya Yankovskaya (Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2), Anna Rakitina (Dvořák’s Violin Concerto with International Violin Competition of Indianapolis winner Sirena Huang), Eduardo Stausser (Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto with Marie-Ange Nguci), and more. Teddy Abrams, who has previously led Utah Symphony pops programs, makes his Masterworks debut with a program including the overture to his own rap-opera about American boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
The Utah Symphony continues to represent the breadth of our world and Utah’s communities in its programming. Thirteen Masterworks concerts feature women, either as guest artists or composers, and nearly half of the Masterworks programs represent people of color—including composers Quinn Mason, Jessie Montgomery, Carlos Simon, and Arturo Márquez. In September, the symphony continues its annual celebration of Hispanic culture with an evening of food, artisan crafts, and music by Latin American composers at Celebración Sinfónica.
In addition to the balance of new, innovative, and long-beloved repertoire, the Pops Series (formally the Entertainment Series), Films in Concert Series, Family Series, and Special Events are also expected to draw new audiences to the symphony. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy Award, Pops Series headliner Audra McDonald will dazzle audiences with her singular talent; Byron Stripling will channel the great Louis Armstrong with an electrifying tribute to the jazz great; and Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA will deliver the biggest hits from the iconic band. Five popular movies will play on the big screen as the orchestra plays every note live—including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (concluding the eight-part series), Black Panther, Casablanca, How to Train Your Dragon, andFrozen (presented just before Christmas).
The Utah Symphony has a long history of bringing its community together through music at the holidays and will share in seasonal celebrations with the Messiah Sing-In tradition with Utah Opera, inviting the audience to sing along with Handel’s beloved oratorio; a highly-anticipated return appearance by the adored Irish group Celtic Woman following last year’s sell-out performance; the new Holiday Pops Extravaganza! highlighting festive tunes in a dazzling spectacle of music and visuals; and Family Series mainstay Here Comes Santa Claus!, which will delight audiences of all ages with holiday favorites, a magical story played out by actors, and an appearance by the jolly man himself!
Following Here Comes Santa Claus!, the Family Series—which cultivates concert experiences perfect for the youngest music lovers—continues with the classic Peter and the Wolf, a charming story that vividly illustrates the adventures of Peter and his animal friends with different instruments representing each character. An Outer-Space Adventure! will enchant children with space-themed music accompanied by video and imagery of the solar system, created in collaboration with The Clark Planetarium.
Beyond the main-stage Family Series concerts, the Utah Symphony engages students throughout the state with a wide range of educational performances and interactive opportunities. Each year, the symphony reaches more than 62,000 students and teachers through K-12 in-school performances and a 40-year tradition of welcoming nearly every fifth grader in the Salt Lake Valley to Abravanel Hall; online materials are provided to teachers and students to spark curiosity and learning ahead of the concert experience. Open rehearsals and tours of Abravanel Hall offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life in the arts, and the annual Youth Orchestra Festival welcomes more than 800 youth orchestra musicians into the hall. Students of all ages have the opportunity to interact with Utah Symphony musicians guest artists, and the 63-year Salute to Youth tradition creates the opportunity for students to become soloists with the symphony for a once-in-a-lifetime evening.
With a commitment to making classical music accessible to the entire community, Access to Music—a long-held tradition—is designed for those with sensory sensitivities and other disabilities. The one-hour performance is welcoming and inclusive of individuals of all ages and abilities, provides special accommodations and services for audience members, and has a relaxed attitude toward movement and noise in the concert hall, encouraging those with differing needs to fully enjoy and express themselves.
Altogether, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera reaches students in every school district in the state on a three-year rotation—leading one of the most extensive performing arts education programs in the U.S.
Other important initiatives expanding access to classical music and increasing the symphony’s presence include summer orchestra performances in communities along the Wasatch front, many with free or low-cost tickets. Finishing Touches Rehearsals offer behind-the-scenes access to experience the process of refining a performance (and light breakfast fare!) for less than $15.
The Utah Symphony will present four of its Masterworks programs at its series at The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts at Utah Valley University, the orchestra’s Utah County home in Orem (dates are noted in the listings below).Other select programs are performed at the Brigham Young University School of Music Concert Hall in Provo and the Daines Concert Hall in Logan (noted in the listings below); and at the Austad Auditorium at the Val A. Browning Center in Ogden (to be announced this spring). Each summer, the orchestra and well-known guest artists perform against the magnificent backdrop of the Wasatch mountains at the Utah Symphony’s Deer Valley® Music Festival in Park City. Programming for the summer 2023 festival will be announced on Thursday, March 23.
In total, the orchestra performs for hundreds of thousands of Utahns annually, with additional programs announced throughout the year.
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Season Sponsor for Utah Symphony | Utah Opera is the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation.
Masterworks Series Sponsor is O.C. Tanner.
Family Series Sponsor is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Foundation.
In-school performances for students are offered free of charge to Utah schools thanks to partial funding through the Utah Legislature’s Professional Outreach Programs in the Schools (POPS) program and the Elizabeth Brown Dee Fund for Music in the Schools.
Utah Symphony | Utah Opera is funded in part by the Utah Legislature through the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, and Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, & Parks (ZAP)—along with the many businesses and individuals whose generous support enables us to serve our community.
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How to Purchase
The Utah Symphony offers numerous options for season-ticket packages to the Masterworks, Entertainment, Films in Concert, Family, and Noorda Series.
Subscriptions for the 2023/24 season are on sale now and may be purchased three ways:
· USUO mobile app
· Online: UtahSymphony.org
· By phone: USUO Patron Services, (801) 533-NOTE (6683)
USUO’s flexible Design-a-Series packages go on sale to new subscribers June 5 and tickets to individual performances go on sale August 1.
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2023-24 Utah Symphony Season by Series
MASTERWORKS SERIES
Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony & Barber’s Violin Concerto
Sept. 15 & 16, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Aubree Oliverson, violin
Utah Symphony
DVOŘÁK: Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”
BARBER: Violin Concerto
RAVEL: Boléro
The 2023-24 season begins with an adventure—inspired by the spiritual storytelling of Native American and African American musical traditions, Dvořák’s universally popular “New World” Symphony captures the essence of our country’s rich heritage with expressive melodies that are immediately familiar. Paired with the ebb and flow of Barber’s Violin Concerto—performed by Utah native Aubree Oliverson—and Ravel’s jazz-influenced Boléro, our season opener brings to light the power of American musical narratives and echoes the traditions of past generations, making this an unforgettable opening weekend.
Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto
Finishing Touches Rehearsal: Sept. 22, 2023 / 10 AM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Sept. 22 & 23, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Eduardo Strausser, conductor
Marie-Ange Nguci, piano
Utah Symphony
MOZART: Overture to Don Giovanni
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5
Famously written the night before its premiere performance, Mozart’s Overture to Don Giovanni foreshadows the fate that awaits an unrepentant villain. This epic warning is contrasted with two works that herald a banner of freedom—Beethoven’s grand “Emperor” Piano Concerto and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. Each composer directly defies the sorrows of the wars that were raging as they composed these works—instead, celebrating the heroics of their countrymen and expressing pride in their homelands.
Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 & Liszt’s Totentanz with Pianist Joyce Yang
Oct. 19, 2023 / 7:30 PM / The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, UVU, Orem
Oct. 20, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Oct. 21, 2023 / 5:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Rune Bergmann, conductor
Joyce Yang, piano
Utah Symphony
SAINT-SAËNS: Danse Macabre
LISZT: Totentanz
RACHMANINOFF: Symphony No. 2
Just before Halloween, take a chance to dance on the wild side as three composers entangle with one of the most notable figures in storytelling—Death. The hooded figure is raised by the sounds of the symphony (by way of the recognizable Dies Irae theme from the Latin Mass for the Dead repeated in each work), with Rachmaninoff’s towering Symphony No. 2, Liszt’s eerieTotentanz performed by audience-favorite Joyce Yang, and Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre—which, from its cry on the solo violin to its bone-rattling finale, is all too ready to summon spirits.
Beethoven’s Ninth
Nov. 3 & 4, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
David Robertson, conductor
Utah Symphony
Utah Symphony Chorus
BRUCKNER: Christus factus est
BERG: ACT III from Wozzeck
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 “Choral”
Conceived by Creative Partner David Robertson, this extraordinary program leads toward Beethoven’s idealized vision of the human experience in the incomparable Ninth Symphony—with its famous “Ode to Joy” featuring the Utah Symphony Chorus.The chorus also shines in the first half, with a Bruckner motet examining spirituality and a semi-staged presentation of Act III from Berg’s Wozzeck. Starkly opposite Beethoven’s Ninth, this opera depicts the grimmest sides of humanity—altogether, delivering a concert that represents the entirety of the mortal condition, creates new understanding of Beethoven’s masterpiece, and inspires us to turn toward a better version of ourselves.
Brahms’ Symphony No. 2
Nov. 17 & 18, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Markus Poschner, conductor
Utah Symphony
MATHILDE WANTENAAR: Prélude à une nuit américaine
STRAUSS: Death and Transfiguration
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2
Bubbly and vivacious, Brahms’ cheery Symphony No. 2 is the music you’ll want to try and capture in a bottle for a rainy day! Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration is a powerful tone poem exploring the ultimate mystery of what lies beyond earthly existence, elegantly moving from the trials of life to the lightness and peace of heavenly immortality. Mathilde Wantenaar’sPrélude à une nuit américaine (“Prelude to an American Night”) was envisioned as “an unabashed grand romantic gesture” with jazzy harmonies and dancing rhythms that create its “American touch.”
Appalachian Spring & Bach with Pianist Awadagin Pratt
Nov. 30, 2023 / 7:30 PM / The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, UVU, Orem
Dec. 1, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Dec. 2, 2023 / 5:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Teddy Abrams, conductor
Awadagin Pratt, piano
Utah Symphony
BACH: Keyboard Concerto in A Major
JESSIE MONTGOMERY: Rounds for Piano and String Orchestra
TEDDY ABRAMS: Overture to The Greatest
COPLAND: Appalachian Spring
Trail-blazing pianist Awadagin Pratt brings a delightful mix of old and new with a keyboard concerto by Baroque master Bach and Rounds by Jessie Montgomery—a work both energetic and contemplative, written specifically for Pratt, who improvises the conclusion. Teddy Abrams conducts the overture to his own rap-opera about American boxing legend Muhammad Ali, while Copland’s orchestral suite from his ballet Appalachian Spring tells another story of the American dream—a young frontier couple working together toward a brighter future.
David Robertson Conducts Schumann’s “Rhenish” Symphony
Finishing Touches Rehearsal: Dec. 8, 2023 / 10 AM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Dec. 8 & 9, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
David Robertson, conductor
Utah Symphony
SIBELIUS: En saga
IVES: Three Places in New England
SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 3 “Rhenish”
Creative Partner David Robertson leads us through a picturesque journey to the Rhine River, Finland, and New England. Originally titled “Morning on the Rhine,” Schumann shares his musical vista of the great river in his Third Symphony—listen closely and you’ll hear the flowing water! Sibelius captures the brisk atmosphere of his native Finland in his tone poem En Saga, and Ives’ Three Places in New England paints a quaint soundscape of Connecticut and Massachusetts with hints of American folk tunes and marching bands.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 & Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3
Jan. 4, 2024 / 7:30 PM / The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, UVU, Orem
Jan. 5 & 6, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
David Danzmayr, conductor
Francesca Dego, violin
Utah Symphony
BEETHOVEN: Coriolan Overture
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 3
CARLOS SIMON: Fate Now Conquers
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7
Life is full of opposites: light and dark, hot and cold, triumph and tragedy. Experience the duality of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, with its contrasting moods—plus, Beethoven’s powerful overture to the tragic play about a Roman general who takes his own life after being torn between his loyalty to Rome and his love for his family. Paired with Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers (which incorporates harmonies from Beethoven’s Seventh) and one of Mozart’s greatest violin concertos, you have an evening of incomparable drama and joy.
Stephen Hough Performs Stephen Hough—with Conductor Donald Runnicles
Jan. 12 & 13, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Sir Donald Runnicles, conductor
Sir Stephen Hough, piano
Utah Symphony
ELGAR: Cockaigne (In London Town)
STEPHEN HOUGH: Piano Concerto (The World of Yesterday) (World Premiere; Utah Symphony co-commission)
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphony No. 5
Turn back the clock to the decadence of pre-war Vienna that inspired The World of Yesterday—the first concerto by British piano legend Sir Stephen Hough, who gives its world premiere performance with us. Then, step further back into the boisterous world of the Edwardian era with Elgar’s Cockaigne (a British term illustrating the humor, honesty, and strength of turn-of-the-century London). The final destination in this program led by Sir Donald Runnicles is Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Symphony, dubbed “Symphony of the Celestial City” for its essence of radiant light and sublime mystery.
Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1
Feb. 2, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Feb. 3, 2024 / 5:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Jun Märkl, conductor
Madeline Adkins, violin
Utah Symphony
R. STRAUSS: Macbeth
PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 1
DVOŘÁK: In Nature’s Realm
R. STRAUSS: Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks
Prokofiev’s dreamlike Violin Concerto No. 1 is performed by Concertmaster Madeline Adkins and Dvořák’s In Nature’s Realmbrings the beauty of the countryside to the concert hall. The program is bookended by two Strauss tone poems—a powerful exploration of Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth and a witty depiction of the mischievous exploits of a German trickster in Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks. (Strauss said of the piece: “I only wanted to give the people in the concert hall a good laugh for once.”)
Strauss’ Don Juan & a World Premiere with Principal Trombone Mark Davidson
Feb. 15, 2024 / 7:30 PM / The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, UVU, Orem
Feb. 16 & 17, 2024 / 7:30PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Conner Gray Covington, conductor
Mark Davidson, trombone
Utah Symphony
HAYDN: Symphony No. 88
QUINN MASON: Trombone Concerto (World Premiere; Utah Symphony co-commission)
STRAUSS: Don Juan
BARBER: Symphony No. 1
You’ve heard of Don Juan. But have you felt the pain as he languishes in his ultimate solitude? Strauss’ Don Juan is a heartbreaking retelling of the lothario who searches for his soulmate until he succumbs to loneliness. The pain is exquisitely punctuated with the romantic melodies of Barber’s First Symphony, and former Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington also takes us through works that span nearly 350 years—from Haydn (the “father of the symphony”) to the world premiere of Quinn Mason’s Trombone Concerto, written for Principal Trombone Mark Davidson.
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 & a Concerto with the World’s Top Violist
Feb. 22, 2024 / BYU School of Music Concert Hall, Provo
Feb. 23 & 24, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Lidiya Yankovskaya, conductor
Tabea Zimmermann, viola
Utah Symphony
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Suite from The Invisible City of Kitezh
MICHAEL JARRELL: Émergences-Résurgences (U.S. Premiere; Utah Symphony co-commission)
WEBER: Andante & Hungarian Rondo
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 2
Performing the beautiful suite from the grandest opera by Rimsky-Korsakov, The Invisible City of Kitezh, is a first for the Utah Symphony. This program includes another first, Émergences-Résurgences by Swiss composer Michael Jarrell—a work inspired by Impressionist art and composed for the world’s foremost violist, Tabea Zimmerman, who gives its U.S. premiere. Zimmerman also performs the Andante & Hungarian Rondo, an exciting return for a piece that Weber wrote for his brother. The program culminates with Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony, distinctive for its use of Ukrainian folk tunes.
Danny Elfman’s Percussion Concerto with Colin Currie
Finishing Touches Rehearsal: Mar. 22, 2024 / 10 AM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Mar. 22 & 23, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
David Danzmayr, conductor
Colin Currie, percussion
Utah Symphony
BRYCE DESSNER: Tromp Miniature
DANNY ELFMAN: Percussion Concerto
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1
Danny Elfman’s Percussion Concerto—written for acclaimed British percussionist Colin Currie—showcases the vast range of moods percussion instruments can create. But when it comes to the finale: “It’s fast, it’s exciting, it’s fireworks, and it’s a roof-raiser,” says Elfman, best known for his colorful film scores. Opening the program is a work for solo marimba by Bryce Dessner of alternative rock band The National. The pairing with Brahms’ Romantic-era masterpiece—a symphony 14 years in the making—places this program as a season favorite.
Dvořák’s Violin Concerto
Mar. 28, 2024 / Daines Concert Hall, USU, Logan
Mar. 29 & 30, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Anna Rakitina, conductor
Sirena Huang, violin
Utah Symphony
SMETANA: Šárka from Má Vlast (My Fatherland)
DVOŘÁK: Violin Concerto
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 1
Close out Women’s History Month and join us as conductor Anna Rakitina and violinist Sirena Huang make their debut on the Abravanel Hall stage. Huang, an international competition gold medalist, performs Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, inspired by traditional Czech dances and sure to be felt in every limb. Sibelius’ First Symphony is consuming, closing with the passionateQuasi una fantasia (“Like a Fantasy”). Also featuring Smetana’s Šárka—based on the Czech legend of an uprising of women called “The Maiden’s War”—this performance is a testament to all that women can do.
Guitar Celebrations: Jiji Plays Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto
Apr. 19, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Apr. 20, 2024 / 5:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
David Robertson, conductor
Another Night on Earth:
Jiji, guitar
Joe Gore, guitar
Daniele Gottardo, guitar
Steven Mackey, guitar
Gretchen Menn, guitar
James Moore, guitar
Heiko Ossig, guitar
Utah Symphony
HENDRIX / ARR. MACKEY: “Foxy Lady”
ARR. JOE GORE & DAVID ROBERTSON: Falling Through Time: Music from the 1300s
(April 19) JAMES MOORE: Sleep is Shattered for Electric Guitar and Orchestra
(April 20) STEVE MACKEY: Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
ARR. LEO BROUWER: Beatlerianas (From Yesterday to Penny Lane)
RODRIGO: Concierto de Aranjuez
ZAPPA: G-Spot Tornado
Creative Partner David Robertson concludes his first season with the Utah Symphony! No guitar celebration would be complete without Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, the most famous guitar concerto there is—and it’s performed by the South Korean guitarist and DJ so talented she only needs one name, Jiji. Altogether, seven sensational electric and acoustic guitarists take their moment in the spotlight with the symphony for arrangements of music by The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, and works with influences from the Renaissance to rock. Everyone on stage synthesizes their talent in a fantastic Frank Zappa finale.
This performance is part of our Guitar Celebrations festival, bringing the eight extraordinary acoustic and electric guitarists of the collective Another Night on Earth to our community. The ensemble members—including conductor and USUO Creative Partner David Robertson—will engage with audiences and students across the Salt Lake Valley in a week of genre-bending performances and education programs.
Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G with Ingrid Fliter
Apr. 26 & 27, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Aziz Shokhakimov, conductor
Ingrid Fliter, piano
Utah Symphony
POLINA NAZAYKINSKAYA: Winter Bells
RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G
PROKOFIEV: Selections from Romeo & Juliet
One of Ravel’s final completed works, the Piano Concerto in G is a fitting testament to his unique genius—and pianist Ingrid Fliter’s profound musicianship and charisma is a perfect match for this breathtaking and colorful tour-de-force. The symphonic poem Winter Bells by Polina Nazaykinskaya is an ode to the whispers of nature and divine harmony, and selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet act as a masterclass for storytelling through music.
Scheherazade
Finishing Touches Rehearsal: May 17, 2024 / 10 AM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
May 17, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
May 18, 2024 / 5:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Elena Schwarz, conductor
Wendy Bryn Harmer, soprano
Utah Symphony
LOTTA WENNӒKOSKI: Hava
RAVEL: Shéhérazade
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade
The story of Scheherazade and the tales she weaves over 1,001 nights to placate a wrathful sultan is so captivating that it set off the imaginations of many brilliant minds, including Rimsky-Korsakov and Ravel. Sumptuous melodies and fantastical soundscapes define Rimsky-Korsakov’s beloved orchestral suite, and Utah Opera regular Wendy Bryn Harmer performs Ravel’s lesser-known and lovely song cycle. This dual exploration is beautifully complemented by Lotta Wennäkoski’s Hava, inspired by music’s ability to examine themes from different angles, much like novels.
Anne Akiko Meyers Plays “Fandango”
May 24 & 25, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Utah Symphony
JENNIFER HIGDON: Fanfare Ritmico
ARTURO MÁRQUEZ: Fandango
COPLAND: Symphony No. 3
Big and teaming with life, this season finale reaches for peaks. The fandango, a popular Spanish dance style, finds new life in Márquez’s lively violin concerto, composed for—and performed by—one of the world’s most esteemed violinists, Anne Akiko Meyers. Aaron Copland’s final and monumental Symphony No. 3, which he began writing in a Mexican village in the 1930s, incorporates his famous Fanfare for the Common Man—and Jennifer Higdon’s Fanfare Ritmico reflects on the speed at which our lives move.
POPS SERIES
Audra McDonald
Nov. 10 & 11, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Andy Einhorn, conductor
Audra McDonald, vocalist
Utah Symphony
Grammy, Emmy, and six-time Tony Award-winning artist Audra McDonald returns to Utah! Known for her amazing voice and skillful storytelling on Broadway—and her current role in HBO’s The Guilded Age—Audra’s singular talent will light up the stage in this unforgettable collaboration with the symphony.
Holiday Pops Extravaganza!
Dec. 15 & 16, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Carmen Bradford, vocalist
Utah Symphony
See Abravanel Hall transformed into a winter wonderland as the symphony celebrates the magic of the season with cherished holiday favorites, surprises, and of course—Santa! Bring the whole family and arrive early for fun-filled activities (and hot chocolate!) in the lobby.
Louis Armstrong & Friends—Featuring Byron Stripling
Mar. 1 & 2, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Byron Stripling, vocalist and trumpet
Utah Symphony
Charming and charismatic, jazz trumpeter Byron Stripling takes the stage with the symphony for an electrifying tribute to the great Louis Armstrong and his famous friends including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and so many others.
Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA
Apr. 12 & 13, 2024 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Direct from Sweden
Utah Symphony
Are you a Dancing Queen?! Sing and dance along as the symphony is joined by the ABBA show-band that’s celebrated by millions worldwide as the very best there is. With powerhouse singers, vibrant costumes, and infectious energy, Direct from Sweden delivers hit after hit—”Mamma Mia,” “Chiquitita,” “Waterloo,” “Money, Money, Money,” “Knowing Me Knowing You,” and who could forget, “Dancing Queen!”
Get your tickets early—this show sold out fast at our 2022 Deer Valley Music Festival.
FILMS IN CONCERT SERIES
Black Panther in Concert
Sept. 8 & 9, 2023 / 7 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Wakanda Forever! Now you can relive the excitement of T’Challa becoming king and battling Killmonger all while the Utah Symphony performs Ludwig Göransson’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning score live to picture.
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in Concert
Oct. 26 & 27, 2023 / 7 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Oct. 28, 2023 / 1:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
In the epic finale, the battle between good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert brings the final chapter to the big screen as the Utah Symphony performs every note of the epic score from Alexandre Desplat. The stakes have never been higher!
Frozen in Concert
Dec. 21, 22 & 23, 2023 / 7 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
“Let It Go!”–and join us to experience the magic of the Disney classic Frozen on the big screen as the Utah Symphony performs every note of the Oscar- and Grammy-winning score live.
Casablanca in Concert
Feb. 9 & 10, 2024 / 7 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.” Walk into our concert hall Valentine’s weekend and see the classic Casablanca on the big screen—one of only three films to rack up 11 Oscar nominations! Cozy up with a loved one as you savor the story of Rick and Ilsa’s romance, the beautiful visuals, and the Utah Symphony performing Max Steiner’s Oscar-winning score live in sync with the movie.
FAMILY CONCERT SERIES
Here Comes Santa Claus!
Dec. 16, 2023 / 11 AM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Dec. 16, 2023 / 12:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Bring the whole family and join us to hear your wintry favorites performed live by the symphony—kids and kids at heart will love the musical gifts on stage, with a magical story played out together with actors and a joyful sing-along closing out the concert. There may even be a special appearance by the jolly man himself! The memories you make with this Salt Lake City holiday tradition will be cherished long after the snow melts.
All Family Series performances are roughly 60 minutes—perfect for excited and wiggly bodies under 10!
Peter and the Wolf
Mar. 16, 2024 / 11 AM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Mar. 16, 2024, / 12:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
For nearly nine decades, kids have discovered the symphony orchestra through Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf—the tale of a young boy who captures a menacing wolf with the help of his animal friends! As the charming story is narrated, the music vividly illustrates the adventure with different instruments representing each character—from the chirping bird played by the flute, to the grumbling grandfather depicted by the bassoon, to Peter’s own heroic melody singing out in the strings.
All Family Series performances are roughly 60 minutes—perfect for excited and wiggly bodies under 10!
An Outer-Space Adventure! The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
Apr. 13, 2024 / 11 AM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Apr. 13, 2024 / 12:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
We have LIFT OFF! In collaboration with The Clark Planetarium, the symphony sends you and your little ones on an outer-space adventure! Enjoy the fantastic story of an imaginative child and an up-for-anything babysitter who travel the solar system in their state-of-the-art rocket ship (made of cardboard!). Their journey through the cosmos features the planetarium’s mesmerizing graphics and footage and is brought to life with space-themed music from Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Holst’s The Planets, and more.
All Family Series performances are roughly 60 minutes—perfect for excited and wiggly bodies under 10!
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Special Events
Special Events are some of the Utah Symphony’s most anticipated programs of the season. These concerts, taking place at Maurice Abravanel Hall, are available to subscribers for purchase now; they go on sale to the general public on August 1.
Special Celebration—Itzhak Perlman’s Cinema Serenade
Oct. 14, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
At a special celebratory evening, reigning violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman shares music composed or arranged by John Williams, from movies including Schindler’s List, Far and Away, and Sabrina. Witness the performer who enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician—treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.
Celebración Sinfónica: A Festival of Latin American Culture
Sept. 18, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Sept. 19, 2023 / 7:30 PM / BYU School of Music Concert Hall, Provo
Enrico Lopez-Yañez, conductor
Utah Symphony
Este festival vivaz arranca con camiones de comida, artesanías y bailarines en la plaza—y continúa en la sala de conciertos con música sinfónica latinoamericana, éxitos populares y tonadas tradicionales. ¡Celebra el Mes de la Herencia Hispana con nosotros!
This spirited annual festival during Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off with food trucks, artisan crafts, and dancers on the plaza—and continues in the concert hall with Latin American orchestral music, popular hits, and traditional tunes. All led by vivacious Mexican conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez, audiences can’t help but sing and dance along!
63rd Annual Salute to Youth
Nov. 22, 2023 / 7 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Witness extraordinary rising talent that you have to see to believe at the Utah Symphony’s 63rd annual Salute to Youth. Each year, Utah’s most talented young musicians participate in a rigorous audition process for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play a movement of a concerto on the Maurice Abravanel Hall stage with the Utah Symphony, joining the ranks of the nearly 400 Salute to Youth soloists who have come before them.
Utah Symphony and Utah Opera’s Messiah Sing-in
Nov. 25 & 26, 2023 / 7:30 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
Let the holiday music begin on Thanksgiving weekend! This cherished tradition invites all to share in the joy of singing Handel’s masterpiece—including the famous “Hallelujah” Chorus!—with our Utah Opera Chorus and your fellow audience members. Bring your family and plenty of holiday spirit and join in the majesty. A performance unlike any other, the Messiah Sing-In is ranked as one of the “Top 100 Things to do in Salt Lake City.”
How to Train Your Dragon in Concert
Apr. 23, 2024 / 7 PM / Maurice Abravanel Hall
The wait is over—this top-requested movie comes to Abravanel Hall! When a young Viking defies tradition and befriends a ferocious dragon named Toothless, two unlikely heroes must fight against all odds to save both their worlds. Experience the humor, fire-breathing action, and epic adventure of this favorite film on the big screen, as its Oscar-nominated musical score is performed live by the symphony.
Free Community Concert: Access to Music
May 9, 2024 / 7 PM / Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre
Utah Symphony | Utah Opera created our Access to Music concert knowing that it can be challenging for families of those with disabilities and sensory sensitivities to attend cultural events together. There is no need to quietly stay in seats at this special concert, featuring the Utah Opera Resident Artists and the Utah Symphony! Audience members of all ages and abilities can enjoy a relaxed concert environment, free to move about and express themselves.
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About the Utah Symphony
Founded in 1940, the Utah Symphony performs more than 175 concerts each season and offers all Utahns access to extraordinary live performances of the world’s greatest music in the state’s top venues. Since being named the orchestra’s seventh Music Director in 2009, Thierry Fischer has attracted leading musicians and top soloists, refreshed programming, drawn increased audiences, and galvanized community support. Fischer becomes Music Director Emeritus in the 2023-24 season.
In addition to numerous regional and domestic tours—including the Mighty 5® Tour of Utah’s national parks and the Great American Road Trip to Utah state parks and national monuments—the Utah Symphony has embarked on seven international tours, from Europe to Central and South America, and performed at Carnegie Hall in 2016 coinciding with the orchestra’s 75thanniversary celebrations. The Utah Symphony has released more than 100 recordings; recent releases include a set of Saint-Saëns symphonies, Mahler’s Symphonies No. 1 and 8, and Dawn to Dust, which features three Utah Symphony-commissioned works by Nico Muhly, Andrew Norman, and Augusta Read Thomas with Music Director Thierry Fischer. Scheduled for release in April 2023, Des canyons aux étoiles will be Fischer’s final recording as Music Director—paying homage to the symphony’s home state of Utah. The orchestra’s celebrated discography with former Music Director Maurice Abravanel includes not only the complete Mahler symphonies, but also premiere recordings of works by Honegger, Milhaud, Rorem, Satie, Schuman, and Varèse.
Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, the orchestra’s parent organization, reaches 450,000 residents in Utah and the Intermountain region, including students engaged through education programs that serve every school district in Utah on a three-year rotation. In addition to performances in its home in Salt Lake City, Abravanel Hall, and concerts throughout the state of Utah, the Utah Symphony plays for all of the Utah Opera’s productions as a merged organization at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre and presents the six-week Deer Valley® Music Festival each summer in Park City, Utah.
For more information about Utah Symphony | Utah Opera and the Deer Valley Music Festival, visit usuo.org,utahsymphony.org, utahopera.org, and deervalleymusicfestival.org.
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