The Portland Symphony Orchestra plans 22 Classical, POPS! and Discovery concerts – in addition to a dozen performances of Magic of Christmas – for the 2023-2024 season which opens on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Highlights include POPS! Kings of Soul in October, Beethoven’s 5th in January, an all-John Williams POPS! program in April and Mahler’s Symphony Number 5 in May.
Portland Symphony Orchestra 2023-2024 Season
Opening Night: Visual Sounds
Saturday, Sept. 30 at 2:30 p.m. & Sunday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
ChoralArt Masterworks
The concerts open with Gershwin’s American in Paris before moving on to Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, op. 78. The final work on the program is Pictures at an Exhibition, originally composed for piano by Mussorgsky and orchestrated by Maurice Ravel. The piece will be accompanied by images of artwork by MECA students corresponding to each movement.
Musical Landscapes
Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
Andreas Boyde, piano
The concert features Rumanian Rhapsody by Enesco, Dvořák’s Piano Concerto, op. 33, and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2.
POPS! Kings of Soul
Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, Oct. 22, at 2:30 p.m.
Matthew Scinto, guest conductor
Michael Lynche, vocalist
Chester Gregory, vocalist
Darren Lorenzo, vocalist
This POPS! concert honors the legendary artists of classic soul, with tributes to Marvin Gaye, James Brown, The Temptations, Al Green, and Otis Redding. American Idol contestant Michael Lynche and Broadway performers Chester Gregory and Darren Lorenzo join the PSO in this showcase of soulful rhythms and melodies.
POPS! Singers & Songwriters with Michael Cavanaugh
Saturday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2:30 p.m.
Michael Cavanaugh, vocals and piano
Tony- and Grammy-nominated performer Michael Cavanaugh pays tribute to the music of Paul Simon, Neil Diamond, James Taylor, and more in this electric celebration of the American Rock & Roll Songbook.
Symphonic Seasons
Sunday, Nov. 12, at 2:30 p.m.
Tito Muñoz, guest conductor
Giora Schmidt, violin
The concert features Contreras’ Mariachitlán, Piazzola’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires with guest Giora Schmidt, violin, and Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 (“Spring”).
The Magic of Christmas
Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 8, 9, 15, 16, at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.; and Sundays, Dec. 10 & 17, at 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
Magic of Christmas Chorus
James Kennerley, Organ
Discovery Concert – Symphonic Superheroes
Sunday, Jan. 21, at 2:30 p.m.
Program to be announced
Beethoven’s 5th: Compositions of Resistance
Sunday, Jan. 28, at 2:30 p.m. & Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 7:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
Camille Thomas, violoncello
The Classical concerts will open with Overture to Taras Bulba by Lysenko, and continue with The Messenger by Silvestrov and Say’s Never give up: Concerto for cello and orchestra with Camille Thomas, violoncello, before concluding with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.
American Beats
Sunday, Feb. 25, at 2:30 p.m.
Marco Parisotto, conductor
Pei-Ching Wu, percussion
This concert features highlights of the American classical canon with Bernstein’s Overture to Candide, Corigliano’s The Conjurer: Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra with Pei-Ching Wu, percussion, Copland’s Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes, and Gershwin’s Catfish Row: Symphonic Suite from Porgy and Bess.
POPS! Broadway by Request
Saturday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, March 10, at 2:30 p.m.
Filippo Ciabatti, guest conductor,
Teri Hansen, vocalist
Destan Owens, vocalist
This POPS! concert will feature a selection of classic and contemporary Broadway favorites—with a twist. PSO concert-goers will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite tunes ahead of time for this special “Broadway by Request” performance.
Discovery Concert
Sunday, March 24, at 2:30 p.m.
Program to be announced
POPS! John Williams with Eckart
Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, April 7, at 2:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
Led by PSO Music Director Eckart Preu, the PSO honors one of the most iconic film composers of all time—the great John Williams. The concerts will include selections from Jurassic Park, Star Wars, E.T. and more.
The Mighty Kotzschmar
Sunday, April 21, at 2:30 p.m. & Tuesday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
James Kennerley, organ
These concerts celebrate Portland’s municipal organ, the Kotzschmar. The program features Schmidt’s Intermezzo from Notre Dame, Franck’s Le chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman), Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 and Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C minor, op. 78 (“Organ Symphony”).
Pepe Romero & Mahler
Tuesday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
Pepe Romero, classical guitar
The first half of the concert features guest classical guitarist Pepe Romero in Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez and the second half of the concert is dedicated to Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.
Discovery Concert – Carnival of the Animals: Remix
Sunday, May 19, at 2:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
The Discovery concert features Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals reimagined by Nami Melumad.
Love is Love
Tuesday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Eckart Preu, Music Director
Terrence Wilson, piano
The final concert of the PSO season features Smyth’s Overture from The Wreckers, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances, from West Side Story.
Founded in 1924, the Portland Symphony Orchestra is one of the largest performing arts organizations in Maine and is widely regarded as one of the top symphony orchestras of its size in the country. Made up of more than 80 professional musicians, the PSO is renowned for its critically acclaimed performances and broad community engagement. The Symphony’s mission is to serve its community by enriching lives through music. More information can be found at www.portlandsymphony.org.
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