Concert Calendar

Enjoy a night of traditional Bavarian food, entertainment and music featuring Pacific Symphony musicians. Guests will be transported to a lush Biergarten at the Hotel Irvine for tastings of premier wineries and breweries. Live and silent auctions items—including rare and exceptional wines—are part of this exciting evening, capped by a gourmet German dinner with both wine and beer.   
  
Reserve your table or tickets today at (714) 876-2375 or events@pacificsymphony.org.

Drama unfolds with Tchaikovsky’s deeply passionate Symphony No. 6 and Ravel’s virtuosic gypsy rhapsody, “Tzigane,” featuring concertmaster Dennis Kim. Earlier in the evening, you’ll embark on an exploration of the brilliant compositions from legendary film composer John Williams, who is responsible for linking Carl to Pacific Symphony.

Immerse yourself in the colorful traditions and festivities of the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Enjoy kid-friendly activities and traditional music, featuring tunes from Disney-Pixar’s “Coco” and more.

These performances take place at Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. A further performance of this program takes place on Oct. 26 at Meng Concert Hall on the campus of California State University, Fullerton.

Immerse yourself in the colorful traditions and festivities of the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Enjoy kid-friendly activities and traditional music, featuring tunes from Disney-Pixar’s “Coco” and more.

This performance takes place at Meng Concert Hall on the campus of California State University, Fullerton. Further performances of this program take place on Oct. 19 at Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa.

Enjoy an afternoon of chamber music composed by one of the most recognized and influential musicians of the 19th century, Ludwig van Beethoven. Journey through a series of pieces for the violin, viola and clarinet featuring Principal Pacific Symphony musicians. Enjoy coffee, tea and pastries in the intimate Samueli Theater as host and Orli Shaham guides you through the program.

An opening night celebrating two Broadway legends! “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” “Gypsy” and much more!
 

Journey through the minds of three prolific American composers: George Chadwick, the master from the New England Conservatory; his pupil Florence Price, the first African-American woman recognized as a symphonic composer; and George Gershwin, a composer whose music is synonymous with the sound of America.

Enjoy image magnification on our big screens throughout the concert for a closer look at the musicians!

Following up on their triumphant 2018 tour to Costa Rica, Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings embarks on their 2019-20 season with a festive tour of many musical favorites, including Camille Saint-Saens’ beloved Carnival of the Animals, with text and narration by KUSC’s Rich Capparela!
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

Acclaimed violinist, devoted chamber musician and Soka favorite, Simone Porter joins Carl St.Clair to kick of the Sunday at Soka series with a festive work by Mozart and Brahms only violin concerto.

Under the celebrated direction of Dr. Gregory X. Whitmore, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble kicks off their 2019-20 season with a program of cutting edge works by celebrated contemporary American and Australian composers. Revel in a wide-ranging program that includes works of Mason Bates, Joel Puckett, Sally Greenaway and more.
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra inaugurates its 2019-20 season with rousing program of popular favorites including works of Marquez, de Falla, Ginastera and Britten.
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

More than two centuries after its wildly successful premiere, Beethoven’s Seventh remains a work you simply must experience live. Also featured is another premiere: a tribute to Maestro St.Clair from Academy Award-winning composer, Elliot Goldenthal. And Vadym Kholodenko, winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn competition, joins with an electrifying performance of Prokofiev’s demanding Piano Concerto No. 3.

Visions of sugarplums and beautiful ballerinas will dance in your head after seeing Tchaikovsky’s delightful Christmas ballet, performed in a condensed 45-minute version created just for kids. This annual favorite finishes with a grand finale sing-along and a jolly visit from Santa himself!

A beloved holiday tradition, Handel’s celebrated oratorio — with its blazing trumpets, thundering timpani and spectacular “Hallelujah!” chorus — provides a moment during the busy season to experience reflection, renewal and joy.

Celebrate the season with the king of instruments! Enjoy a magnitude of musical splendors with world-class organist Todd Wilson and members of Pacific Symphony performing a delightful mix of sacred and holiday music. Favorite Christmas carols share the bill with traditional organ works that highlight the 4,322-pipe, $3.1 million William J. Gillespie Concert Organ.

Celebrate Christmas with Marie Osmond backed by the spectacular Hollywood sound of Pacific Symphony. Experience her captivating talent with an unforgettable holiday concert featuring festive favorites as well as hit singles such as “Paper Roses,” “Meet Me in Montana” and “Read My Lips.”
 

This is Beethoven at his best – lyrical, spirited and epic. Dvořák, while greatly inspired by the great German, expresses his own Bohemian lyricism in his Symphony No. 8, filled with indelible melodies and themes that flow like no other symphony.

Step under the big top at our zany circus, as talented singers take the stage in a rollicking, kid-friendly version of Donizetti’s comic opera “The Elixir of Love.”

A fun and fascinating 45-minute concert designed especially for children 5-11.

This concert is truly a Pacific Symphony family affair. Joining Maestro St.Clair in this all-Mozart program is Pacific Symphony’s Concert Master Dennis Kim and Benjamin Smolen who holds the symphony’s Valerie and Hans Imhof Principal Flute Chair.

Join us for Pacific Symphony’s annual festivities honoring the Lunar New Year! Celebrating the Year of the Rat, this performance is sure to sell out once again as audiences from across our communities come together to feast on a colorful presentation of Eastern and Western music and dance.

Obsession, unrequited love and…opium; when mixed properly, these ingredients leave you with Berlioz’s vivid and dream-like “Symphonie Fantastique.” Also featured is Ravel’s “​Le Tombeau de Couperin,” a series of portraits dedicated to friends lost in World War I along with his jazzy Piano Concerto in G Major with the spectacular Lefèvre.

Enjoy image magnification on our big screens throughout the concert for a closer look at the musicians!

Obsession, unrequited love and…opium; when mixed properly, these ingredients leave you with Berlioz’s vivid and dream-like “​Symphonie Fantastique.” Also featured is the spectacular Alain Lefèvre with Ravel’s jazzy Piano Concerto in G Major.

Back by popular demand, trumpeter extraordinaire Chris Botti delivers a brand-new show that’s perfect for your Valentine!  A gifted instrumentalist and a charismatic performer, the former trumpeter for Sting effortlessly crosses the boundaries between pop and classical, jazz and rock.

 

Composed in 1914 by one of the most important Czech composers, Janáček’s Violin Sonata is one of his rare works for violin. With his Piano Quintet, Schumann invented a new musical genre by adding the piano to the classic string quartet. Enjoy coffee, tea and pastries in the intimate Samueli Theater as host and Orli Shaham guides you through the program.

Free Family event! Bring the entire family and join us for Pacific Symphony’s annual Lantern Festival, celebrating the Year of the Rat! The Lantern Festival, which can be traced back 2,000 years, takes place 15 days after the Lunar New Year—on the first full moon night in the lunar calendar—and marks the return of spring, representing the reunion of family. The act of lighting and appreciating lanterns is a way for people to let go of the burdens of their old selves and express their best wishes for themselves and their families for the future.

Where piano fans look to Rachmaninoff for keyboard virtuosity, violinists turn to Paganini. An outrageously gifted musician, he was also an accomplished composer writing hundreds of pieces including six violin concertos. Sparks will fly as violinist Augustin Hadelich takes the stage. Following is Rachmaninoff’s expressive and quintessentially Russian Symphony No. 3.

Join Peter and his brave animal friends on an adventure to outsmart the Big Bad Wolf! The Magic Circle Mime Co. and the colorful characters of the orchestra bring this timeless symphonic fairytale to life!

A fun and fascinating 45-minute concert designed especially for children 5-11.

David Higgs, one of America's leading concert organists, showcases the beauty and power of the William J. Gillespie Concert Organ. The Chair of the Organ Department at the Eastman School of Music performs extensively throughout the United States and abroad, and has inaugurated many important new instruments including St. Stephan’s Cathedral, Vienna; the Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas; and the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City. 

Composers paint with the colors of the orchestra. Alan Chapman shows you how it’s done, with special attention to an elite group of masters of orchestral color. The presentation is illustrated with many vibrant visuals and musical examples.

This is the second part of the series Orchestra 101 with Alan Chapman.

After standing ovations and shouts of “Bravo!” during their last visit, Pacific Symphony has invited this popular band to return with their rollicking, around-the-world musical adventure. Pink Martini is part big band, part classical ensemble, part salsa troupe and all fun!

Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble continues its 2019-20 season with a special showcase concert featuring a collaboration with talented young wind musicians from around the SoCal region. The program will include both new and familiar works of Rodrigo, Lauridsen, Whitaker, Mackey and more.
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

An all-Beethoven weekend – in celebration of the iconic composer’s 250th birthday – featuring all five piano concertos with the lavishly talented Alexander Romanovsky.

Enjoy image magnification on our big screens throughout the concert for a closer look at the musicians!

An all-Beethoven program – in celebration of the iconic composer’s 250th birthday – featuring his 4th and 5th piano concertos with the lavishly talented Alexander Romanovsky.

Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra dedicates its mid-season concert to two contrasting works: American composer Chris Rogerson’s Luminosity and Dmitri Shostakovich’s towering Symphony No. 2.
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

Celebrate Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, with Pacific Symphony! A traditional festival that marks the beginning of spring, Nowruz is a time to celebrate the “rebirth of nature” and wash away the past. Join us for a concert that unites cultures through the power of music.

Since their whirlwind debut on “America’s Got Talent,” The Texas Tenors have garnered a long list of accolades, including three Emmy Awards. From classical to country and pop to patriotic, the trio’s set list is as unrestrained and expansive as the Lone Star State.

 

Recognized as one of the most celebrated violinists of her generation, Elissa Lee Koljonen has thrilled audiences and critics throughout the world. The program includes Ticheli’s piece of fragile beauty and quiet dignity, and Beethoven’s only concerto for one of the most popular instruments of his day: the violin. 
  
Enjoy image magnification on our big screens throughout the concert for a closer look at the conductor and the musicians!

Love, betrayal and jealousy – all trademarks of great tragic opera – Otello embraces these themes to the fullest. Written decades after going into retirement, Verdi’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s tale takes you on a journey through a passionate romance destroyed by one of opera’s most loathsome villains.

“Satisfaction,” “Jumping Jack Flash,” “Paint it, Black” and more! Celebrate over half a century of the Rolling Stones, one of the most legendary rock groups in history. Billboard magazine ranked them number 4 of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

 

Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 is a work that leads you from gorgeous melodies to unforgettable themes, all without pause. Earlier in the evening, piano phenom Joyce Yang dazzles with Rachmaninoff’s tour-de-force of the keyboard, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

Enjoy image magnification on our big screens throughout the concert for a closer look at the musicians!

Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings wraps up their 2019-20 season with a program of rousing and engaging works, both old and new! From the ethereal beauty of Ravel’s "Mother Goose Suite" to the brilliance and drama of Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Scheherazade," this musical adventure is sure to provide new and exciting musical vistas for all to enjoy!
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

The first in a series of three string quartets commissioned by the Russian ambassador in Vienna, Count Razumovsky, Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 7 is notorious for its technical demands. The concert opens with Leshnoff’s “Radiance” for Piano Quintet and Beethoven’s Trio for Piano, Flute and Bassoon. Enjoy coffee, tea and pastries in the intimate Samueli Theater as host and Orli Shaham guides you through the program.

Organist Dennis James provides a chilling soundtrack for the silent-film classic, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." The 1923 film, based on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel of the same name, is known for the grand sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as for Lon Chaney's performance and make-up as the tortured hunchback Quasimodo, the deaf, half-blind, hunchbacked bell-ringer of the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Wrapping up their 2019-20 season, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble will present a program of both rousing military themes and soaring sacred and regional themes, including works of Holst, Sousa, Gounod and Boyer.
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra wraps up its 2019-20 season with one of the 20th century’s most thrilling works, Ottorino Respighi’s "Pines of Rome." The concert will also feature a performance by the 1st place winner(s) of PSYO’s annual concerto auditions, a much anticipated and truly thrilling event!
  
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Seating is general admission.

Pianist Conrad Tao returns with Mozart’s impassioned Piano Concerto No. 20. Following is Brahms’ Fourth and final symphony. Filled with deep emotion, profound complexity and beautiful melancholy, it finishes with a finale that will leave you speechless. The concert opens with a new work by Frank Ticheli in honor of Carl's 30th anniversary.

Enjoy image magnification on our big screens throughout the concert for a closer look at the musicians!

Lights, camera, action! Celebrate the treasured film music of John Williams in an exhilarating performance featuring your favorite themes from “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park,” and more!

A fun and fascinating 45-minute concert designed especially for children 5-11.

Filled with deep emotion, profound complexity and beautiful melancholy, Brahms’ 4th symphony finishes with a finale that will leave you speechless. The concert opens with a new work by former composer-in-residence Frank Ticheli in honor of Carl's 30th anniversary.

An intergalactic musical showdown featuring the acclaimed and unforgettable music of your favorite films. From John Williams’ iconic “Star Wars” main theme and “Imperial March” to music from “The Wrath of Khan” to the newest “Star Trek” films.

A tidal wave of sound, Mahler’s “Symphony of a Thousand” is an immersive work that pushes the sonic boundaries of the orchestra and choir. Written as an expression of confidence in the eternal human spirit, Mahler’s Eighth is an exhilarating experience you cannot miss.