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The twentieth-century French composer Francis Poulenc has been characterized as half monk, half “bad boy,” equally at home in the cathedral service and the cabaret show. These two worlds collide in his colorful setting of the Gloria, performed with the Huntsville Community Chorus and Huntsville-based soprano Kristine Biller. Tonight’s program belongs to Paris altogether, really – including the beloved tone-poem The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas, made famous in Walt Disney’s Fantasia.

Historic homes were the intended venues for many of Mozart’s masterpieces, and today’s performance is no exception. Huntsville’s Oak Place is the site of the Steele-Fowler House, built in 1840 by local architect George Steele. The Greek Revival residence features a unique layout and a highly original split-level design, uncharacteristic of the period. It served as the headquarters for General Joe Wheeler during the Spanish-American War, and entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Just in time for Halloween, you’ll experience this chilling classic with new eyes and ears as the orchestra performs the score live in sync with the big screen. Quite shocking at the time of its 1960 release, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho was the first “slasher” flick; it became a popular success and one of the most influential events in cinematic history, all the more remarkable because of its small budget. It was not only the performances by Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins which brought accolades, but also the groundbreaking music by Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, The Birds, Cape Fear). Like Hitchcock, Herrmann was an innovator who developed his own methods and language quite apart from the trusted conventions of Hollywood scoring.

Hailed as a “serious and cultivated Beethoven player” by the Chicago Tribune, Jorge Federico Osorio returns to Huntsville with Beethoven’s C minor Piano Concerto, a work by turns commanding and whimsical. The Symphonic Variations, an unofficial companion piece to Dvořák’s nine symphonies, uses one of the composer’s own songs – “I Am a Fiddler” – as the basis for a delightful exploration of the entire orchestra. Meanwhile, George Enescu’s most renowned orchestral work, the Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, deploys a variety of folk songs, including “I Have a Coin, and I Want a Drink.” It’s a grand tour of nineteenth century European concert music, enjoyed from the comfort of your seat.

In with the new, sure, but let’s not take out the old quite yet. Grab your date, dress to the nines, and spend the evening celebrating in style with the HSO and guest conductor, pianist, and Broadway veteran Todd Ellison. Our Symphonic Toast salutes the time-honored roots of orchestral pops programming, from Viennese classics to cinematic hits and Tin Pan Alley favorites. It’s the perfect way to decompress after the holiday and tunefully ring in the New Year with old friends.

CineConcerts is inviting fans back to the Wizarding World for an evening of music and magic in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert. Relive the magic of Harry Potter™ soaring across the big screen in high-definition and experience the music of a live symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ unforgettable score.

Dmitri Kabalevsky’s quirky, lighthearted The Comedians was originally incidental music for a children’s play. It has become one of his best-loved works, and it is the springboard for the creativity of our puppeteering friends at Huntsville M.E.T. in this year’s FREE Family Concert, open to the entire community. Also on the program are two well-known short pieces by Edvard Grieg, and a reprise of Bizet’s Children’s Games from earlier in the concert season. It’s a fantastically fun way to introduce families and youngsters to the symphony orchestra! The performance is preceded by musical games and activities in the concert hall lobby. All ages are welcome.

Written for his friend and mentor Joseph Joachim, the soaring Violin Concerto represents Brahms at his brightest and is a cornerstone of the Romantic repertoire. Virtuoso Abigél Králik, a veteran of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list, will invigorate this timeless classic with a fresh and youthful perspective. The piece is paired with Paul Hindemith’s probing and powerful symphony Mathis der Maler, a proving ground for material for his opera on the life of Renaissance painter Matthias Grünewald.

“The new creature eats too much fruit. We are going to run short, most likely,” muses Adam in Mark Twain’s sardonic retelling of the story of Genesis. This evening’s concert features composer Michael Daugherty’s setting of The Diaries of Adam & Eve for two narrators and two musicians, as well as Baroque church sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli, all in the beautiful sanctuary and showcasing the Steiner-Reck organ of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Whitesburg Drive.

The best-selling solo pianist of our time, Jim Brickman has earned 32 Top Twenty radio singles and has sold ten million albums worldwide, including No Words (1994) and The Gift (1997). Mr. Brickman’s high-profile collaborators have included Martina McBride, Donny Osmond, Kenny Rogers, Herb Alpert, and Michael W. Smith. “I write music to be shared—to soothe, to inspire, to celebrate,” Brickman notes. Tonight he makes his debut with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, performing beloved hits and sharing some new songs, too.