Conductor

Chorus Director

When Gustav Mahler debuted his Second Symphony, it was immediately clear that the popularity of the symphony nicknamed “Resurrection” would last well beyond his lifetime. In fact, Classical Music Magazine dubbed Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 one of the greatest symphonies of all time. The Phoenix Symphony concludes its season with the musical journey that begins at the funeral bier of a beloved friend and ends with redemption and resurrection in a mighty choral finale. Katherine Whyte, a compellingly dramatic soprano, and Megan Esther Grey, a potently precise contralto, join The Phoenix Symphony Chorus in a work that is both profound and extraordinary.

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Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”

Symphony Hall

Since its debut in 1742, G.F. Handel’s Messiah has become the most famous oratorio ever composed about the greatest story ever told. Beginning with Prophecies fortelling the birth of Jesus and continuing through His passion and resurrection, the musical reflection on the life of Christ features such timeless solo arias as “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” and “The Trumpet Shall Sound” and such popular choruses as “For Unto Us A Child Is Born” and the “Hallelujah” chorus. Tito Muñoz leads soloists, The Phoenix Symphony and The Phoenix Symphony Chorus in the timeless classic.

Handel’s Messiah

Jump joyfully into the season with our annual Holiday Pops! This sparkling performance will put you in a festive mood. Featuring carols and hymns from a variety of traditions, you’ll feel merry and bright at the most wonderful time of the year. Guest conductor Gerald Steichen leads the Symphony joined by the Phoenix Symphony Chorus – and possibly a certain North Pole celebrity!

Holiday Pops

Featured in such films as Excalibur and Natural Born Killers, music from Carl Orff’s powerful and dramatic cantata, Carmina Burana, is one of the most popular pieces in all of classical music. Music Director Tito Muñoz, who opened his first season in Phoenix with Carmina Burana, kicks off his 10th anniversary season with the sensational spectacle. Inspired by another beloved work, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Adam Schoenberg’s Picture Studies earned two 2018 Grammy nominations including one for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

The Mighty Carmina Burana

The Grand Finale of the 2022-23 season promises virtuosity, splendor, and gorgeous music making. The masterful violinist Gil Shaham’s performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto promises to be a musical thrill ride; technically challenging with all the musical poetry intact. The Phoenix Symphony Chorus and the young musical phenom from Harvard, countertenor Benjamin Wenzelberg, join the orchestra for Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, a wondrous meditation on a collection of Psalms with text in the original Hebrew—“tonal and tuneful” in Bernstein’s phrase. Fanfare G.A.F.: An American Overture by composer Kevin Scott, a native New Yorker whose works have been performed by the Atlanta, Houston, and St. Louis Symphonies is also featured.

Gil Shaham Plays Brahms

From William Walton’s unforgettably majestic Belshazzar’s Feast to the brilliant pianist Jeremy Denk exploring Brahms second piano concerto, this concert promises unforgettable melodies rendered with exquisite care and precision. The concerto, a notable technical challenge for pianists, showcases Brahms’ sharp intellectual prowess and with deep, often tumultuous emotional changes. Belshazzar’s Feast is an oratorio with The Phoenix Symphony with Chorus and Baritone soloist combining for a grand musical spectacle. Based on the Old Testament story concerning the lavish feast thrown by the Babylonian king, Belshazzar.

Belshazzar’s Feast

Virginia G. Piper Music Director Tito Muñoz conducts this retrospective of the great John Williams. You won’t want to miss this concert of selections from some of his most powerful film scores, including Star Wars, E.T., Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Saving Private Ryan, and more!

The Music of John Williams

A masterpiece of choral music, Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna is the centerpiece of a concert featuring The Phoenix Symphony and Chorus. This one-night-only performance assembles gorgeous choral music from numerous composers including Samuel Barber, Ola Gjeilo and Mack Wilberg who all used the inspiration of Light in setting timeless and wondrous words to music.

Thomas Bookhout

Conductor, Chorus Director

Events

Upcoming events

Apr 4, 2025

Lux Aeterna Chorus Concert · Phoenix Symphony

Past events

10 - 12 May, 2024

Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection” · Phoenix Symphony

14 - 17 Dec, 2023

Handel’s Messiah · Phoenix Symphony

About

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