Composer

His new piece has been specially commissioned by FSO, supported by the Nigel Blake Celebration Fund, and is dedicated to the memory of Stephen Hicks, fellow composer and the orchestra’s former principal trumpet. 

Stephen Hicks’s “Your boundaries are the sky” explores a vast musical space, from whispered heights to subterranean depths, balancing weight and lightness as musical fragments emerge, collide and drift away. 

Written for the legendary cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, Prokofiev’s Symphony-Concerto is a virtuosic work that combines lyrical beauty and playful energy with moments of sardonic wit. 

Prokofiev, Nesbitt, Hicks, Respighi

Smith Square Hall

Respighi, beloved magician of orchestral colors, pays tribute to the “Eternal City” in his richly imagined Pines of Rome, transporting you to famous pine stands around Rome…to a splendid estate, mournfully to a catacomb, to the moonlit Janiculum hill with the haunting song of a nightingale, and to the Appian Way, with blazing trumpets and the thunder of marching armies. Plus, the amazing Colin Currie, former artist-in-residence and audience favorite, raises the roof in the Concerto composed for him.

EPSG:4326

Danny Elfman's Percussion Concerto

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Rome is where Corelli developed the concerto grosso, where Respighi was inspired while celebrating its beauty, and where Nino Rota composed countless film scores. For Handel, Rome played a decisive role during his early career, even though his opera about the most famous Roman emperor was composed in London. This tribute to the Eternal City will mark the debut of contralto Rose Naggar-Tremblay and young conductor Kyrian Friedenberg with Les Violons du Roy.

Les Violons à Rome, de Corelli à Nino Rota

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Palais Montcalm – Maison de la musique

The dialogue between eras has always been a source of artistic fascination. The musical language of Giovanni Pergolesi, W.A. Mozart, and their contemporaries found an echo in the neoclassical period of the early 20th century. In his "Antiche danze ed aria," Ottorino Respighi referenced lute pieces from the early and high Baroque periods, including those by Jean-Baptiste Besard and Ludovico Roncalli, which he adapted to the classical string sound. Igor Stravinsky, on the other hand, specifically sought out Pergolesi's works for his "Pulcinella" ballet, allowing him to freely adapt them. With the minor flaw that, as it later turned out, most of these pieces were apparently by other masters...

4th Loh Concert

Octagonal House

We conclude the season with a spectacular finale featuring Respighi’s stunning depictions of Rome’s glorious landmarks in the Fountains of Rome and the Pines of Rome. Pianist Stewart Goodyear joins us for Rachmaninoff’s virtuosic Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a thrilling showcase of technical brilliance. The program opens with Michael Torke’s audience favorite Javelin, a work commissioned by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympics and performed at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Pines of Rome

Boise State University

Be swept up in the infectious energy of Javelin, an audience favorite originally composed for the Olympics by American composer Michael Torke. Be dazzled by the keyboard gymnastics of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini performed by Stewart Goodyear, “one of the best pianists of his generation” (Philadelphia Inquirer). Be immersed in the shimmering grace and beauty of Respighi’s Fountains of Rome before being swallowed whole by Pines of Rome, the majestic finale to our 2025-26 season.

Pines Of Rome

Morrison Center for the Performing Arts

Some nights are more than concerts—they are milestones. This is one of them. As we celebrate Maestro Muffitt’s incredible 20-year journey with LSO, we do so with music that speaks to legacy and possibility. Jon Nakamatsu performs Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme by Paganini, a piece that blends brilliance with a touch of mischief. We then premiere a brand-new work by LSO Composer-in-Residence Jared Miller—because the best way to honor the past is to embrace the future. And finally, Respighi’s Pines of Rome, a symphonic poem that rises, swells, and shines—just like the city it was inspired by. A fitting way to mark the end of an era and the beginning of whatever comes next.

Wharton Center for Performing Arts

Season 61 Finale Concert

First Baptist Church of Decatur

Isabel Yang, mezzo-soprano

Northwestern Bienen School of Music

Take a musical journey with the Calgary Phil to beautiful Italy with conductor Cosette Justo Valdés as your guide — from Stravinsky's take on Pulcinella, a traditional character of the Neapolitan stage, to Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, inspired by impressions of the country's scenery and architecture. Respighi's evocation of three celebrated paintings by Italian Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli rounds off the tour.

Postcards from Italy

Arts Commons

Cascade Symphony’s 2025-26 season concludes with three centuries of music from Austria, Italy, Bohemia and America, including overtures by Antonin Dvorak (Vanda) and Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story), and Ottorino Respighi’s Roman Festivals. Northwestern Winds (Oboist Edward Benyas, Clarinetist Denise Lum, Hornist Jill Jaques and Bassoonist Steven Morgan), who have collectively performed with the Chicago, Seattle, Milwaukee and Oregon Symphonies, the Seattle, Santa Fe and Chicago Lyric Operas, the Pacific Northwest and Joffrey Ballets, and at the Spoleto, Carmel Bach and Bellingham Music Festivals, among others, appear as soloists in Mozart’s delightful Sinfonia Concertante for four winds and orchestra.

From Mozart to Bernstein

Edmonds Center For the Arts

The 2025/2026 concert season draws to a close with an exhilarating musical voyage across continents, cultures, and soundscapes. Join us for a vibrant exploration of the world, beginning with Ibert’s Escales (Ports of Call), which captures the energy of bustling international harbors. Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol and Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italian transport us to Spain and Italy with vivid, lively rhythms. The concert concludes with Respighi’s Pines of Rome, a journey through the eternal city, where the music paints a landscape from tranquil parks to the bustling streets. Through rich orchestral color and diverse influences, this concert invites you to experience the sights and sounds of the world.

Pines of Rome: A Musical Voyage

The Maryland Theatre


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The season finale features a celebration of American voices and symphonic grandeur. Valerie Coleman’s Seven O’Clock Shout, written in honor of frontline workers during the pandemic, leads into Peter Boyer’s patriotic Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue, performed by guest pianist Jeffrey Biegel. Howard Hanson’s choral-orchestral Song of Democracy and Respighi’s sweeping Pines of Rome bring the season to a majestic close.

Pursuit of Happiness

Natrona County High School

Join the Grand Rapids Symphony and Bob Bernhardt as he makes his debut on the chamber series. He will conduct a must-hear performance of Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No.2. Coffee and doughnuts will be available before the concert.

Coffee with Bob

St. Cecilia Music Center

Bob Bernhardt conducts Dominique Kim and the orchestra in a must-hear version of Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dreams, Suite No.2. Join us at St. Cecilia for an evening of music and fun for a concert that is filled with ancient dreams being brought to life.

An Evening Concert with Bob

Wrap up the season with the best of the best! Time for Three returns with Ranaan Meyer, double bass & vocals, Nick Kendall, violin & vocals, and Charles Yang, violin & vocals with a brand-new concerto by Mason Bates, written especially for them. The Sequoia Symphony also premiers an exciting new concert opener by Time for Three bassist, Ranaan Meyer. The season then comes to a thrilling close with Respighi's breathtaking Pines of Rome. Love orchestral music for its power, color, charm and sheer volume? This is the concert for you!

Time For Three Returns!

Visalia Fox Theatre

Featuring Abigail Nims, Mezzo-Soprano | This exciting program, inspired by vocal music, features a world premiere for large orchestra by the Italian composer Massimiliano Messieri. He will join Maestro Moore for a pre-concert talk at 6 PM. The concert also includes mezzo-soprano Abigail Nims performing Amy Beach’s Wand’ring Clouds, which was the first composition by a woman to be performed by the Symphony Society of New York in 1892. Additionally, Vaughan Williams' stunning and spiritual blend of ancient and modern elements is showcased in Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, which features two string orchestras. Finally, Respighi’s Pines of Rome promises to be a sonic spectacle not to be missed!

Pines of Rome & a World Premiere

Skyline High School

Warm winds and young love are on the programme as the Göteborg Opera Orchestra and choir takes the stage. Listen to Rome’s majestic fountains and enjoy the fateful drama La Gioconda with emerging Swedish star Åsa Jäger in the leading role.

Italian Emotions with the Gothenburg Opera

Göteborgs Symfoniker

Andrés Orozco-Estrada visits the Swedish Radio Concert Hall, Berwaldhallen, to perform Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme for cello and orchestra, inspired by the composer's idol Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, together with the Radio Symphony Orchestra and their own solo cellist Aleksei Kiseliov. Ottorino Respighi in turn composed the orchestral music for the ballet La boutique fantasque, based on piano pieces by Gioachino Rossini. In tonight's concert, we will hear a suite from the ballet, described as a mix between The Nutcracker and Toy Story. Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9 concludes the concert.

Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9

Berwaldhallen

Destiny, Dance, and Spirit

Julie Rogers Theatre

Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks is a mischievous tone poem that follows the antics of a legendary trickster. From daring escapades to clever pranks, the music captures Till’s irreverent spirit with virtuosic orchestral writing and humor. Emanuel Ax returns to lend his mastery and lyricism to Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 — a work filled with grandeur and elegance composed at the height of his creative genius. Grammy winning composer Gabriela Ortiz grew up steeped in the indigenous music of her native Mexico. Her Téenek channels the spirit of the Huasteca region of Mexico. Respighi’s Pines of Rome is a symphonic masterpiece that paints a vivid portrait of Italy’s Eternal City through its famous pine trees — opening with a scene of children at play, and ending with a depiction of a Roman Army on the march. This work’s dramatic orchestration, including offstage brass and bird calls, creates a sensory experience like no other. You’ll feel energy, power, and sense of place in each piece of music at this concert.

Force of Nature

Overture Center for the Arts

From imitating birds to composing symphonies, our March concert explores how composers are inspired to create orchestral music. The concert will open with Respighi’s charming suite of music dedicated to our flying friends, Gli ucelli (The Birds). Inspired by compositions from past centuries, imitating the calls and activity of birds, Respighi gives it a updated touch, using modern orchestral instruments. This delightful suite will be followed by Brahms’s powerful Symphony No. 1 in C Minor. Long haunted by Beethoven’s legacy, Brahms waited until age 41 to produce this masterpiece, the first of only four symphonies the composer would produce. It certainly is a work worth waiting for, with soaring melodies, tender moments, and glorious climaxes, and a perennial orchestra and audience favorite.

Celebration in Sound

University of Utah

Kalena Bovell conducts a program of orchestral grandeur. Respighi’s Pines of Rome, last performed by HSO in 2013, brings the Italian landscape to life with sweeping brass fanfares, atmospheric sounds, and lush harmonies.

HSO Masterworks Series: Pines of Rome

Maxwell M. & Ruth R. Belding Theater

The Bushnell

Loves forbidden. Loves immortal. Valentina Peleggi conducts music greatest love stories. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet inspired Tchaikovsky’s most passionate music and Leonard Bernstein’s most popular: West Side Story. Plus, the premiere of Damien Geter’s Suite from Loving vs. Virginia. And to conclude, Ravel’s sensuous Boléro. Share this concert with that special someone.

Romeo & Juliet, Boléro & More

Dominion Energy Center

Wagner’s Magic Fire Music sets the stage ablaze capturing the drama and enchantment of a hero’s fiery farewell. Experience the full brilliance of brass in Arutiunian’s Trumpet Concerto, featuring the FSO’s very own principal trumpet, Keli Price. Respighi’s Roman Festivals captures the the grandeur, chaos and celebration of ancient Rome in four vivid scenes.

Trumpet & Triumph

FMU's Performing Arts Center

Start your weekend with our must-see Friday night concert series and social experience, Symphonic Piazza. Prepare to escape, mingle, and be entertained as you enjoy the perfect combination of a shorter format concert with enjoyable and engaging lobby activities to share with family, friends, and our musicians. It’s your new go-to date night! The fun continues in the lobby after the concert, as we’ll have even more memorable things for you to experience.

Pines of Rome and Bruch's Second Violin Concerto

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Transport yourself to the heart of Italy with an unforgettable evening of musical storytelling, presented through a vibrant program, brimming with romance and the spirited charm of Italian culture. Experience the dazzling sounds of Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome – each a vivid homage to Italy’s festivals, landscapes, and timeless allure. For this concert, ASO is thrilled to welcome back acclaimed piano virtuoso Sean Chen, who’ll perform Rachmaninoff’s beloved Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini – a deeply expressive tour de force, inspired by one of Italy’s greatest violinists.

Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Heymann Performing Arts Center

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! From classic carols to heartwarming orchestral favorites, Holiday Cheer brings festive magic to life for all ages. Whether you’re lighting the menorah, trimming the tree, or even airing grievances by an aluminum pole, this concert is your soundtrack to the season.

Holiday Cheer!

Central Presbyterian Church Denver

Mapleton Arts Center

Deck the halls and warm your hearts with festive music perfect for the start of the holiday season. Christmas carols infuse the music of composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Quinn Mason. Beloved Bay Area violist Jenny Douglass is our featured soloist in the lyrical music of Vaughan Williams. Tchaikovsky transports us to the wintry world of the snow maiden, and you’ll be treated to one of Otterino Respighi’s most famous works. Extra attraction: In the lobby during intermission, hear holiday carols sung by the Cantabella Children’s Chorus. Put yourself in the holiday spirit with the symphony!

Joyful Sounds of the Season

Livermore Performing Arts Center

At Greeley’s favorite holiday tradition, your Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, Greeley Chorale, and Greeley Children's Chorale again take the stage in the poinsettia-adorned Monfort Concert Hall! Start the evening with the Magic Baton Melody Contest celebrating our winning Greeley-Evans School District 6 middle school student composer. Then, get in the holiday spirit with familiar tunes including “Deck the Halls,” “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Sleigh Ride.” This concert also features selections from Respighi’s La Boutique Fantastique Suite, a ballet about a magical toyshop. Sure to have you singing all the way home, the concert “wraps” up with the orchestra and choir performing “Angels We Have Heard on High,” arranged by Mack Wilberg. Join us for the final night of the Festival of Trees!

Poinsettia Pops

Union Colony Civic Center

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet takes the stage in Aram Khachaturian’s rarely heard Piano Concerto, one of the Armenian composer’s greatest triumphs. Stéphane Denève leads orchestral music inspired by the sounds of nature, from Respighi’s extravagant Pines of Rome to Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus, both featuring recordings of birdsong. Lera Auerbach’s Icarus captures, in her words, the title character’s “wish to reach the unreachable."

Jean-Yves Thibaudet & Pines of Rome

David Geffen Hall

Richard Strauss had a deep admiration for Don Quixote—a man who hurls himself into every challenge, obstacle, and peril, without ever achieving a final victory. It’s this ‘knightly character’ that Strauss celebrates in his Fantastic Variations from 1897.While Don Quixote longs for a life as a hero, Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune takes us on a sensual journey - this time it is the dreaming faun who is the focus of the symphonic poem. Meanwhile, Ottorino Respighi’s Pini di Roma (1924) offers a sonic tour through the Eternal City, from the Villa Borghese to the Via Appia, always in view of the city’s towering marvels: its pine trees, which weave an evergreen thread through the ancient metropolis. James Gaffigan brings together three fantastic concert works contrasting highly diverse styles, with Strauss crossing the boundaries into modernity and Respighi already channelling in 1924 the future mode of film music. An exhilarating evening awaits!

Dreams of the hero

Konzerthaus Berlin

Respighi’s majestic symphonic poems vividly depict the landscapes and landmarks of Rome, from the Trevi Fountain to the pine tree-lined Appian Way.

MSO Mornings: Respighi's Rome

Arts Centre Melbourne

One of the finest singers of our time, Joyce DiDonato has achieved international prominence appearing on the world’s major opera stages. She joins the MSO for a special gala performance of Berlioz’s song cycle full of love, loss and longing.

Ryman Healthcare Spring Gala: Joyce DiDonato

Join us for an Italian musical feast that’s brimming with charm, musical theatrics, and instrumental virtuosity. Paganini's devilishly difficult Violin Concerto No. 1 sizzles with Mediterranean flair. Elisabetta Brusa writes that her elegant piece Messidor is “a free and graceful fantasy inspired by various masterpieces, both literary and musical, under the title A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Paganini & Pinot

Winspear Centre

1. Chamber Concert: In memory of the victims of fascism and war

Allerheiligen-Hofkirche

Sara Davis Buechner is a multi-award-winning, internationally beloved pianist of “intelligence, integrity, and all-encompassing technical prowess” (New York Times). And Beethoven’s Piano Concertos are a dizzying feat, a cultural touchstone, and a sweeping journey from cheerful charm to roaring, revolutionary power. Now, this superstar pianist returns to perform one of the greatest works in the entire piano repertoire – the beautiful, thrilling “Emperor” Concerto. Experience her jaw-dropping skill live in Symphony Nova Scotia’s performance of the pinnacle of Beethoven’s works for piano.

Sara Davis Buechner Plays Beethoven's "Emperor"

Dalhousie University

Crossroads

The Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel Community Church

The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul: a trading place of civilisations, in which the tales told are as countless as the treasures for sale. The eternal city of Rome, where la dolce vita thrives amid the memory of far older – and more savage – celebrations. An Irish legend of banshees and night terrors, retold by two of 21st century Britain’s liveliest musical voices and highlighting the wonderfully communicative gifts of saxophone virtuoso Jess Gillam.

Nil Venditti conducts Clyne, Puccini, Respighi and Say

Barbican Centre

Celebrate Maestro Muspratt’s 25th anniversary season with a concert full of his favorite Italian pieces. From the soaring drama of Cavalleria Rusticana to the sweeping grandeur of Pines of Rome, this program brings Italy’s most beloved music to life. Tenor Jesse Donner lends his powerful voice to favorites like Nessun dorma, O sole Mio and Funiculì, Funiculà, while the orchestra shines in the lush beauty of Cinema Paradiso and Mendelssohn’s vibrant Italian Symphony. Music about Italy, music written by Italians, and even a little Sinatra too! It’s going to be one big party!

La Dolce Sinfonia

Living Hope Church

Up-and-coming conductor Jonathon Heyward is known for his fearless interpretations of a wide repertoire that bring refreshing new life to music. As chief conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a position he took over from the legendary Marin Alsop, he is also the youngest chief conductor in the United States.

Heyward & the Fountains of Rome

DR Koncerthuset

Go For Baroque

Crosstown Concourse

University of Memphis

Our season opens with a thrilling journey through myth, motion, and majesty. This all-orchestral program highlights the exceptional musicianship of the Dearborn Symphony, offering a vibrant and engaging experience for both longtime patrons and first-time guests.

We begin with Offenbach’s riotous Orpheus in the Underworld Overture, a cheeky romp through the realm of the gods, best known for its exhilarating can-can. Strauss’s Perpetuum Mobile keeps the energy spinning with its witty, whirlwind momentum — a musical joke that never runs out of steam.

Myth, Motion, and Majesty

Ford Community & Performing Arts Center

Shiyeon Sung opens a musical toybox. For Respighi’s ballet about magical dolls that come to life, he unearthed some piano pieces which Rossini had written for his own amusement and clothed them in sparkling orchestration.

Mozart & Mischief

Auckland Town Hall

On Saturday, September 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Old Cabell Hall, the Charlottesville Symphony will present the first concert of the season entitled Respighi Fountains of Rome.

Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia - Respighi Fountains of Rome

Charlottesville High School

University of Virginia

The 2025/2026 Halekulani Masterworks season kicks off with an extraordinary musical adventure along a symphonic Silk Road. The world’s leading pipa virtuoso Wu Man joins forces with Music and Artistic Director Dane Lam and the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra for Jiping Zhao’s captivating Pipa Concerto No. 2, paired with two iconic tone poems:  Respighi’s evocative Pines of Rome and Strauss’ Don Quixote featuring principal violist Mark Butin and principal cellist Mark Votapek.

Strauss & Respighi

Blaisdell Concert Hall

Join Music & Artistic Director Dane Lam and Conductor in Residence Michael-Thomas Foumai as they bring Respighi’s Pines of Rome to life. 

Follow our narrator with original storytelling as the orchestra explores the ancient city through the centuries-old trees of Rome, witnessing playful children, serene nights, and a triumphant sunrise march. Learn more about the composer Ottorino Respighi, the meaning behind the four movements, and how each orchestra section weaves a colorful musical tapestry. 

This family-friendly program is just one hour long, with very affordable family pricing - perfect for introducing our keiki and kupuna to the joy of live symphonic music.

Beyond the Music: Pines of Rome

Peter Oundjian welcomes audiences to a new season at Boettcher Concert Hall with a celebration of his own musical journey in his first concerts as the Colorado Symphony’s Music Director. Peter’s dear friend and mentor Pinchas Zuckerman lends his uncompromising artistry to Bruch’s Violin Concerto and, as a bonus, will delight listeners with Beethoven’s gorgeous Romance in F major.

Respighi Pines of Rome with Peter Oundjian

Denver Performing Arts Complex

Superstar pianist Yuja Wang takes the stage with Jaap van Zweden and the San Francisco Symphony in a celebratory program to open the new season.

Opening Gala

Davies Symphony Hall

Enjoy the iconic Rhapsody in Blue performed by Terrence Wilson with the full chamber orchestra at our Mainstage series.

Art Deco at 100

School for Creative and Performing Arts

When in Rome, do as the Romans do! Italian conductor Daniele Rustioni makes his LA Phil debut in an evening of Roman delights and more. Berlioz’s dashing overture kicks off the festivities with an airy fluttering of strings and charming English horn melodies, while Respighi’s colorful Pines of Rome offers the sounds of children frolicking in the groves, Gregorian chants echoing through the catacombs, and nightingales singing to the moon. As peaceful as it may sound, the Pines nonetheless is a grand and fast-paced flight, bookended by glistening brass fanfares that leave audiences awestruck.

Mendelssohn & Pines of Rome

Hollywood Bowl

Musicians from Manchester’s ensembles assemble under the baton of Alpesh Chauhan for a spectacular concert of fanfares and flourishes to celebrate the finale of a spectacular weekend of music.

Manchester Classical 2025 – Finale

The Bridgewater Hall

World-renowned pianist Nikolai Lugansky joins our Principal Conductor for a concert in the beautiful setting of Lugano, Switzerland.

The virtuosic technique required of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto is an accomplishment for any pianist. One of the all-time great interpreters of Rachmaninov, renowned for his ‘quintessentially Russian sound’ (Independent), Lugansky understands this most challenging and rewarding of concertos inside out. All Rachmaninov’s trademarks are there: bittersweet melodies, pianistic fireworks, and lush orchestral writing.

Lugano: Santtu and Nikolai Lugansky

LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura

Nielsen, Golijov, and Dvořák infused their compositions with folk and dance traditions from their homelands. Nielsen’s Little Suite for Strings combines Scandinavian Romanticism with waltz-like rhythms. Argentine composer Golijov’s Last Round honors the tango, with two quartets exchanging phrases as if caught in a passionate dance. FWSO winds join the strings for Dvořák’s Serenade in D minor, which echoes the fiery rhythms of the Bohemian furiant.

Night of Strings at the Garden: Strings in Motion

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

The Philharmonia and their Principal Conductor Santtu pull out all the stops in the finale of their 2024/25 season.

We’re joined by Nikolai Lugansky, the Russian prince of the piano, in Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto. One of the all-time great interpreters of Rachmaninov, renowned for his ‘quintessentially Russian sound’ (Independent), Lugansky understands this most challenging and rewarding of concertos inside out. All Rachmaninov’s trademarks are there: bittersweet melodies, pianistic fireworks, and lush orchestral writing.

Santtu and Nikolai Lugansky

Southbank Centre

Across centuries, Italy’s magnificent architecture and breathtaking landscapes have inspired countless artists. Respighi’s Fountains of Rome paints a Technicolor portrait of the Eternal City’s great fountains, while the seaside towns of the Liguria region are lovingly depicted in Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi’s work by the same name. It was in that same region, in the rugged village of Rapallo, that Sibelius conceived his heroic Second Symphony.

Respighi, Tarrodi & Sibelius 2

Symphony Center

CYSO’s Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra present their spring concert at Orchestra Hall

Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert at Orchestra Hall featuring Philharmonic Orchestra

Join us for an unforgettable evening as the Des Moines Symphony presents its Season Finale: Pines of Rome, under the baton of the esteemed Maestro Joseph Giunta. This spectacular concert will take place at the Des Moines Civic Center with performances on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 7:30 PM, and a matinee on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 2:30 PM.

The evening promises to be a journey through the vibrant landscapes of Italy, beginning with Mendelssohn-Hensel’s lively Overture in C Major. The adventure continues with Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, capturing the essence of Italy's bustling streets and serene landscapes. The talented George Li will then take the stage, performing Saint-Saëns’ Second Piano Concerto, a piece that dazzles with its virtuosity and emotional depth. The finale of the concert, Respighi’s Pines of Rome, promises to be a breathtaking experience, with its evocative melodies and powerful brass sections that will fill the Civic Center with the majestic sounds of Rome.

Maestro Joseph Giunta, celebrated for his dynamic conducting and innovative programming, will lead the orchestra through this exhilarating program. His distinguished career and passionate interpretations of both traditional and new music have made him one of the most respected conductors in the United States.

Ticket prices range from $20 to $80, with half-price tickets available for students. The concert will last approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, including one intermission. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the magic of the Des Moines Symphony’s Season Finale: Pines of Rome. It’s a musical journey that promises to be as enchanting as the Eternal City itself.

Season Finale: Pines of Rome

Des Moines Civic Center

Respighi's Pines of Rome, Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien, music of Jessie Montgomery and the newest Klein Competition winner

Klein Competition Winner

Heritage Theatre

Capuchino High School

Everything old is new again. “Spring” and “Summer” from Vivaldi’s beloved Four Seasons bookend this program featuring violinist Amaryn Olmeda, a rising star. Stravinsky, Respighi, Coleridge-Taylor, and Holst all took a page from musical styles of the past.

Vivaldi Inspired

Sarasota Opera House

Musical pictures abound in this imaginative program, led by Music Director Ken-David Masur, which begins with Rossini’s galloping William Tell overture and Richard Strauss’s tone poem delighting in the pranks of a jokester named Till Eulenspiegel. An ácana is a distinctive Cuban tree revered for its strength, which composer Tania León brings to life with color, texture, and percussion; León’s rainforest is an effervescent introduction to Resphigi’s stately yet evocative Pines of Rome.

Warner Grand Theater

Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero brings out all the Technicolor glory of Ottorino Respighi's Roman postcards, Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome—two vivid tone poems that sound like the best movie you've never seen. Stravinsky’s ballet Petrushka is equally dramatic, placing us amid the hurly-burly of a Russian carnival where a trio of magical puppets comes to life.

Guerrero Conducts Pines of Rome

Visit To Bad Elster

King Albert Theater

Join the San Francisco Symphony in celebrating the 80th birthday of Music Director Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas. A leader in the global music landscape and a beloved San Francisco icon, MTT has re-imagined the role of a conductor, showing how it can be done with style, grace, and vigor. In this one-of-a-kind event, MTT conducts Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and Respighi’s Roman Festivals. The program also includes the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and special guest appearances by vocalists Frederica von Stade, Sasha Cooke, Jessica Vosk, and Ben Jones, performing vocal works by MTT and other composers whose music he is closely associated with. Part lively musical journey through cherished memories, part celebration of a singular artist, this promises to be an unforgettable evening.

MTT 80th Birthday Concert

A concert for nature and classical music lovers! From Duparc’s gentle soothing Aux Etoilles–to the stars–to Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite, a constant of school music listening as well as the template for every film score about the American west. Mysterious Mountain by Hovhaness evokes a zen-like sense of calm. He shared, “mountains are symbols…like pyramids…man’s attempt to know God.” This piece holds the distinction of premiering live on TV with none other than Leopoldo Stokowski conducting.

For The Love Of Nature

Interlochen Center for the Arts

Umberto Clerici, Chief Conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and lauded as “a powerhouse on the podium” (Artshub), will be our tour guide to Rome in this exciting concert.

Pinnacle

Michael Fowler Centre

For nearly 40 years, Carnegie Hall audiences have filled Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage to hear the grand dame of the violin, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and her brilliant recital partner, pianist Lambert Orkis. Following their 2019 recital, critics described this duo as “timeless ... one of the great recital teams,” calling Mutter’s enduring greatness across generations “a privilege to witness” (New York Classical Review). In this concert, they perform a spectacular selection of violin-and-piano repertoire that spans nearly 150 years from the 18th to 20th centuries.

Anne-Sophie Mutter, Violin Lambert Orkis, Piano

Carnegie Hall

As epic as orchestra concerts get! A theatrical lighting scheme will underscore this bigger than life performance as wcfsymphony joins onstage with the Wartburg Community Symphony for an impressive side-by-side collaboration. Together we perform irresistible American music by John Adams and Erich Korngold, before wcfsymphony steps into the spotlight - literally - in Respighi’s monumental Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome. Progressive lighting by Cedar Fall native, Ian Veenstra.

Concert: Light and Sound

Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center

Shakespeare once said, “The earth has music for those who listen.” Embark on a journey through the Italian countryside with Respighi's Pines of Rome, crafting a breathtaking symphonic depiction of light, land, and the iconic scenery of Rome. Then hear the world premiere performance from composer Marko Bajzer, The Sacrifice of Prometheus, that tells the story of the planet’s oldest non-clonal trees: the Great Bristlecone Pines. Not only will the orchestra's instruments narrate the tale of the trees, but listeners will also experience the actual sounds emitted by the trees themselves, as Bajzer used electrodes to monitor their electrical conductivity and converted the data into audible representations through new technology. A masterpiece made in misery, Beethoven likely wrote his Emperor Piano Concerto while hiding in a basement. Under attack by Napoleon, Vienna was in a state of emergency and this siege affected the composer, “both body and soul.” Performed by Davidson Fellow, Katherine Emma Liu, the piano's regal melodies converse with the orchestra in a display of Liu’s virtuosic brilliance.

Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto

Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts

Take a musical tour of Rome with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Two of Respighi’s epic showpieces bring rushing fountains, towering pines, mysterious catacombs, and triumphant Roman legions to Music Hall. Richard Strauss’ final work, four hauntingly beautiful last songs, sing of acceptance, transformation, and fruition at the end of one’s long journey.

Composer

Ottorini Respighi

Events

Upcoming events

Aug 12, 2026

Organ Symphony & Fountains of Rome · Boston Landmarks Orchestra

Aug 15, 2026

Heartful Concert in 2026 · Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

Sep 19, 2026

Pines of Rome · Toledo Symphony Orchestra

Sep 20, 2026

The 108th Holiday Afternoon Concert · Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

25 - 27 Sep, 2026

Jmr’s Orchestral Canvas · Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Past events

Jun 20, 2026

Prokofiev, Nesbitt, Hicks, Respighi · Sinfonia Smith Square

4 - 7 Jun, 2026

Danny Elfman's Percussion Concerto · Oregon Symphony

About

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