EPSG:4326

Pre-College Orchestra Conducted by Adam Glaser | Beyond the Stars: Music of Film and Imagination

The Juilliard School

Tchaikovsky’s deeply personal Symphony No. 4, based on a Russian folk tune, overflows with melodies and a thrilling brass finale. Prokofiev’s lyrical Violin Concerto No. 2, shedding his early sardonic style, is performed by Francesca Dego. Conductor Xian Zhang returns to conduct this final classics weekend, including Michael Abels’ Emerge.

Zhang Conducts Prokofiev & Tchaikovsky

Phoenix Convention Center

This Land is Your Land will take you on a journey through the American soundscape. We begin with the ringing of bells in Zwilich’s Celebration and the jazz and pop culture influences of Schifrin’s Tuba Concerto and Mission Impossible Theme featuring Chicago Symphony Tubist, Gene Pokorny. The second half of the program includes Giddens & Abels’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Omar Overture and Bernstein’s immortal Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

This Land is Your Land

Cheyenne Civic Center

Set your heart ablaze this Valentine’s Day weekend as LACO weaves a tale of passion, intrigue, and innovation. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels ignites the evening with the thrilling, world premiere from one of Los Angeles’s finest composers. The romance deepens with Fauré’s hauntingly beautiful Pelléas et Mélisande, a delicate tapestry of passion and loss. Finally, Beethoven’s dramatic Piano Concerto No. 3 delivers a powerful and profound climax to an unforgettable night. Whether you’re celebrating love, escaping it, or simply reveling in the beauty of music, this is your perfect Valentine’s night out.

Passion + Mystery: Martín + Say + Beethoven

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

One California Plaza

Experience works by Pulitzer Prize-winning composers, including the world premiere of Michael Abels’s suite from his and Rhiannon Giddens’s opera Omar, based Omar ibn Said’s 1831 autobiography, the only memoir of an American slave written in Arabic. Wynton Marsalis’s Swing Symphony features the Paradise Theatre Big Band in musical dialogue with the DSO.

Marsalis's Swing Symphony with Paradise Theatre Big Band

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

"Does it not seem as if Mozart's works become fresher and fresher the oftener we hear them?" - Robert Schumann

Mozart's A Little Night Music

Washington Pavilion

The program showcases Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The vibrant musical depictions of Viktor Hartmann’s paintings, including the majestic Great Gate of Kiev, have been inspiring audiences for generations. Fourteen-year-old Japanese violinist Himari has been described as a once-in-a-generation talent. The prodigy will perform Bruch’s richly Romantic Violin Concerto No. 1. Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Abels is best known for his genre-defying scores for the Jordan Peele films Get Out, Us, and Nope. His work Amplify was co-commissioned by Sarasota Orchestra.

Pictures at an Exhibition

State College of Florida - SCF Bradenton

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Carl Orff’s enormous work for orchestra, soloists, and choir sings of worldly pleasures and the ups and downs of fortune. The program begins with two contemporary classics by Michael Abels: Global Warming, which combines the music of a variety of cultures (originally written to celebrate warming international relations in 1990), and More Seasons, described by Abels as “Vivaldi in a Mixmaster.”

Carmina Burana

The DSO’s 2025–2026 season, and celebration of America at 250, opens with an energetic work by Composer-in-Residence Michael Abels, inspired by a painting of Jesse Owens. The celebration continues with Gershwin’s jazz-influenced showcase for piano and orchestra featuring Hélène Grimaud and concludes with stirring music from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. Jader Bignamini conducts.

Hélène Grimaud Plays Gershwin

Featuring pianist Albert Cano Smit, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy is an uplifting and familiar predecessor, in both melody and message, to his Ode to Joy, uniting virtuosic piano writing with chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra. Sibelius’s heroic Second Symphony has been described as a moving depiction of Finland’s struggle for independence from Russia at the start of the 20th century.

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy & Sibelius’s Second Symphony

Chrysler Hall Norfolk

Ferguson Center for the Arts

Open the season with a triumphant flourish of pieces that will bring you to your feet!

Triumphant Beginnings

Miller Theater

Creative sparks fly from the energy of dance and the experience of great art. Music Director Xian Zhang conducts Pictures at an Exhibition, Mussorgsky’s compelling imaginary walk through a startling art gallery — orchestrated by Ravel to become one of the cornerstones of symphonic music. The energy continues as we link the folk-infused rhythms of the town of Galánta (Kodály’s childhood home) with the delights of Michael Abels’ showpiece for orchestra and string quartet — first graceful, then bluesy, then raucous. It’s the perfect way to introduce the Sphinx Soloists, four outstanding young string players recognized by the Sphinx Organization in its mission to broaden access to classical music and celebrate its diverse, emerging virtuosos.

Xian Conducts Pictures at an Exhibition

Benaroya Hall

Mark your calendars for our third annual Juneteenth Freedom Day concert! Join us at Symphony Hall as we celebrate this pivotal moment in history with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, alongside Kevin Sharpe and The Extended Family Choir and the Springfield Symphony Chorus.

Conductor Kevin Scott returns to lead the Springfield Symphony Orchestra in a concert featuring a collection of classical and spiritual music. With powerful themes of freedom, hope, and unity, we hope you will join us for an afternoon of celebration, inspiration, and pure musical joy!

Juneteenth Freedom Day Concert 2025

Symphony Hall, Springfield

We conclude our monumental 60th Anniversary season with a spectacular celebration of harmony and innovation that honors our storied past, embraces the vibrant present, and set the stage for an exciting future. We are thrilled to present an extraordinary playlist of music ranging from Shakespeare’s England to the choral Renaissance happening in Los Angeles right now. These composers represent the creative forces that have both shaped the Chorale and solidified its place at the epicenter of the choral world.

New Renaissance

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Xian Conducts Mozart

New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Princeton University

“Johnson’s conducting is both stylish and powerful” — Philadelphia Inquirer

“Adé is a Chicagoland wunderkind … known not only as a one-name performer but also as one singular sensation … played with a sweet tone and strength of character.” — The Grand Rapids Press

Adé Williams with Hilton Head Symphony

Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra

The fourth concert opens with More Seasons by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Michael Abels. Celebrated for his ability to seamlessly blend genres, this work sets the stage for Cello Concerto No. 2 in E minor, Op. 30 by Victor Herbert. The orchestra will be joined by internationally acclaimed cellist Amit Peled to perform this piece from the late Romantic era, bringing forth the soulful richness of the cello in a dialogue with the orchestra. We conclude with Beethoven’s iconic masterpiece that has transcended centuries – Symphony No. 5 in C minor, with its opening four-note motif being one of the most recognizable in the world.

Beethoven's Fifth

Capitol Theatre

After a sold-out NWS debut in 2022, Davóne Tines returns to perform Recital No. 1: Mass, his celebrated song cycle that puts Bach in conversation with Margaret Bonds, Julius Eastman, and Caroline Shaw.

Denève: Davóne Tines' Mass

New World Center

Get ready to jam as the infectious rhythms and tunes of American greats like Ellington, Joplin, and Gershwin will have you dancing in your seats. One of the concert's works get a Reno-themed multi-media treatment by Eve Allen Garza and RCO’s principal strings are featured as soloists in Delights and Dances, a work by Pulitzer-prize winner Michael Abels, known widely for his score to the film Nope.

American Dance Party

University of Nevada

One of today's most in-demand classical musicians, guest pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason joins your North Carolina Symphony to perform Beethoven’s poetic Piano Concerto No. 4. Experience a second audience favorite by Beethoven during the thrilling Symphony No. 7, a masterpiece of rhythm and energy, conducted by Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto. 

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 - NC Symphony

Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts

The UCLA Robert U. Nelson Lecture Series, hosted by the Center for Musical Humanities, presents A Conversation with Michael Abels.

8th Annual Robert U Nelson Lecture: A Conversation with Michael Abels

UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

Immerse yourself in a captivating musical journey with "Tchaikovsky & The Mermaid" at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This enchanting series of performances, conducted by the talented Xian Zhang and featuring the virtuosic George Li on piano, promises to be an unforgettable experience for music lovers.

The event kicks off on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:00 AM, with additional performances on Saturday, February 8, at 8:00 PM, and Sunday, February 9, at 2:00 PM. The program begins with Michael Abels' "Emerge," followed by Tchaikovsky's emotionally charged Piano Concerto No. 1. After an intermission, the audience will be treated to Zemlinsky's "The Mermaid," a symphonic fairytale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." This 40-minute fantasy explores themes of longing and heartbreak through its winding, heartrending strings and rich, mysterious harmonies.

Xian Zhang's conducting brings a special treat to LA Phil audiences, highlighting Zemlinsky’s seldom-performed masterpiece. George Li, a silver medalist in the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition, adds depth to the performance with his lyrical interpretation of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto, tugging at the audience's heartstrings.

This performance is part of the Friday Middays FRM Series and is a must-see for those who appreciate the power of classical music to convey deep emotions and stories. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the magic of "Tchaikovsky & The Mermaid" at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Tchaikovsky & The Mermaid

Join the Quad City Symphony Orchestra for an extraordinary musical event, "Masterworks IV: Omar’s Journey," on February 2, 2025, at 2:00 pm CST, held at the prestigious Centennial Hall, 3703 7th Ave, Rock Island, Illinois. This landmark performance features the concert opera adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning work by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, telling the compelling story of Omar Ibn Said. Experience his journey from freedom in West Africa to enslavement in South Carolina, depicted through a unique blend of West African musical traditions and classical opera. The performance will be brought to life by a cast of world-class artists including Mark Russell Smith as conductor, Brittany Renee as Julie, Taylor Raven as Fatima, Issachah Savage in the title role of Omar, Andy Papas as Owen/Johnson, and Norman Garrett as Abdul/Abe.

Tickets are available as part of a Subscription Only, with single tickets going on sale on May 15, 2024, at 9:00 am. Subscribers can save 10-25% with a Pick-3 or Full Masterworks Subscription. Enhance your experience by joining QCSO Music Director Mark Russell Smith for a free admission exploration of the Masterworks programs on the Thursday evening preceding the concert, and don't miss the pre-concert conversations one hour prior to the performance for insightful discussions about the works being performed. Following the Saturday Masterworks Performances, attendees are invited to the Afterglow event in the lobby of the Hotel Blackhawk to mingle with Maestro Mark Russell Smith, guest artists, and members of the QCSO. 

Don't miss this unforgettable exploration of resilience, faith, and the enduring human spirit through the powerful story of Omar Ibn Said.

Masterworks IV: Omar's Journey

Adler Theatre

Centennial Hall Auditorium

Vivaldi and The Four Seasons

Worthington United Methodist Church

“The New Virtuoso“ is a series of programs featuring works that defy genre expectations for a solo instrument, and in doing so carve out novel texture, affect and technique in Symphonic composition. This program features works that question the nature and effect of political, gender, and ecologic borders, and how we as humans move and migrate in reaction. With conductor Mei-Ann Chen on the podium, this concert features guitarist Mak Grgik, cellist Inbal Segev, and violinist Curtis Stewart.  ACO will perform three commissions by Kebra-Seyoun Charles, Paul Novak, and Curtis Stewart, alongside works by Michael Abels and Victoria Polevá.

New Virtuoso: Borders

Carnegie Hall

### Event Description: Beethoven's Triple with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra

#### Event Overview:
Join the Princeton Symphony Orchestra for an extraordinary musical experience featuring Beethoven's Triple Concerto. This event will showcase the exceptional talents of concertmaster Basia Danilow, principal cellist Alistair MacRae, and pianist Steven Beck. Under the baton of Music Director Rossen Milanov, the orchestra will also perform works by Michael Abels and Sergei Prokofiev.

#### Performance Details:
- **Dates and Times:**
  - **Saturday, October 19, 2024** - 8:00 PM
  - **Sunday, October 20, 2024** - 4:00 PM
- **Venue:** Richardson Auditorium

#### Program:
1. **Michael Abels** - *More Seasons*
   - Inspired by Vivaldi, this piece by the 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels, known for his film scores and concert music, will captivate the audience with its innovative take on classical themes.
2. **Sergei Prokofiev** - *Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25, Classical*
   - Prokofiev’s first symphony, often referred to as the "Classical Symphony," channels the classical style with the composer’s unique voice.
3. **Ludwig van Beethoven** - *Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano in C Major, Op. 56, Triple Concerto*
   - This masterpiece will be brought to life by the combined talents of Basia Danilow (violin), Alistair MacRae (cello), and Steven Beck (piano).

#### Performers:
- **Rossen Milanov** - Conductor
- **Basia Danilow** - Violin
- **Alistair MacRae** - Cello
- **Steven Beck** - Piano

#### Additional Information:
- **Subscription:** This event is available by subscription. Subscribe today to secure your seats.
- **Suitability:** Due to the length and type of performance, this concert is not suitable for children under the age of 5.
- **Accessibility & Visitor Information:** For details on accessibility, parking, and other visitor information, please visit the Princeton Symphony Orchestra's website.

#### Don't Miss:
- **Listen to Hilary Hahn perform Michael Abels' Isolation Variation for solo violin** to get a taste of the composer's style.

Experience the brilliance of Beethoven, the innovation of Abels, and the classical charm of Prokofiev in one unforgettable evening with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra.

Beethoven's Triple

Alexander Hall

Pre-College Student Recital: Ava Pakiam, violin

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

The Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, celebrating its 60th anniversary season, will present a concert titled “Delights & Dances” featuring Dances of Galánta by Zoltán Kodály, Delights & Dances by Michael Abels and Symphony No. 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra in Concert

Ridgefield Playhouse

Haydn’s witty “musical sunrise” lights up this program of charming masterworks. Soulful and infectiously rhythmic, Abels’s Delights & Dances culminates in a raucous hoedown. Taking its cue from the symphonic foundation set by Haydn, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 gallops forth with frisky energy and irrepressible joy.

Beethoven, Abels & Haydn

Alice Pratt Brown Hall

DELIGHTS & DANCES: Dances of Galánta by Zoltán Kodály; Delights & Dances by Michael Abels, featuring the RSO Quartet; and Symphony No. 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Delights & Dances

Join us for an unforgettable evening at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Opening Night Gala featuring the extraordinary talents of saxophonist Branford Marsalis. This special event is scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 7:00 pm, held in the prestigious Orchestra Hall. The night promises to be a celebration of musical virtuosity, with Music Director Jader Bignamini leading the orchestra through a program that bridges the worlds of classical music and jazz.

The evening's repertoire includes a vibrant selection of works that showcase the unique blend of classical music with jazz influences. From Milhaud's Brazilian-inspired "Scaramouche" to Bernstein's lively "Three Dance Episodes from On the Town," and Gershwin's iconic "An American in Paris," each piece captures the essence of their respective cities through music. Adding to the excitement, Marsalis will breathe life into John Williams’s "Escapades from Catch Me If You Can," highlighting his incredible skill as a saxophonist.

Under the baton of Jader Bignamini, who was introduced as the 18th music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in January 2020, the orchestra continues to thrive. Bignamini's passion for music and his close relationship with the orchestra have been pivotal in bringing high-caliber performances to the stage. His approach to conducting, often without a score, fosters a deep connection with the musicians, ensuring a performance that is both heartfelt and engaging.

Branford Marsalis, a celebrated saxophonist known for his versatility across genres, brings his award-winning talent to the gala. With a career spanning several decades, Marsalis has earned accolades including three Grammys and nominations for Emmy and Tony Awards. His collaborations with renowned orchestras around the world have been critically acclaimed, making his performance at the gala a highly anticipated event.

The Opening Night Gala with Branford Marsalis is not just a concert; it's a celebration of music's power to unite and inspire. It's an opportunity to experience the brilliance of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the artistry of Branford Marsalis in one of the most beautiful concert halls in the country. Don't miss this extraordinary evening of music and celebration.

Opening Night Gala With Branford Marsalis

Orchestra Hall

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue, join us on the Square for our season grand finale. Special guest pianist John Novacek joins the WCO to perform the genre-defining Rhapsody in Blue and I Got Rhythm Variations by George Gershwin. Revel in the familiar sounds of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite and a work from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels.

Rhapsody in Blue

King Street corner of the Capitol Square

This time, we welcome alumni of the Festival String Fellowship to play a variety of works for string orchestra, including the popular Dvořák Serenade for Strings and Bartók's zesty Romanianian Folk Dances. Fellowship alum Kyle Dickson, who's gone on to conduct orchestras across the United States, leads the ensemble in this happy reunion. In addition, this concert features several vocal soloists from the Festival's Vocal Fellowship program.

Dvořák Serenade for Strings

Millennium Park

South Shore Cultural Center

A concert by the Oberlin Gospel Choir conducted by La Tanya Hall in Finney Chapel. This program features Act 1, Scene 4 of Omar by Rhiannon Giddens '00 which will include Oberlin College Choir.

Concert: Oberlin Gospel Choir with College Choir

Oberlin College

This spring, Music Director Jader Bignamini leads two works inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Piazzolla’s tango-infused tribute features newly appointed DSO Concertmaster Robyn Bollinger, and Michael Abels, known for scores to Oscar Award-winning films like Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us, puts "Vivaldi in a Mixmaster." We then reap the ingenious rewards of Mozart’s brilliant final symphony.

Mozart & The Seasons

Join us at the prestigious Cobb Great Hall on May 2, 2024, for an unforgettable evening with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as they present "Mozart and the Seasons." Under the baton of the newly appointed Music Director Jader Bignamini, the orchestra will embark on a musical journey inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The concert will feature the tango-infused "Four Seasons of Buenos Aires" by Astor Piazzolla, arranged by Desyatnikov, with a stellar performance by the DSO's newly appointed Concertmaster Robyn Bollinger. Additionally, the evening will include Michael Abels' innovative work, which blends Vivaldi's classic with modern elements, and culminate in Mozart’s brilliant and beloved "Symphony No. 41 in C Major, Jupiter," a masterpiece hailed as one of the top ten symphonies of all time.

The concert starts at 7:30 PM, promising an approximate run time of 90 minutes, including an intermission. This event is recommended for ages 5 and up, ensuring a family-friendly experience. Enhance your evening with an "Insight Preview" 45 minutes before the performance, where topic experts will provide unique insights into the night's repertoire.

Tickets are on sale now, starting at $25, with special pricing available for MSU students at $19 with APID. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the magic of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official Wharton Center website.

Wharton Center for Performing Arts

Discover the beauty of classics reimagined for today’s modern ear. Presented at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center, this intimately sized performance featuring SMSO’s Concertmaster Whun Kim (violin) and Associate Concertmaster Abigail Weener (violin) will carry listeners across season and time mixing newer contemporary arrangements alongside original compositions of Vivaldi’s best-known suite.

The Four Seasons

The Heritage Museum & Cultural Center

The Community Church of Vero Beach

Don't miss the "new generation's cello superstar” (Agence France-Presse) when Alisa Weilerstein makes her Arsht Center debut as soloist with the acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra, led by music director Jader Bignamini.

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

This jubilant celebration begins with Outburst, an engaging work by the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Abels. From sublime melodies to incredible contrapuntal genius, Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 is the epitome of the composer’s work in this genre. Following the rarely heard and lively Festive March of Dvórak, we’ll join with the musical world in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bruckner with his majestic and soul-inspiring Te Deum for soloists, chorus, and full orchestra.

Champaign-urbana Symphony Orchestra: Celebration: Happy Birthday, Bruckner!

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

This jubilant celebration begins with the engaging concert opener Outburst by the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Abels. From sublime melodies to incredible contrapuntal genius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 is the epitome of the composer’s work in this genre. Following the rarely heard and lively Festival March of Antonín Dvořák, we’ll join with the musical world in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bruckner with his majestic and soul-inspiring Te Deum for soloists, chorus, and full orchestra.

Celebration: Happy Birthday, Bruckner!

Experience the awe-inspiring blend of nature and music with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra's Masterworks IV: The Stars Above & Sands Below. This captivating concert, conducted by Mark Russell Smith, takes you on a journey from the creation of heaven and earth to the serene beauty of space, and down to the gritty sands below. The performance features a selection of works that celebrate the natural wonders that surround us, starting with Franz Joseph Haydn’s "The Depiction of Chaos" from The Creation, followed by Mary Howe’s "Stars and Sand," Michael Abel’s "Liquify" with its premiere accompanying film, and concluding with Beethoven’s stormy "Pastorale Symphony."

Join us on February 4th at 2:00 pm CST at Centennial Hall, 3703 7th Ave, Rock Island, IL, for an unforgettable afternoon of music that fuses science and art in a tribute to the earth's magnificent landscapes. Enhance your experience with pre-concert conversations one hour before the performance, where you can learn more about the works being performed. After the concert, don't miss the chance to mingle with Maestro Mark Russell Smith, guest artists, and members of the QCSO at the Hotel Blackhawk.

Tickets are available for purchase, with the option to save by subscribing to a Pick-3 Subscription. For more details, visit the venue's website or call 309-794-7306. Don't miss this extraordinary celebration of the wonders of our world through the power of music.

Masterworks IV: The Stars Above & Sands Below

The Sphinx Virtuosi—the flagship ensemble of the Sphinx Organization, dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts—shares the stage with the Minnesota Orchestra in a program featuring Carlos Simon’s meditative Breathe and Angélica Negrón’s immersive Marejada.

The Sphinx Virtuosi

Orchestra Hall Minneapolis

Schumann’s Third Symphony is filled with his joyful appreciation of the Rhine River and the inspiring cathedral on its banks in Cologne, Germany. A Sphinx Virtuosi commission, Delights and Dances by Michael Abels is an infectious and witty blend of jazz and blues. The world premiere of a BPO-commissioned Oboe Concerto by Randall Svane rounds out the program.

Schumann's Rhine Journey

Kleinhans Music Hall

Reserve your seats today and enjoy unbeatable savings by subscribing to New World Symphony’s Arsht Center series. From West Side Story to Ode to Joy, this series features some of the most beloved melodies in orchestral music. Starting at just $15 a concert, the series concludes with Michael Tilson Thomas leading New World Symphony in Copland’s Old American Songs and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony.

Beethoven 9: Ode to Joy

New World Symphony returns with another bucket-list concert to jump-start your new year. Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s life-affirming Ninth Symphony, a divine tour de force brought to life by award-winning soloists, full orchestra and the Master Chorale of South Florida. Continue your spiritual journey with an excerpt from the 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar, a “melting pot inspired by bluegrass, hymns, spirituals and more” (The New York Times). The large brass section in Leoš Janáček’s Sinfonietta heralds one of NWS’ most anticipated concerts of the season. 

Santa Rosa Young People's Chamber Orchestra

In this new opera from Grammy-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels, the act of writing is the preservation of identity. A true story of an indomitable faith enshrined in a two-hundred-year-old autobiography, Omar was described by The New York Times as a “sweeping achievement.”

San Francisco Opera

War Memorial Opera House

Writing is the preservation of identity in the new opera Omar from Grammy award-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels. A true story of an indomitable faith enshrined in a two-hundred-year-old autobiography in an opera acclaimed by The New York Times as a “sweeping achievement.”
In the early 1800s, Islamic scholar Omar Ibn Said is forcibly taken from his village in West Africa and sold into slavery in Charleston, South Carolina. Attempting to flee, he is imprisoned in Fayetteville and taken to the plantation of another slaveholder, eager to convert him to Christianity. There Omar records his story in Arabic, transforming his world into an expansive canvas of text and faith, profoundly realized in Kaneza Schaal’s transcendent production.

Omar

Performance Today’s 2022 Classical Woman of the Year and a favorite on-air presence of San Francisco’s classical radio station KDFC, American pianist Lara Downes headlines a program of dynamic music that has reflected and changed our world.

Game Changers

Heritage Theatre

San Mateo High School

American composer Michael Abels is best known for his award-winning scores for the Jordan Peele films Get Out, Us, and Nope. Unlike those horror films, Outburst is a dazzlingly buoyant and colorful work, and an exciting roller coaster ride to kick off our 23/24 season!

Elgar's Enigma

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church

From the opening fanfare to the thrilling final movement, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 will sweep you away! Phenomenal young violinist Simone Porter plays the ever-popular Mendelssohn Concerto and Michael Abels’ Global Warming opens the season in a blaze of orchestral color.

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth

Riverview Theatre

Sasha Cooke with Festival Musicians

Sun Valley Pavilion

Opening Night: Orli Shaham and Delights & Dances

An Ojai-commissioned chamber work for voices and small ensemble drawn from the opera Omar, by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, paired with the musical traditions of Senegal and the Carolinas.

Omar's Journey

Libbey Bowl

Vis-À-Vis

American composer Michael Abels is best known as the composer for hit movies “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Nope.” He wrote Global Warming in 1990 to describe the warming of international relations after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

“Escape to Hope”

The Lincoln Center

Get a head start on your Valentine’s Day celebration with this heartfelt and warm music.

Bask in Lisa Nardi’s poignant In This Heart, swoon to Florence Price’s  Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes and be uplifted by Michael Abels energetic Delights and Dances.

From the heart

First Church Boston

The Stanford Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Paul Phillips, presents their Fall concert program from the Main Stage of Bing Concert Hall.

Stanford Symphony Orchestra: Fall Concert

Stanford University

The San Francisco Symphony writes: Xian Zhang leads Ludwig van Beethoven’s enduring Ninth Symphony, which celebrates the bonds of humanity and the glory of the creator in its triumphant “Ode to Joy.” Before that, discover Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade, displaying the depth and maturity of a young composer poised for greatness, and Michael Abels’ Emerge, which tells the story of musicians returning to their art and rediscovering the joy of making music together.

Beethoven 9

Davies Symphony Hall

In 1807, a 37-year-old scholar living in West Africa was captured and forced aboard a slave ship bound for Charleston, South Carolina. Omar Ibn Said's life and Muslim faith are remembered and retold in this inspirational West Coast premiere inspired by his remarkable 1831 autobiography (the only known surviving American slave narrative written in Arabic).
Set in the shifting darkness of memory and imagination, Omar follows his compelling journey from a peaceful life in his homeland to enslavement in a violent, foreign world. Lost in the wilderness of his thoughts and his stolen life, he's haunted by memories of his family and the people he encounters along the way. Through it all, he somehow remains true to himself and his faith, against all odds. The luminous score—composed by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels—incorporates distinctive West African traditions with traditional opera instrumentation.
Tenor Jamez McCorkle makes his company debut in the title role, with bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch in a double role as two very different slave masters. Norman Garrett makes his company debut as Omar's brother, with Barry Banks as the auctioneer and Jacqueline Echols as Julie, an enslaved woman who gives Omar the key to a better life.

Los Angeles Music Center

In a stunning season finale, lovers of piano concertos will rejoice as the acclaimed Israeli born Silver-Garburg piano duo interpret 2 concertos for 2 pianos by Bach and Poulenc. The program concludes with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and its hauntingly beautiful violin passages that portray the woman who convinced a Sultan to spare her life by telling him one-thousand-and-one stories of Arabian nights.

Scheherazade

Kennedy Center

Surround Sing and performances by the LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE World premiere of a never-before-heard version of Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium specially arranged for the Los Angeles Master Chorale and acclaimed violinist ANNE AKIKO MEYERS World premiere of a new commission by award-winning composer MICHAEL ABELS Tribute presentation by composer and conductor ESA-PEKKA SALONEN

GALA 2022

Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary in this unforgettable evening! Kevin Put's Heartland and Iowa’s Linda Robbins Coleman’s In Good King Charles’s Golden Days set the stage for the sweeping American Mosaic by Peter Boyer and photographer/video artist Joe Sohm, complete with historic narration and dramatic images of American life on a giant screen above the Orchestra. The Harlem Quartet brings Michael Abels’ Urban Legends to life before Bernstein’s electrifying Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

Season Debut: Unity – American Mosaic & West Side Story

Des Moines Civic Center

MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Rhiannon Giddens and celebrated co-composer Michael Abels bring their profoundly moving story of the human spirit to Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Inspired by the memoir of 19th-century Islamic scholar Omar ibn Said, this breathtaking work spins a musical narrative of Omar’s capture in West Africa, journey across the Atlantic Ocean, and enslavement in South Carolina, where he confronts his circumstances and challenges his faith through a series of indelible writings.

Lyric Opera House

Michael Abels’ Delights & Dances opens the night with rhythmic sparkle and vibrant color. Mandolin virtuoso Solly Burton and friends light up the stage with a high‑energy bluegrass set that brings a fresh, fun fusion to the season. Brahms’ warm and expansive Symphony No. 2 rounds out this genre‑blending program with symphonic richness and charm.

Plucked: Mandolin Journeys from Bluegrass to Brahms

Indiana State University

Dvořák’s tranquil Symphony No. 8 took shape following a summer holiday in the Bohemian countryside, its vibrant landscapes captured in a stream of Czech folk song and Dvořák’s lush melodies. Listen closely and you’ll hear the sounds of summer — from fluttering birdsong to the echoes of a shepherd’s horn and a distant thunderstorm.

Bernstein & Dvořák

Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

Blast off into the universe! Michael Abels’ Liquify and Dr. José Francisco Salgado’s stunning science visuals take families on a journey through space. Experience the wonder of the night sky, astronomical discoveries, and the magic of music in an inspiring, out-of-this-world adventure.

Michael Abels

Events

Upcoming events

26 - 27 Sep, 2026

Season Debut: Unity – American Mosaic & West Side Story · Des Moines Symphony

23 - 28 Oct, 2026

Omar · Lyric Opera of Chicago

Nov 7, 2026

Plucked: Mandolin Journeys from Bluegrass to Brahms · Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra

11 - 14 Mar, 2027

Bernstein & Dvořák · Dallas Symphony Orchestra

May 8, 2027

Music of the Stars: Cosmic Connections · Phoenix Symphony

Past events

May 23, 2026

Pre-College Orchestra Conducted by Adam Glaser | Beyond the Stars: Music of Film and Imagination · The Juilliard School

15 - 17 May, 2026

Zhang Conducts Prokofiev & Tchaikovsky · Phoenix Symphony

About

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