The Phoenix Symphony will generate some holiday cheer for the Valley with a series of four performances between Thanksgiving and the new year that will provide something for just about every kind of music fan.
It all starts on Thanksgiving weekend with “Music of the Knights®”, featuring performances of songs by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney on November 26-28. They’re not only knights — they are also three of the most successful songwriters of all time with careers that span decades.
Then on December 3-5, The Phoenix Symphony brings back its popular annual Holiday Pops concert. Featuring hymns and carols from a variety of traditions and faiths as well as beloved secular songs, the performance will make patrons feel merry and bright at the Symphony’s most festive production of the year.
On December 16 and 17, the Symphony will bring back its beloved annual performance of Handel’s Messiah. The acclaimed “Hallelujah” chorus is the centerpiece of these performances featuring some of the most glorious sacred music ever written. Patrons may join The Phoenix Symphony, The Phoenix Symphony Chorus, and soloists for Handel’s masterpiece at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale.
Finally, The Phoenix Symphony is ringing in the new year with a special performance on New Year’s Eve featuring Leslie Odom, Jr., a multifaceted Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer spanning Broadway, television, film and music. He is best known for his breakout role as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton, for which he won the Tony Award for “Best Actor in a Musical” and a Grammy Award as a principal soloist on the original cast recording.
“This is a special time of year and a special 75th Anniversary for The Phoenix Symphony that we are so grateful to share with our community,” Muñoz said. “These performances over the hoidays feature some of the most beloved music of our lifetimes, and to cap it off with such a talented performer as Leslie Odom Jr. will make it a season our patrons will never forget.”
The 75th Anniversary includes a robust mix of classics, pops and special performances, with some truly innovative and attention-grabbing programs scheduled. The entire season schedule can be viewed here.
All audience members attending The Phoenix Symphony’s concerts will be required to show either a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours (3 days) of the performance OR proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with a vaccine authorized by the Centers for Disease Control PLUS a photo ID.
In addition, all guests attending Symphony Hall, ASU Gammage and Orpheum performances must maintain appropriate face coverings in accordance with current CDC guidelines except when eating or drinking.
The Phoenix Symphony was founded in 1947, and has grown over the years to become one of the state’s largest performing arts organizations. Its 75th Anniversary season comes on the heels of the cancellation of the 2020-21 season, and provides a unique opportunity to not only celebrate the organization’s history, but to celebrate its return as well.
Founded in 1947 as a part-time orchestra in Phoenix, a city of less than 100,000 people, and run by passionate volunteers, The Phoenix Symphony has grown alongside the capital city to become Arizona’s only full time orchestra. In addition to performing traditional and modern repertoire in the fall and spring in Symphony Hall, year round our world class musicians are actively engaged in the community. Through generous foundation, corporation, and individual support, TPS is strengthened by collaborating with the best guest conductors and artists across the nation and internationally. The core mission of The Phoenix Symphony is to provide the joy of music as a catalyst for discovery, knowledge, compassion, and connection. Annually, our orchestra members empower more than 120,000 students through education and outreach partnerships and create opportunities for healing and deeper connection for tens of thousands of adults experiencing homelessness, in Alzheimer’s care facilities, in hospitals, and in hospice.
