St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announces 2019/2020 Live at Powell Hall concerts
Upcoming season features the continued film sagas of Harry Potter and Star Wars, the returns of Ben Folds and Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, a tribute to Aretha Franklin, the Music of John Williams, and St. Louis native Kennedy Holmes
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(May 15, 2019, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced the latest additions to its 2019/2020 season, including its annual holiday concerts, IN UNISON Chorus performances, and Live at Powell Hall concerts that include performances of scores of beloved films, special guest artists, and unique tributes.
The historic 19/20 Season marks the orchestra's 140th year and first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. The Live at Powell Hall and Holiday concerts complement the SLSO's classical concerts, which include performances of Beethoven's Ninth, Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, and Gershwin's An American in Paris, as well as the Family Concert Series and Live at the Pulitzer performances – more than 100 concerts in all throughout the season. Single tickets for classical, family, and Pulitzer concerts go on sale in July.
Since 2010, the SLSO has hosted more than 150 Live at Powell Hall concerts: from movies like Singin' in the Rain, Harry Potter, and Jurassic Park, to tribute concerts and one-night-only performances with award-winning guests including Boyz II Men, Wyclef Jean, Leslie Odom Jr., and Idina Menzel.
Denève and the SLSO will present an evening of film music by his friend, Academy Award-winning composer John Williams, to open the season September 13-15. Denève also leads the annual BMO Wealth Management New Year's Eve Celebration, a night of fun musical surprises that has become a St. Louis tradition (December 31).
Taking Powell Hall back to its theater roots, the SLSO will perform scores alongside four films throughout the season, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Concert (October 25-27), Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert (January 23-26, 2020), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 in concert (March 20-22, 2020). Performances of Home Alone, the holiday favorite, return to the SLSO on December 20-21, following four sold-out performances in December 2018.
This fall, the SLSO will perform a touching tribute to the Queen of Soul, the late Aretha Franklin, featuring members of the SLSO's IN UNISON Chorus (October 11). And just in time for Valentine's Day, audience favorite and frequent SLSO collaborator Ben Folds returns for a special two-night engagement (February 13-14, 2020). Folds has performed with the orchestra three times in the past eight years – all sell-out engagements.
Holidays at Powell Hall
The holiday season gets off to a swinging start with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra visiting Powell Hall as part of their national Big Band Holidays tour (December 4). While the SLSO will not appear as part of this concert, Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra are longtime collaborators with the orchestra, having last appeared with the SLSO in May 2018 performing Marsalis' Swing Symphony.
The festivities continue as the SLSO offers six performances of the beloved Mercy Holiday Celebration (December 13-15). The SLSO is joined by vocalist Rachel Potter and the Holiday Festival Chorus – made up of high school students from across the bi-state region – for performances featuring timeless classics, carols, familiar favorites, and Santa Claus.
Kevin McBeth will lead A Gospel Christmas, featuring the SLSO IN UNISON Chorus (December 19). Joining the program this year is Kennedy Holmes, the St. Louis native and finalist last year on NBC’s The Voice.
Lift Every Voice Concert
After performing with Denève and the SLSO at the Forest Park concert in September and at A Gospel Christmas, the IN UNISON Chorus returns for the annual Lift Every Voice: A Black History Month Celebration (February 21, 2020). Led by IN UNISON Chorus Director Kevin McBeth, the chorus celebrated its 25th anniversary last season.
Tickets for these performances at Powell Hall are on sale now and may be purchased at www.slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.
Music of John Williams
Friday, September 13, 7:00pm
Saturday, September 14, 7:00pm
Sunday, September 15, 2:30pm
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Tribute to Aretha Franklin
Friday, October 11, 7:30pm
Kevin McBeth, conductor
Members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra IN UNISON Chorus
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in Concert
Friday, October 25, 7:00pm
Saturday, October 26, 7:00pm
Sunday, October 27, 2:00pm
Big Band Holidays: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Wednesday, December 4, 7:30pm
This concert does not feature the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Mercy Holiday Celebration
Friday, December 13, 2:00 and 7:30pm
Saturday, December 14, 2:00 and 7:30pm
Sunday, December 15, 2:00 and 7:30pm
Stuart Malina, conductor
Rachel Potter, vocals
Holiday Festival Chorus | Kevin McBeth, director
Presented by Mercy
A Gospel Christmas
Thursday, December 19, 7:30pm
Kevin McBeth, conductor
Kennedy Holmes, vocals
St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus | Kevin McBeth, director
Presented by Bayer Fund
Home Alone in Concert
Friday, December 20, 7:00pm
Saturday, December 21, 2:00pm
BMO Wealth Management New Year's Eve Celebration
Tuesday, December 31, 7:30pm
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Presented by BMO Wealth Management
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert
Thursday, January 23, 7:00pm
Friday, January 24, 7:00pm
Saturday, January 25, 7:00pm
Sunday, January 26, 2:00pm
Ben Folds
Thursday, February 13, 2020, 7:30pm
Friday, February 14, 2020, 7:30pm
Lift Every Voice: A Black History Month Celebration
Friday, February 21, 2020, 7:30pm
Kevin McBeth, conductor
St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus | Kevin McBeth, director
Sponsored by Bayer Fund
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 in Concert
Friday, March 20, 7:00pm
Saturday, March 21, 7:00pm
Sunday, March 22, 2:00pm
Stéphane Denève, Music Director Designate
Stéphane Denève currently is Music Director Designate for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Brussels Philharmonic, Principal Guest Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Director of the Centre for Future Orchestral Repertoire (CffOR). He will become Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in the 2019/2020 season.
Recognized internationally for the exceptional quality of his performances and programming, Denève regularly appears at major concert venues with the world's greatest orchestras and soloists. He has a special affinity for the music of his native France and is a passionate advocate for music of the 21st century. A gifted communicator and educator, he is committed to inspiring the next generation of musicians and listeners and has worked regularly with young people in the programs such as those of the Tanglewood Music Center, New World Symphony, the Colburn School, and the Music Academy of the West.
He is a frequent guest with leading orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, The Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Orchestre National de France, Vienna Symphony, DSO Berlin and NHK Symphony.
As a recording artist, he has won critical acclaim for his recordings of the works of Poulenc, Debussy, Ravel, Roussel, Franck, and Honegger. He is a triple winner of the Diapason d'Or of the Year, has been shortlisted for Gramophone's Artist of the Year Award, and has won the prize for symphonic music at the International Classical Music Awards. His most recent releases include discs of Prokofiev suites and the works of Guillaume Connesson with Brussels Philharmonic, as well as recordings with Lucas and Arthur Jussen and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, all for Deutsche Grammophon.
For further information, please visit slso.org/Deneve.
About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 140th year with the 2019/2020 season and first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Hall, which has been the permanent home of the SLSO for more than 50 years, the orchestra is an integral part of the diverse and vibrant St. Louis community, presenting free education programs and performances throughout the region each year. It presents St. Louis Symphony Live at the Pulitzer, a four-program series at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. The SLSO also serves as the resident orchestra for Opera Theatre Saint Louis, with the 2019 season marking the 42nd year of their partnership.
The Grammy Award–winning SLSO's impact beyond the St. Louis region is realized through weekly Saturday night concert broadcasts on St. Louis Public Radio, acclaimed recordings, and regular touring activity. A sought-after artistic partner by preeminent musicians and composers from across the globe, as well as by local and national organizations, the SLSO enjoys a long history of robust and enduring artistic collaborations that have developed and deepened over the years.
Today, the SLSO builds on the institution's current momentum on all fronts, including artistic, financial, audience growth, and community impact, and looks toward the future with Stéphane Denève. Denève, who has been a frequent guest conductor with the orchestra since 2003, begins his tenure as 13th Music Director of the SLSO with the 19/20 season. For more information, visit slso.org.
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