I am thrilled to share the upcoming 2025–26 season of the Boulder Symphony & Music Academy — a season that embodies everything I believe about music: that it is alive, adventurous, and meant for everyone.
When I first stepped onto the podium in Boulder, my vision was to build a symphony that was both artistically ambitious and deeply connected to the community. This new season reflects that dream in full — weaving together monumental masterworks, cinematic favorites, and family-friendly concerts that invite audiences of all ages to join the journey.
A Season That Begins with Celebration
We open on October 12, 2025, with a program that I can only describe as transcendent. Gustav Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony is one of the most monumental and soul-stirring works ever written, wrestling with life, death, and the promise of renewal. To balance its cosmic vision, we’re pairing it with Hans Zimmer’s Lion King Suite, a modern masterpiece that speaks to legacy, wonder, and joy.
This season opener is more than a concert — it’s a celebration. It marks the beginning of a journey we’ll take together throughout the year.
And before the first notes sound, I look forward to celebrating face-to-face at our Season Reveal Party at Boulder Cork. It’s a chance to connect with friends, supporters, and newcomers alike — because the symphony is about community as much as it is about music.
Symphonic Masterworks That Define Us
Throughout the season, we’ll explore works that have shaped music history and continue to move us today.
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring — a work of raw, elemental energy that forever changed how we hear rhythm and sound.
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 — performed by rising star pianist Jiarui Cheng, brimming with virtuosity and sweeping emotional depth.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 — our season finale, a universal hymn to joy, unity, and resilience.
These are not museum pieces. They are alive with urgency, beauty, and relevance. Each one tells us something about ourselves and our place in the world.
Music for All
Part of what makes Boulder Symphony & Music Academy so special is that we create experiences for every generation. This year, our Curiosity Concerts return with two exciting adventures:
Treasure of Sound — a pirate-inspired musical quest filled with swashbuckling antics and live orchestral magic.
The Curious Case of Symphony City — a hip-hop detective story that fuses classical and modern beats to get the whole family involved.
And of course, we’ll bring audiences together with community favorites like our Star Wars Celebration and Holiday Pops, both guaranteed to lift spirits and create memories.
Nurturing Homegrown Talent
We’re also showcasing the talent within our own ranks. I’m especially proud to feature our principal flutist, Michael Williams, performing C.P.E. Bach’s Flute Concerto in D minor. Pairing this with Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 is a reminder of the brilliance that thrives right here in Boulder.
This season also includes a celebration of the Sundance Film Festival’s arrival in Boulder, honoring the composers and scores that have defined generations of cinema.
More Than Music
What makes this season meaningful to me is not just the music, but the connections it fosters. Through the Boulder Symphony Music Academy, we’re nurturing the next generation of musicians and audiences with lessons, side-by-side experiences, and scholarships. Education and accessibility are not add-ons — they are at the heart of who we are.
Every concert, every program, is designed to remind us that music has the power to bring people together, uplift spirits, and transform lives.
Join Us
The 2025–26 season of the Boulder Symphony & Music Academy is an invitation: to explore, to celebrate, and to be moved. Whether it’s Mahler or Mozart, Star Wars or pirates, Beethoven or hip-hop, I promise there is something here that will resonate with you.
I hope you’ll join me, our musicians, and our community for this unforgettable journey.
🎟️ Explore the full season and get tickets here: bouldersymphony.org/events
📖 Read the full press release here: bouldersymphony.org/press-release-boulder-symphony-announces-2025-2026-season-a-thrilling-journey-through-sound-story-and-celebration