Oregon Symphony Announces 2026/2027 Season

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Celebrating its 130^th anniversary, the Oregon Symphony today announced its highly anticipated 2026/27 season, offering audiences an inspiring lineup that blends legendary classical works, innovative contemporary music, and performances by notable guest artists. Running from September 2026 through June 2027, this milestone season honors the Oregon Symphony’s rich legacy while embracing the future of the orchestral art form, celebrating Portland’s thriving arts scene, revitalizing the downtown cultural landscape, and delivering transformative musical experiences for all.

“The Oregon Symphony is more than an orchestra; it’s a civic institution committed to creating shared moments of inspiration and connection through music,” says Paul Snyder, Oregon Symphony President & CEO. “The 2026/27 season offers many opportunities for us to create these moments, as we strive to be locally distinctive, musically adventurous, and deeply impactful on the stage and beyond.”

Highlights of the 2026/27 Season

• Remarkable classical guest artists, including cellist Abel Selaocoe, pianists Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and violinists Itzhak Perlman and Vadim Gluzman
• West Coast premieres of works by Jessie Montgomery and Gabriela Lena Frank
• World premieres of commissioned works by Portland-based composer Gabriel Kahane and Fear No Music Emerging Composer Fellow Grace Miedziak
• Performances from local artists across genres, including folk musician John Craigie and guitarist and songwriter Edna Vazquez
• Renowned guest conductors such as Giancarlo Guerrero, Nicholas McGegan, and Shiyeon Sung
• Seven blockbuster films with the Oregon Symphony playing their iconic scores live, including Home Alone in concert, Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert, and The Princess Bride in Concert
• Performance from rapper and author Dessa in partnership with Literary Arts, as a musical extension of the Portland Book Festival
• New Year’s Eve concert featuring Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony on December 30 & 31
• Return of Artist-in-Residence Simone Porter for a second year of performances and community engagement work

Jean Vollum Music Director David Danzmayr Returns for Sixth Season

Jean Vollum Music Director David Danzmayr returns to lead the orchestra for a sixth season, continuing his commitment to presenting diverse musical voices across genres. Danzmayr champions music that is both expressive and accessible, amplifies the voice of its creators, and builds bridges between different generations and musical worlds. Under his leadership, the Oregon Symphony continues to serve as both a cultural anchor and a hub for creativity, strengthening community ties and supporting emerging artists.

“Next season, the orchestra and I have the pleasure of working with some of the most talented guest artists in the world to perform music that means something to our community here in Portland,” says David Danzmayr, Oregon Symphony Jean Vollum Music Director. “I am very much looking forward to returning to the podium for these exciting performances.”

Sounds Like Portland Returns to Celebrate Portland’s Musical Landscape

Sounds Like Portland expands from a three-week festival into a season-long series, showcasing local talent through a range of creative collaborations. The series invites audiences to reconnect with the city’s creative heartbeat while supporting both established and emerging hometown artists.

• Portland favorite Edna Vazquez and GRAMMY winner Héctor Del Curto spotlight Latin American folk traditions during National Hispanic Heritage Month
• World premiere of a new work that the Oregon Symphony co-commissioned from Portland musician, writer, and storyteller Gabriel Kahane
• Folk troubadour John Craigie’s orchestral debut
• Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and Portlander Caroline Shaw offers a musical interpretation of Alice McLerran’s beloved children’s book The Mountain That Loved a Bird

The 2026/27 Season: Something for Everyone to Love

Classical Programming

The upcoming subscription season promises an extensive lineup of 18 classical performances that celebrate the richness and diversity of the orchestral tradition. The season features 11 pieces of contemporary music, including four commissions. Additionally, 78% of 2026/27 classical concerts include a composer, conductor, or featured soloist from an underrepresented gender or ethnic group.

Esteemed violinist and Oregon Symphony Janet & Richard Geary Concertmaster Sarah Kwak will perform Chen Gang & He Zhenhao’s renowned Chinese orchestral work The Butterfly Lovers concerto on January 30 and 31. Then, on Valentine's Day weekend, the Symphony brings romance to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall with Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, Overture-Fantasy. In addition to these, the orchestra will perform some of the most beloved pieces in the classical canon, including Mahler’s Symphony No. 6, Holst’s The Planets, and Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

This season also sees the return of Naked Classics, a 60-minute, intermission-free program that breaks down a classical masterwork and discusses its history before restoring it to its full form, all before dinnertime.

Orchestral Premieres

• Jessie Montgomery: These Righteous Paths (Oregon Symphony co-commission, West Coast premiere). This piece, to be performed by South African cellist, vocalist, and improviser Abel Selaocoe, is a commentary on the strength and transformational care of mothers through the lens of the lullaby.
• Gabriela Lena Frank: Picaflor: A future myth (Oregon Symphony co-commission, West Coast premiere). This piece draws on the mythology of Andean Perú to evoke the sky kingdom, its sun god, and its mischievous hummingbird (picaflor).
• Gabriel Kahane: The Oregon Symphony presents the world premiere of a new work, co-commissioned from the local composer.
• Grace Miedziak: A new work from the Fear No Music Emerging Composer Fellow and native Oregonian celebrates the Pacific Northwest, commissioned by the Oregon Symphony.

Beyond the Classical Canon

Alongside its hallmark concerts, the upcoming season features carefully curated family programs, joyful holiday performances, and special concerts with a range of beloved artists. From John Craigie to the music of Hans Zimmer, annual festive favorites like the Holiday Pops Spectacular to Caroline Shaw’s The Mountain That Loved a Bird, this season offers something for everyone, including seven film presentations. Each concert is crafted to offer a captivating and memorable experience, bringing both timeless classics and contemporary favorites to life on stage.

• Continuation of the orchestra’s mission to inspire and connect with audiences of all ages through three engaging family concerts, including The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony
• An exciting slate of holiday performances, including the 27th annual Gospel Christmas in collaboration with the Northwest Community Gospel Chorus
• Expanded film series ranging from How to Train Your Dragon 2 in Concert for family night to Hitchcock’s legendary thriller Psycho in Concert on Halloween
• Musical tributes to songwriting legends Paul Simon, Carly Simon, Carole King, and Joni Mitchell

Building Community Through Music

Key collaborations in the 2026/27 season include the annual Children’s Cancer Association JoyRx holiday livestream, activations around the Portland Book Festival, a partnership with Multnomah County Library’s Summer Reading program, and the Lullaby Project, a program that pairs parents experiencing houselessness or incarceration with local songwriters to write and record lullabies for their children.

Music Across the Region

The Oregon Symphony continues to expand its reach throughout the Willamette Valley. Beginning in the 2026/27 season, all Salem performances will be held at the newly rebuilt Rose Auditorium at South Salem High School, a modern venue designed to enhance the concert experience for musicians and audiences alike. The final subscription concert at Willamette University, a venue that we are thankful to have called our Salem home for over 70 years, will take place on May 15, 2026. Season tickets for Salem go on sale starting in March 2026.

Build Your Perfect Concert Experience

Subscriptions for the 2026/27 season are now available. Oregon Symphony subscribers enjoy priority access to the best seats, exclusive pricing, and presales for concerts throughout the season. Subscriber benefits also include 10% savings on concerts purchased beyond the base package, free exchanges, and bonus offers.

The Symphony offers pre-curated subscription packages for classical, family, and pops concerts, and a fully customizable Choose Your Own subscription with an industry-first online package builder. With Choose Your Own subscriptions, patrons craft a package with any 3+ concerts and receive the same great benefits as a standard package subscriber. Individual tickets go on sale April 21, 2026.

Oregon Symphony 2026/27 Season

To view our 2026/27 season calendar, visit: orsymphony.org/2627

Special Offers and Arts for All

The Oregon Symphony’s BRIDGE: Arts for All program affirms the organization’s commitment to making world-class music accessible to everyone. This initiative offers $5 tickets to classical and pops performances for Oregon Trail Card/SNAP recipients. In addition to this, seniors are offered half-price rush tickets, and students, teachers, veterans, and furloughed federal workers have access to reduced fare tickets through the Symphony’s accessibility programs. Together, these efforts help ensure that the Symphony remains a welcoming, shared space where people from all backgrounds can experience the power of live music.

To learn more about the Oregon Symphony's special rates and offers, visit: orsymphony.org/concerts-tickets/special-offers-deals/

Oregon Symphony Musicians

For our full 2026/2027 musician roster, visit: orsymphony.org/orchestra

About the Oregon Symphony

The multi-GRAMMY Award-nominated Oregon Symphony, led by Jean Vollum Music Director David Danzmayr, serves hundreds of thousands of people annually through concerts, education initiatives, and community programs. With a 130-year legacy, it is the oldest orchestra in the Western United States. Learn more at www.orsymphony.org and follow the Oregon Symphony on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.