A Look back at the Colorado Symphony’s 2025/26 Season
The Colorado Symphony’s 2025/26 Season will be remembered as a defining chapter in the orchestra’s 102-year history.
Marked by Peter Oundjian’s first season as Music Director, the year celebrated both artistic excellence and organizational momentum, reaffirming the Colorado Symphony’s role as one of America’s leading orchestras while strengthening its connection to the community it serves.
The season began with a powerful statement as Oundjian opened the Classics series by welcoming his friend and mentor Pinchas Zukerman to perform the Bruch Violin Concerto and Beethoven Romance No. 2. The orchestra concluded with Respighi’s Pines of Rome, unleashing the full power and color of the orchestra and setting the tone for a season that would blend tradition, innovation, and ambition.
Widely viewed as the organization’s “Super Bowl moment,” the tour represented years of artistic growth and planning. The orchestra first celebrated with a sold-out sendoff performance at Boettcher Concert Hall before traveling to New York for three unforgettable performances. Two sold-out appearances with Gregory Alan Isakov at Radio City Music Hall led by Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon introduced the orchestra to thousands of new listeners, while a sold-out performance with legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman at Carnegie Hall led by Oundjian placed the Colorado Symphony on one of the most prestigious stages in classical music. Earning standing ovations from the appreciative New York audience following a rousing rendition Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition arranged by Ravel, the Colorado Symphony decidedly won the crowd and their Super Bowl.
Throughout the season, audiences experienced unforgettable performances from some of today’s most celebrated artists. Piano superstar Lang Lang joined the orchestra for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, while beloved singer-songwriters Ben Folds, Andrew Bird, Ingrid Michaelson, and rock legend Bruce Hornsby brought their distinctive voices and artistry to Boettcher Concert Hall. Broadway luminaries Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara reunited for a special evening inspired by the legendary Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, celebrating the timeless connection between Broadway and symphonic music.
The Colorado Symphony also continued its tradition of bringing beloved films to life through the power of a live orchestra. Throughout the season, audiences experienced full-score performances of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Elf, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. These performances welcomed thousands of audience members to Boettcher Concert Hall, creating multigenerational experiences that introduced new listeners to the orchestra while celebrating some of cinema’s most iconic scores.
The Classics season showcased an exceptional roster of internationally acclaimed guest artists and conductors. Under the baton of Delyana Lazarova, pianist Martin Helmchen performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 on a program anchored by Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Violinist Paul Huang joined conductor Rune Bergmann for Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4, while saxophonist Jess Gillam brought Anna Clyne’s vibrant Glasslands to life in a program led by Kevin John Edusei that culminated with Stravinsky’s groundbreaking The Rite of Spring.
Several performances highlighted the Symphony’s commitment to using music as a bridge between cultures and communities. Pianist Makoto Ozone performed Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in concerts led by Jun Märkl that served as a celebration of cultural exchange, bringing together Japanese and American business leaders, the Consulate-General of Japan in Denver, and Colorado’s broader Japanese community through the shared language of music. Later in the season, pianist and composer Gabriela Montero performed her own Piano Concerto No. 1 in concerts conducted by Marin Alsop, providing opportunities for meaningful engagement with Colorado’s Latin American communities while amplifying contemporary artistic voices from across the Americas.
Music Director Peter Oundjian also led one of the season’s most powerful programs featuring pianist Michelle Cann performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue alongside Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement, illuminating the breadth and diversity of the American musical experience. Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon partnered with pianist Albert Cano Smit for Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 on a program that also featured Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in Ravel’s iconic orchestration.
The season also highlighted the remarkable talent within the orchestra itself. Principal Cello Seoyoen Min made her highly anticipated debut as a featured soloist in Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, while Principal Trumpet Justin Bartels joined acclaimed pianist Olga Kern for a dazzling performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Concertmaster Yumi Hwang-Williams and percussionist Svet Stoyanov took center stage for the world premiere of Christopher Theofanidis’ new concerto for violin and percussion, further cementing the Colorado Symphony’s ongoing commitment to advancing the art form, championing new music, and providing unique listening opportunities for Colorado audiences.
The orchestra also welcomed home two beloved leaders from its past. Former Music Director Marin Alsop returned to conduct Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, while former Music Director Andrew Litton led a profound performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9. Their appearances served as reminders of the Colorado Symphony’s rich artistic legacy and the foundation upon which its future continues to be built.
That future was perhaps most vividly illustrated in November, when Denver voters overwhelmingly approved the Vibrant Denver Bond initiative, including $20 million dedicated to a future renovation of Boettcher Concert Hall. The historic investment represents a transformative opportunity for the Symphony’s home and a powerful vote of confidence in the role arts and culture play in the life of the city. To celebrate the bond’s passage, the Colorado Symphony welcomed Mayor Mike Johnston, Denver City Council members, and other civic leaders to a sold-out performance with Colorado favorites DeVotchKa in November. During the evening, Mayor Johnston joined President & CEO Daniel Wachter on stage to recognize the significance of the community’s investment, not only in a beloved cultural landmark, but in the continued vitality of downtown Denver itself. The moment underscored the Symphony’s role as both an artistic institution and a civic partner, helping shape the future of the city it has called home for more than a century.
The season’s momentum extended beyond the stage and into the community’s remarkable support for the organization. In May, the Colorado Symphony welcomed multi-GRAMMY® and Academy Award-winning artist Jon Batiste for a sold-out Gala concert at Boettcher Concert Hall. The unforgettable evening brought together patrons, civic leaders, and music lovers in celebration of the Symphony’s mission and future, while raising more than $1 million to support the organization’s artistic, educational, and community initiatives. The event served as a reminder that world-class artistry in Colorado is made possible through the generosity and commitment of donors who invest in the Symphony’s work both on and off the stage.
The season also brought stability and continuity to the artistic leadership team as Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon signed a new five-year contract, ensuring that one of the orchestra’s most dynamic artistic voices will remain an important part of the Colorado Symphony’s future.
The Symphony also demonstrated its commitment to the health and sustainability of its musicians through a groundbreaking investment in hearing protection. Thanks to a generous donor gift made in memory of music lover and hearing safety advocate Penny Burke, the Colorado Symphony became one of only a handful of major American orchestras to equip all 80 full-time musicians with state-of-the-art Sensaphonics 3DME active hearing protection systems. Implemented in partnership with the Marion Downs Center, the initiative provides musicians with custom-molded technology that safeguards their hearing while preserving the sound quality essential to peak performance. The approximately $100,000 investment reflects the Symphony’s belief that caring for its musicians is of paramount importance, ensuring they can continue sharing their artistry with audiences for years to come while setting a new standard for hearing conservation across the orchestral field.
Beyond the concert hall, the Symphony continued expanding its impact throughout Colorado and beyond. A groundbreaking partnership with CU Anschutz on the national Never Dream Alone campaign featured Principal Cello Seoyoen Min and showcased the transformative power of music to audiences far beyond the traditional concert stage.
Never Dream Alone
The Colorado Symphony is thrilled to unveil our partnership with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, celebrating the magic of collaboration and the parallels between symphonic music ensembles and medical innovation.
The orchestra also found itself at the center of some of Colorado’s biggest cultural moments. Musicians performed at the first kit reveal for Denver’s new National Women’s Soccer League club, the Summit, at Denver’s Union Station and later performed the National Anthem at the club’s inaugural home match at Empower Field at Mile High, played before the largest crowd in NWSL history. Colorado sports fans also saw the symphony featured in the Colorado Avalanche’s pregame entrance video, with the orchestra performing Grieg’s iconic In the Hall of the Mountain King as part of the team’s dramatic pregame presentation.
The season concluded with a fitting reflection on transformation and renewal. Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” brought musicians, chorus members, and audiences together for a powerful season finale that explored themes of perseverance, hope, and rebirth.
Those themes resonated far beyond the concert hall.
As downtown Denver continues its own resurgence and the Colorado Symphony enters a new era under Peter Oundjian’s leadership, Mahler’s vision of renewal felt especially meaningful. The work’s message mirrored the story of the organization itself: an orchestra building on its rich history while embracing a future filled with possibility.
The final notes of Mahler’s masterpiece were not the end of the season’s story, however. They were followed by two extraordinary performances of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Ford Amphitheater, providing a spectacular capstone to a year filled with unforgettable moments.
Taken together, the 2025/26 Season honored the Colorado Symphony’s past while boldly charting its future. It was a year of artistic achievement, philanthropic generosity, civic investment, and growing national recognition. Most importantly, it was a testament to what can be achieved when a community believes in the power of live symphonic music to inspire and unite humanity.
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