Press Releases

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | July 2, 2024 — The Kansas City Symphony is pleased to announce the addition of two fundraising leaders to guide the Symphony’s Philanthropy department. Lydia Allen assumes the Vice President of Philanthropy role on August 5. Allen, coming to the Symphony from KU Endowment, secured major, principal, and planned gifts for the University of Kansas School of Medicine and The University of Kansas Health System. She also led community engagement and philanthropy activities for the KU Advancement Board, composed of civic, business, and community leaders from across the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Allen has extensive experience not only in philanthropy leadership, but also in supporting nonprofit arts organizations and artists through her prior work with ArtsKC, as well as direct experience with symphony orchestra fundraising at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She also is an amateur French horn player.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Kansas City Symphony team,” said Allen. “This is the orchestra I grew up being inspired by as a middle and high school musician, and have continued enjoying with my family as a returning Kansas Citian. I look forward to leading the talented team of philanthropy professionals who partner each day with passionate donors to lift up our Kansas City community, celebrate the human experience, and transform lives through music.”

Also joining the KC Symphony staff is new Director of Philanthropy, Megan Hanna.  Hanna’s former position at KU Endowment saw her focused on raising major gifts by developing and implementing strategies that encouraged gifts of both income and planned giving. At the Kansas City Symphony, Hanna will be instrumental in advancing the continued growth of the Symphony’s fundraising abilities. Megan is not only a talented fundraiser, but also a musician, educator, and entrepreneur.

Megan Hanna is enthusiastic and eager to have a pivotal role at the Symphony. “I’ve had a life-long connection with our Kansas City Symphony, and now it brings me joy to support this impactful mission for our community. Through meaningful conversations and connections, my aim is to strengthen our bonds with fellow Kansas Citians.”

“I am delighted to welcome both Lydia and Megan to the KC Symphony family,” said the Kansas City Symphony’s President and CEO, Danny Beckley. “We have searched extensively for exceptional leaders who possess skills, experience, and energy. We are excited for the community to meet both of them.”

About the Kansas City Symphony
Founded in 1982 by R. Crosby Kemper, Jr., the Kansas City Symphony has risen to rank among the top 25 orchestras in the United States. In our 42-week season, we present a diverse repertoire of orchestral and chamber music at Helzberg Hall, located in the prestigious Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Under the direction of Michael Stern for 19 years, the Symphony achieved artistic excellence, critical acclaim, and national recognition. We eagerly anticipate the arrival of conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher as our new music director, known for leading world-class orchestras and opera companies. Comprising 80 full-time musicians from around the world, our Symphony Chorus, led by Charles Bruffy, frequently joins them on stage. Season after season, we feature soloists from various genres, bringing a diverse range of musical experiences to our audience.

Beyond traditional performances, we extend our reach across the Kansas City metro region with our portable stage, the Mobile Music Box. As the proud orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, we continue to enrich the community through music. Whether captivating audiences at the Kauffman Center, on the Mobile Music Box, or at community events like Bank of America Celebration at the Station, the Symphony remains dedicated to enriching the lives of all Kansas City residents and visitors through the transformative power of music. For more information, visit kcsymphony.org.

Sunday, June 23 at 2pm CDT
medici.tv is the world’s leading classical music channel

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | June 18, 2024 — The Kansas City Symphony has partnered with medici.tv to stream Michael Stern’s final concert as Music Director of the orchestra, concluding his 19-year tenure. The Symphony’s first-ever Medici live stream will take place on Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 2 p.m. CDT, bringing this renowned American orchestra to a worldwide audience. The program, “Stern’s Farewell with Sibelius and Barber” is comprised of three masterworks that are part of the fabric of Stern’s long connection with the Kansas City Symphony musicians: Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Barber’s First Symphony; and Sibelius’ Second Symphony. The concert has no soloist by design; the focus is on the remarkable partnership of the Orchestra and its longtime conductor.

Mendelssohn’s Overture was the first work that Stern ever rehearsed with the orchestra when he was invited to the Music Director search process with the Kansas City Symphony, so this piece brings his nearly two-decade tenure full circle. Stern has long championed American composers and has made commissioning new music, especially by American composers, a priority. Stern told the Kansas City Star, “The Barber is very forward looking, but it’s also rooted in the past. Barber owed a tremendous debt to the Sibelius Seventh Symphony when he wrote that piece.” Among the many critically acclaimed recordings that Stern and the KCS released on Reference Recordings, the disc that included the Barber First Symphony, along with the Sibelius Seventh and the Scriabin Poem of Ecstasy, was a standout release. Anchoring the program is Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, composed in 1901, following his anthem to his homeland, “Finlandia.” “It is such a powerful statement of how music can have an effect in the world,” Stern told the Star. “Sibelius basically changed the hearts and minds of an entire nation. This second symphony was like a rallying cry for the Finnish people at a moment when they were resisting Russian aggression, which is pertinent for our times. It’s one of the most extraordinarily powerful and beautiful pieces ever and a piece close to my heart.”

About the live stream, Stern said, “The global platform and wide reach of medici.tv is without equal, and it is a very special opportunity for the Kansas City Symphony to share so widely our very last performance together in my time as Music Director. The artistic evolution of the Symphony has been nothing short of transformational. I love the fact that a sizable international audience will have the chance to hear for themselves what our committed music lovers in Kansas City know first-hand: that the dedication, cohesive spirit, and artistic excellence of the KCS musicians has been the key to our many successes over the course of these past two decades. And it explains the profound cultural impact that the KCS has had for music and the arts across our city and beyond.”

The concert stream will be freely accessible on the medici.tv platform for 90 days. After that, it will remain available to medici.tv subscribers for three years. The live broadcast will appear on the homepage of medici.tv on Sunday, June 23 at 2 p.m. Central Daylight Time (12 pm PDT; 3 pm EDT; 9pm CET). Once live, viewers also may find the broadcast by searching “Kansas City Symphony” on the medici.tv platform.

About medici.tv
medici.tv is the global leader in classical music video streaming and brings live classical music to passionate fans worldwide. As the largest online platform for classical music, it offers over 150 live performances throughout the year and the world’s largest VOD catalog of more than 4,000 videos of concerts, ballets, operas, jazz programs, documentaries, master classes, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, streamed in High Definition. medici.tv is available on all your screens- TV (via Airplay, Chromecast or Roku), computer, tablet, and smartphone.

About Michael Stern
Conductor Michael Stern has long been devoted to building and leading highly acclaimed orchestras known not only for their impeccable musicianship and creative programming, but also for collaborative, sustainable cultures that often include a vision of music as service to the community. Stern currently holds three Music Director positions: with the Kansas City Symphony, where he concludes his 19-year tenure on June 23, 2024; with the National Repertory Orchestra, a summer music festival in Breckenridge, CO; and with Orchestra Lumos (formerly the Stamford Symphony). Stern also serves as Artistic Advisor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. And he served for 22 years as founding Artistic Director of Iris Orchestra in Germantown, Tennessee, which continues now as the Iris Collective.

As part of his ongoing activities to engage and mentor young musicians, he was asked by Yo-Yo Ma to be the Music Director of YMCG, Youth Music Culture Guangdong; he was also invited to the National Orchestral Institute, Music Academy of the West, and has been a regular guest at the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Stern’s illustrious American conducting engagements have included the Boston, Chicago and Atlanta Symphonies; the New York Philharmonic; and the Minnesota Orchestra. Stern has also served as guest conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Internationally, he has led major orchestras in London, Stockholm, Paris, Helsinki, Budapest, Israel, Moscow, Taiwan, and Tokyo. He was Chief Conductor of Germany’s Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre National de Lyon and the Orchestre National de Lille, both in France.

Stern earned a degree in American History from Harvard University before attending the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where his primary teacher was the noted conductor and scholar Max Rudolf.

About the Kansas City Symphony
Founded in 1982 by R. Crosby Kemper, Jr., the Kansas City Symphony has risen to rank among the top 25 orchestras in the United States. The orchestra is comprised of 80 full-time musicians from around the world; over a 42-week season, it presents a diverse repertoire of orchestral and chamber music at Helzberg Hall, located in the prestigious Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Season after season, the Kansas City Symphony features soloists from various genres, bringing a diverse range of musical experiences to its audience; the Symphony Chorus, led by Charles Bruffy, frequently joins them in performance.

Under the direction of Michael Stern for 19 years, the Symphony has achieved artistic excellence, critical acclaim, and national recognition. In July 2024, Stern will assume the title of Music Director Laureate, and the orchestra will begin a new chapter with the arrival of internationally known conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher as its new Music Director.

Beyond traditional performances, the Symphony extends its reach across the Kansas City metro region with its portable stage, the Mobile Music Box. As the proud orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, the Symphony continues to enrich the community through music. Whether captivating audiences at the Kauffman Center, on the Mobile Music Box, or at community events like Celebration at the Station, the Symphony remains dedicated to enriching the lives of all Kansas City residents and visitors through the transformative power of music. For more information, visit kcsymphony.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Barker
(816) 218-2626 or jbarker@kcsymphony.org

Happening Wednesday, June 5 at 6:30PM at Parade Park, near 18^th & Vine

 KANSAS CITY, Mo. | June 5, 2024 — The Kansas City Symphony is excited to announced cellist Yo-Yo Ma will join Symphony string musicians and young musicians participating in the Harmony Project for a special free Mobile Music Box concert in Kansas City’s Parade Park on Wednesday, June 5 starting at 6:30PM. Parade Park is located at 1600 E. 17^th Terrace (Truman Road and Woodland Avenue, in the 18^th and Vine neighborhood). The Symphony thanks Hallmark for helping to make this event possible

The Symphony also welcomes youth musicians from the Harmony Project, a mission of the Northeast Community Center. The Harmony Project utilizes the universal language of music to develop young musicians and minds, partnering with families, while building community in Kansas City. HPKC students will perform two short pieces by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.

Kansas City Symphony string players are set to perform works by Mendelssohn and Dvorak. Yo-Yo Ma will then join the combined groups for Bernstein’s “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide and a nod to KC with “Kansas City, Here I Come.” KC Symphony musicians participating:

Jun Iwasaki and Tamamo Gibbs, violin
MingYu Hsu, viola
Mark Gibbs, cello

Persons wishing to attend this free and casual concert experience may bring blankets and folding chairs for seating. For parking details and a concert area map, please click HERE.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Barker
(816) 218-2626 or jbarker@kcsymphony.org

So many things to see, hear, do and eat!

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | May 15, 2024 — Start the day early at Bank of America Celebration at the Station. The KC Symphony’s free concert event takes place on Sunday, May 26, 2024 on the South Plaza of Union Station Kansas City and the North Lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial – both near Pershing Road and Main Street, just south of Downtown Kansas City, Mo.

The grounds open at 3 p.m., with more than 20 food trucks beginning service at 4 p.m. and live entertainment on the Main Stage starting at 5 p.m.

4PM: FOOD TRUCKS

• 2Hot2Handle BBQ KC
• Krazy Crepes
• Coco Loco Grill
• Hawaii Ice
• Irvzilla’s Hawaiian Grill
• Jerusalem Cafe
• K&C Concessions
• KC Fooditude
• KC Whip and Company
• KC Poppers II
• Kona Ice
• La Hamburguesa Loca
• Mama Doe’s Ice Cream
• Nutty Bavarian & Fresh Fruit Smashers
• Scimeca’s and Sugar Daddy’s Lemonade
• Taste of Brazil
• The Food Spot
• The Hungry Hatch
• Twisted Taters
• Weenies & Paninis

4PM: VENDORS AND BOOTHS INCLUDING THE VETERANS PLACE
SPONSORED BY KANSAS CITY NATIONAL SECURITY CAMPUS – MANAGED BY HONEYWELL FM&T.

• Volkswagen
• 314 Novelties (Light-up toys, bubbles, etc)
• Charlie 22 Outdoors
• Kansas City VA Medical Center
• St. Michael’s Veterans Center
• Renewal by Andersen
• Warriors’ Ascent
• Veterans Community Project Kansas City
• The Battle Within
• Spencer C. Duncan Make It Count Foundation

5PM: MAIN STAGE PRE-CONCERT ENTERTAINMENT

• A La Mode begins at 5 p.m.
• Roots in Blue Air Force Band begins at 6 p.m.

7PM: PRE-SHOW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND WELCOMES

8PM: THE PATRIOTIC CONCERT PROGRAM BEGINS

Music Director Michael Stern leads the Kansas City Symphony performing iconic patriotic works by John Williams, Aaron Copland and John Phillip Sousa, plus crowd favorites Armed Forces Salute and the 1812 Overture with live cannons. Jim Birdsall is once again your host. The grand finale features a stunning fireworks display accompanied by your Kansas City Symphony. This year’s concert marks the final under the direction of Music Director Michael Stern. Don’t miss this special event as we mark the end of an era.

Can’t make it to the event? Watch live on Kansas City PBS, Channel 19.1.

The Kansas City Symphony is privileged to again partner with Union Station and the National WWI Museum and Memorial, who each will have their own Memorial Day Weekend activities and special exhibitions within their venues. We also thank the City of Kansas City, Missouri and its Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and many other community supporters.

Paid parking for the event is available in multiple surface lots and garages around the event site, including Union Station’s West Yards garage. Attendees may also park anywhere along Downtown KC’s streetcar route and ride the streetcar directly to Union Station.

Your safety is always our priority.

As always, the Kansas City Symphony and our partners are making detailed safety plans for the event site, which involve local law enforcement and multiple federal agencies.

For the latest event information, be sure to visit CelebrationAtTheStation.org.

About the Kansas City Symphony
Founded in 1982 by R. Crosby Kemper Jr. and a group of passionate music lovers, the Kansas City Symphony has rocketed to become one of the top 25 orchestras in the United States. During our 42-week season, we perform a huge range of orchestral and chamber music in our performance home, Helzberg Hall, at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The musicians of the Symphony also perform throughout the Kansas City metro region on our portable stage, the Mobile Music Box, and we serve as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Michael Stern, the Symphony’s music director, is finishing a 19-year tenure marked by artistic ascent, critical acclaim, and national recognition for the orchestra. Starting in July 2024, we will welcome conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher as his successor. Matthias regularly conducts many of the world’s best orchestras and opera companies and ranks as one of the world’s foremost composers of orchestral music.

Your Symphony includes 80 full-time musicians from around the world who call Kansas City home. Frequently joining them onstage is the 160-voice Symphony Chorus led by Charles Bruffy. Every season, dozens of soloists perform with us — instrumentalists, singer/songwriters, tribute rock bands, even aerial artists. We also accompany your favorite films, playing the soundtrack live as the movie is projected on Helzberg Hall’s giant screen. Between our concerts at the Kauffman Center, performances on the Mobile Music Box, and community events like Bank of America Celebration at the Station, the Symphony aspires to serve all of Kansas City through music. We belong to you, and to your neighbors, and all the people you see throughout the community.

Music connects us: it has the unique ability to draw us closer to our inner selves and also closer to one another, transcending our differences. Every Symphony concert will take you on an emotional journey — a journey that’s deeply personal but also a journey that we all experience together as one. We are your Kansas City Symphony. Visit kcsymphony.org for more information.

We Remember our Fallen, We Celebrate our Freedom

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | April 17, 2024 — It’s Kansas City’s favorite Memorial Day tradition and the perfect way to kick-off summer! Join the Kansas City Symphony and Kansas City PBS for the twentieth Bank of America Celebration at the Station. The Symphony’s free concert event takes place on Sunday, May 26, 2024 on the South Plaza of Union Station Kansas City and the North Lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial – both near Pershing Road and Main Street, just south of Downtown Kansas City, Mo.

The festivities begin at 5 p.m. and include more than 20 food trucks, live pre-concert entertainment on the main stage, plus various vendors and booths in the Veterans Place, sponsored by Kansas City National Security Campus – managed by Honeywell FM&T.

Then, starting at 8 p.m., Music Director Michael Stern leads the Kansas City Symphony performing iconic patriotic works by John Williams, Aaron Copland and John Phillip Sousa, plus crowd favorites Armed Forces Salute and the 1812 Overture with live cannons. The grand finale features a stunning fireworks display accompanied by your Kansas City Symphony. This year’s concert marks the final under the direction of Music Director Michael Stern. Don’t miss this special event as we mark the end of an era.

Can’t make it to the event? Watch live on Kansas City PBS, Channel 19.1.

The Kansas City Symphony is privileged to again partner with Union Station and the National WWI Museum and Memorial, who each will have their own Memorial Day Weekend activities and special exhibitions within their venues. We also thank the City of Kansas City, Missouri and its Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and many other community supporters.

Paid parking for the event is available in multiple surface lots and garages around the event site, including Union Station’s West Yards garage. Attendees may also park anywhere along Downtown KC’s streetcar route and ride the streetcar directly to Union Station.

Your safety is always our priority

As always, the Kansas City Symphony and our partners are making detailed safety plans for the event site, which involve local law enforcement and multiple federal agencies.

For the latest event information, be sure to visit CelebrationAtTheStation.org.

About the Kansas City Symphony
Founded in 1982 by R. Crosby Kemper Jr. and a group of passionate music lovers, the Kansas City Symphony has rocketed to become one of the top 25 orchestras in the United States. During our 42-week season, we perform a huge range of orchestral and chamber music in our performance home, Helzberg Hall, at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The musicians of the Symphony also perform throughout the Kansas City metro region on our portable stage, the Mobile Music Box, and we serve as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of
Kansas City. Michael Stern, the Symphony’s music director, is finishing a 19-year tenure marked by artistic ascent, critical acclaim, and national recognition for the orchestra. Starting in July 2024, we will welcome conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher as his successor. Matthias regularly conducts many of the world’s best orchestras and opera companies and ranks as one of the world’s foremost composers of orchestral music.

Your Symphony includes 80 full-time musicians from around the world who call Kansas City home. Frequently joining them onstage is the 160-voice Symphony Chorus led by Charles Bruffy. Every season, dozens of soloists perform with us — instrumentalists, singer/songwriters, tribute rock bands, even aerial artists. We also accompany your favorite films, playing the soundtrack live as the movie is projected on Helzberg Hall’s giant screen. Between our concerts at the Kauffman Center, performances on the Mobile Music Box, and community events like Bank of America Celebration at the Station, the Symphony aspires to serve all of Kansas City through music. We belong to you, and to your neighbors, and all the people you see throughout the community.

Music connects us: it has the unique ability to draw us closer to our inner selves and also closer to one another, transcending our differences. Every Symphony concert will take you on an emotional journey — a journey that’s deeply personal but also a journey that we all experience together as one. We are your Kansas City Symphony. Visit kcsymphony.org for more information.

Concerts include the Musikfest Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie, the Concertgebouw, and Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | February 27, 2024 — The Kansas City Symphony proudly announces its first-ever European concert tour in August 2024, marking a significant milestone in the orchestra’s 42-year history. Led by the Symphony’s incoming Music Director, Matthias Pintscher, the orchestra will be presented by Amsterdam’s storied Concertgebouw, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, and one of the most prominent music festivals in Europe – Musikfest Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie.

MEDIA ALERT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – January 30, 2024 — The Kansas City Symphony regrettably announced today that violinist Pamela Frank, scheduled to perform Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the orchestra this weekend, cannot travel to Kansas City as she has tested positive for an acute COVID-19 infection.

The Kansas City Symphony is changing the program slightly and will replace Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with Beethoven’s beloved Symphony No. 5. The concerts will continue to feature Kansas City composer Shelley Washington’s sonic piece Both, co-commissioned by the Symphony.

We wish Ms. Frank a speedy recovery and look forward to making music with her in the future.

To purchase tickets for this Friday, Saturday and Sundays’ concerts, February 2, 3 and 4,  please visit us online at kcsymphony.org or call (816) 471-0400, weekdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

kcsymphony.org

Media Contact:
Jeff Barker
(816) 218-2626
jbarker@kcsymphony.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | January 8, 2024 — The Kansas City Symphony announces the collaboration of Kansas City’s own hip hop star, Tech N9ne, together with your Kansas City Symphony on Saturday, May 4 at 8PM at the historic Midland Theatre in Downtown Kansas City, Mo.

Out of the Midwest, Tech N9ne broke all of the rules, subverted expectations, dumbfounded the system, and set a precedent for hip-hop and independent music often imitated (but never duplicated) by generations to follow. At the helm of his own Strange Music proudly based in Kansas City, MO since 2000, he has personally notched four platinum singles, eleven gold singles, and two gold albums. As a whole, the Strange Music catalog also houses 23 RIAA gold and platinum records. Representing the underground, Tech is practically “a regular” on the Forbes Cash Kings list. Beyond gracing the cover of XXL, the stage of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and making an appearance on GMA3, he notably performed to 1 million-plus at the parade for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory. He holds down the record for “most Top 10 albums” on the Billboard Rap Chart and staked a spot in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 four times.

After three decades in the game, the rapper landed “the biggest hit of his career” with 2021’s “Face Off” featuring Joey Cool, King Iso, and none other than megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Tech N9ne continued his journey in 2023 with the acclaimed BLISS, and then closed out the year by being awarded with a proclamation in Kansas City, MO and being the 1st hip hop artist in the 94-year history of the Country Club Plaza holiday lighting ceremony to flip the switch to kick off the Kansas City Christmas season! Together with your Kansas City Symphony, this incredible evening of music with Tech N9ne will be like no other.

TICKETS:

• Call (816) 471-0400, Monday-Friday, 10AM-5PM
• Visit kcsymphony.org
• In-person at Shirley Bush Helzberg Symphony House, 1644 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, MO 64108

About the Kansas City Symphony
Founded in 1982, the Kansas City Symphony has established itself as a major force in the cultural life of the community. Praised for performances of uncompromising standard, the orchestra is the largest in the region and enjoys a national reputation under the artistic leadership of Music Director Michael Stern. The Symphony performs more than 130 concerts each year, reaching more than 250,000 community members. The Symphony welcomes guests of international acclaim as part of its Classical and Pops series and serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

Complementing its full schedule of concerts, the Symphony enriches the lives of Kansas City residents by providing music education opportunities for children and adults, such as KinderKonzerts, Young People’s Concerts, an instrument petting zoo and concert comments. The Mobile Music Box, a popup stage created by the Symphony during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaches thousands of audience members each season with dozens of chamber music concerts throughout the Kansas City metro area.

The Symphony has released nine highly praised CDs to date with Reference Recordings. The latest release features one-movement symphonies by Samuel Barber, Jean Sibelius and Alexander Scriabin. The Symphony and Michael Stern also have recorded for the Naxos label. Kansas City’s new classical music radio station, 91.9 ClassicalKC, broadcasts Kansas City Symphony performances each week. For more information on the Symphony, please visit kcsymphony.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Barker
(816) 218-2626 or jbarker@kcsymphony.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | December 22, 2023 — The Kansas City Symphony has a schedule of exciting concerts in January and February 2024 – just what you need to chase away the winter blahs. From KC’s very own international mezzo-soprano star, cirque acrobats flying over the orchestra to the soundtrack of a classic opera, Mozart’s stylish melodies, and the awe-filled film featuring the Northern Lights, you and your family will find warmth and delight inside Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Kansas City, Mo. with your Kansas City Symphony musicians.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Barker
(816) 218-2626 or jbarker@kcsymphony.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | November 10, 2023 — The Kansas City Symphony is excited to perform a variety of live concerts during November and December at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Kansas City. From Mozart to The Muppets, your KC Symphony musicians have many special moments and memories in store. Concert tickets and Symphony gift certificates make great holiday gifts. The Symphony experience will be remembered and cherished by your friends and family. For tickets and gift certificates, call the Symphony Box Office at (816) 471-0400 today. You also may visit kcsymphony.org for details and tickets.

UPCOMING SYMPHONY CONCERTS INCLUDE:

Through the Lens: Mozart & Dvořák, November 24-26. The Kauffman Center comes alive on Thanksgiving Weekend with a multicultural music celebration led by guest conductor Paolo Bortolameolli. Enjoy Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 played by Zhu Wang, followed by Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7.

Handel’s Messiah, December 1-3. Joined by exquisite soloists and the Kansas City Symphony Chorus, Handel’s triumphant choral masterpiece, Messiah, will be presented by over 150 musicians in the acoustic precision of Helzberg Hall.

TubaChristmas 2023, Tuesday, December 5. Join us outdoors at Crown Center Square as we celebrate the holidays, tuba style! The concert at Noon is free to watch and enjoy. To perform, with rehearsal starting at 10:30AM, click here for details and the registration form.

The Muppet Christmas Carol™ in Concert, December 8-9. See the entire film with the musical score performed live by the KC Symphony. Kermit, Miss Piggy and the entire gang, along with Michael Caine as Scrooge, tell the classic Charles Dickens tale. Very few tickets remain, call (816) 471-0400 for availability.

Christmas Festival, December 14-17. Carols and songs of the season are presented by the orchestra, Symphony Chorus, Allegro Children’s Choirs of Kansas City and special guests – including Santa Claus!

Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas™ in Concert, December 21-24. Tim Burton’s celebrated film is shown in its entirety with the KC Symphony performing the darkly enchanting soundtrack live.

JANUARY CONCERTS ARE GREAT GIFT IDEAS:

Journey Home starring Joyce DiDonato, January 12-14. KC’s own international superstar mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato join Maestro Stern and the symphony for a dazzling evening of music. Inventive, poetic and lush.

Cirque Carmen: Troupe Vertigo, January 19-21. Witness stunning high-flying feats choreographed into Georges Bizet’s beloved opera score, Carmen. Your imagination will twist and soar as Cirque performers fly high over the orchestra! 

Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 and The Magic Flute, January 26-28. Our amazing concertmaster Jun Iwasaki takes a solo bow in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5, the pinnacle of elegance and refinement. Iwasaki’s incredible artistry meets Mozart’s gift for melody. Together with Mozart’s popular The Magic Flute and Erich Korngold’s Symphony in F-sharp, prepare for a stylish and thoroughly enjoyable program of music.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

• Kansas City’s Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund (NTDF)
• FORVIS
• UMB
• Helzberg Diamonds

TICKETS:

• Call (816) 471-0400, Monday-Friday, 10AM-5PM
• Visit kcsymphony.org
• In-person at Shirley Bush Helzberg Symphony House, 1644 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, MO  64108

About the Kansas City Symphony
Founded in 1982, the Kansas City Symphony has established itself as a major force in the cultural life of the community. Praised for performances of uncompromising standard, the orchestra is the largest in the region and enjoys a national reputation under the artistic leadership of Music Director Michael Stern. The Symphony performs more than 130 concerts each year, reaching more than 250,000 community members. The Symphony welcomes guests of international acclaim as part of its Classical and Pops series and serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

Complementing its full schedule of concerts, the Symphony enriches the lives of Kansas City residents by providing music education opportunities for children and adults, such as KinderKonzerts, Young People’s Concerts, an instrument petting zoo and concert comments. The Mobile Music Box, a popup stage created by the Symphony during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaches thousands of audience members each season with dozens of chamber music concerts throughout the Kansas City metro area.

The Symphony has released nine highly praised CDs to date with Reference Recordings. The latest release features one-movement symphonies by Samuel Barber, Jean Sibelius and Alexander Scriabin. The Symphony and Michael Stern also have recorded for the Naxos label. Kansas City’s new classical music radio station, 91.9 ClassicalKC, broadcasts Kansas City Symphony performances each week. For more information on the Symphony, please visit kcsymphony.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Barker
(816) 218-2626 or jbarker@kcsymphony.org