2025-2026 Season
3:00 Sunday
Classical Concerts
The Classics
Sunday, October 19 (in Sedona)
& Tuesday, October 21, 2025
(in Prescott)
Jon Nakamatsu, piano
William White, conductor
HANDEL Acis and Galatea Overture (arr. Mozart)
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1
HAYDN Symphony No. 99
Our season kicks off Jon Nakamatsu, truly a “pianists’ pianist,” performing Beethoven’s first concerto, a work that the composer created for himself to make a splash when he left his sleepy hometown of Bonn and took up residence in big city Vienna. Beethoven’s favorite composer was Handel, so we’ll open the season with one of the Baroque master’s indelible overtures (brought up-to-date by none other than Mozart), but it’s Papa Haydn — Beethoven’s teacher — who gets the final say with his mighty 99th symphony.
Mozart & Marimba
Sunday, November 23, 2025
Abby Fischer, marimba
William White, conductor
GALBRAITH Midnight Stirring
PUTS Marimba Concerto
PORPORA Carlo il Calvo Overture
MOZART Symphony No. 36 (“Linz”)
The marimba is a beautiful, fascinating instrument that doesn’t always get the spotlight, but in this concerto by the contemporary American composer Kevin Puts, we get to hear it in all its glory. The concert opens with Nancy Galbraith’s Midnight Stirring, another work that shows just how refreshing contemporary composition can be when a composer embraces a straightforward American sound. The second half of this concert takes us back to the classics, with music by the little known Italian composer Nicola Porpora (Haydn’s teacher) and the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart writing at the height of his powers.
The Romantics
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Sarah Schreffler, violin
Gabriel Martins, cello
William White, conductor
SCHUMANN, Clara Three Romances (arr. White)
SCHUMANN, Robert Cello Concerto
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3 (“Scottish”)
The first half of this program presents works by the husband-and-wife team of Robert and Clara Schumann presented side-by-side. Clara’s “Three Romances” for violin have been re-arranged for orchestral accompaniment by yours truly, and will be performed by the Sedona Symphony’s own concertmistress, Sarah Schreffler. For Robert Schumann’s cello concerto, we’ve got the great young cellist Gabriel Martins joining us — who, as luck would have it, has a strong Sedona connection!
Felix Mendelssohn was great friend of the Schumanns, and quite the Romantic himself. His journey to the far reaches of Scotland inspired this great travelogue symphony, infused with the sound of the highlands.
Discovery
Sunday, March 15, 2026
Jacqueline Rodenbeck, violin
William White, conductor
GLUCK Dance of the Furies
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto
CPE BACH Symphony in D W 183/1
JS BACH Orchestral Suite No. 3
Our soloist for this concert is Jacqueline Rodenbeck, a Tucson native and winner of the most recent Sphinx Concerto Competition. Jackie will perform one of the all-time favorite solo works in the repertoire, Felix Mendelssohn’s violin concerto. This concerto gets off to a fiery start, so appropriately enough, we’ll lead into it with Gluck’s “Dance of the Furies” from his opera Orpheus and Eurydice.
We have Felix Mendelssohn to thank not only for his great compositions, but also for his work championing the music of J. S. Bach, whose work was all but forgotten by the beginning of the 19th century. Certain musicians kept the flame alive though, including Bach’s most ingenious son, Carl Philip Emmanuel.
Saturday, April 18
7:00 pm
The Verde Valley Voices
Sedona Libero, vocalist
Desmond Siu, conductor
SMITH / KEY The Star-Spangled Banner
STILL Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American” mvmt. 3
RODGERS Oklahoma Medley
GERSHWIN Summertime
COPLAND “Old American Songs”
The Boatman’s Dance
Simple Gifts
I Bought Me a Cat
JOPLIN The Entertainer
BERNSTEIN West Side Story Overture
GROFE Grand Canyon Suite
Encores:
WARD / BATES “America the Beautiful”
SOUSA The Stars and Stripes Forever March
An all-American spectacular caps off the season as we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday. The best of our nation’s music is represented in this program, from jazz to ragtime to Broadway, crowned by Ferde Grofé’s grand symphonic masterwork, the Grand Canyon Suite, celebrating the amazing wonder of the natural world that’s right in our own backyard.
For this concert, the Symphony will be joined by singers from the Verde Valley Voices and Arizona native Sedona Libero in songs of Gershwin and Copland, plus a rousing singalong encore of “America the Beautiful.” Nate Meyers of the Sedona Historical Society will be on hand to talk about Northern Arizona’s place in our nation’s history.
POPS Concert:
America 250 Celebration
Ticket and Venue Information
The first four classical concerts in Sedona will be held on Sundays at 3:00 pm, while the final pops concert in Sedona will be held on Saturday at 7:00 pm. The October 21 concert in Prescott will be an evening concert at The Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center in Prescott, Arizona, presented in partnership with Yavapai Symphony Association.
All Sedona performances will be presented at the Sedona Performing Arts Center, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road in Sedona. The October 21 concert in Prescott will be presented at The Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center, 1100 E Sheldon Street, offering a promising new opportunity for Sedona Symphony to reach new audiences in a nearby market.
Sedona Symphony will release guest artist bios, full concert repertoire, and program notes via the organization’s website and email newsletter in late July, 2025. Season Tickets for 2025-2026 will be available for purchase beginning on September 1, 2025, with individual concert ticket sales beginning on September 15, 2025.
Sedona Symphony Fundraising Gala 2025
SEDONA SYMPHONY
FUNDRAISING GALA 2025:
A CELEBRATION OF CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY
Photos by Larry Kane
Advance Ticket Sales for the Fundraising Gala are closed at this time. A limited number of spaces may be available for on-site sale immediately before the event.
Board President Margaret Davis and Honorary Event Chair Al Vander Peut cordially invite you to Sedona Symphony’s Fundraising Gala 2025. The event will be held from 4:30pm to 7:00pm at Sedona Performing Arts Center, immediately following our Symphony Concert with Guest Pianist Lara Downes, who will be attending the Gala as our guest.
The Sedona Symphony Board of Trustees remains committed to keeping ticket prices affordable for our community at large, while also fairly compensating our musicians and guest artists for their exemplary efforts to bring our mission to life. Our Fundraising Gala is a cornerstone event in our efforts to secure charitable support for our mission.
Concert: Lara Downes, piano soloist
Janna Hymes, conductor
Lara Downes, piano soloist
Sunday, April 6, 2025—2:30pm
Tickets starting at $20
The 2024-2025 concert season concludes on April 6, 2025, with a dynamic performance by piano soloist Lara Downes. Known for her adventurous and genre-defying artistry, Downes will present Florence Price's Piano Concerto in One Movement, and Scott Joplin's Elite Syncopations, Maple Leaf Rag, and The Entertainer. Sedona Symphony will also perform Francis Poulenc's Sinfonietta.
-
Entertainer
-
Piano Concerto in One Movement
Lara Downes, piano -
Elite Syncopations
Lara Downes, piano
Maple Leaf Rag
Lara Downes, piano -
Sinfonietta
Concert: Tai Murray, violin
Janna Hymes, conductor
Tai Murray, violin
Sunday, February 2, 2025—2:30pm
Tickets starting at $20
Season Tickets Starting at $75
The third concert of the 2024-2025 concert season, on February 2, 2025, features violinist Tai Murray. Known for her elegance and refined playing, the concert will include Saint-George’s Overture to L’Amant anonyme, Mozart’s Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K 219, and Beethoven’s Symphony No.2, op.36 in D Major.
-
Overture to L’Amant anonyme
-
Concerto No. 5 in A major, K 219
Tai Murray, violin -
Symphony No. 2, op. 36, D major
Concert: Nicholas Canellakis, cello
Janna Hymes, conductor
Nicholas Canellakis, cello
Sunday, November 17, 2024—2:30pm
This event has ended
On November 17, 2024, cellist Nick Canellakis takes the stage. Canellakis, who has been lauded as a “superb young soloist” by The New Yorker, will perform Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme, op.33 and Dvorak's Silent Woods. In addition, the Sedona Symphony will present Beethoven's Egmont Overture and Bizet's Symphony No.1 in C Major.
-
Egmont Overture
-
Variations on a Rococo Theme, op. 33
Nick Canellakis, cello -
Silent Woods
Nick Canellakis, cello -
Symphony No. 1, C major
Concert: Mak Grgic, guitar
The Sedona Symphony presents its first concert of the season on October 20, 2024, with acclaimed guitarist Mak Grgic. Known for his powerful performances, Grgic will captivate audiences with Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez. The Sedona Symphony will also showcase Rossini's L’Italiana in Algeri Overture and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, (Italian), op. 90 in A major, to round out the program.
Friendraiser: Meet Mak Grgic, Grammy-Nominated Guitarist
An exclusive opportunity to meet Mak Grgic, Grammy-Nominated guitarist at this special Friendraiser event on 10/18 at 5:00pm. Experience the world of classical guitar and connect with fellow music enthusiasts over delightful refreshments and wine.
Sean Chen, piano
Janna Hymes, conductor
Sean Chen, piano
Sunday, October 15, 2023—2:30pm
This event has ended
The Sedona Symphony presents its first concert of the 2023-2024 concert season on October 15, 2023, with acclaimed pianist Sean Chen. Chen will captivate audiences with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20. The Sedona Symphony will also showcase Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and Dvořák’s Serenade for Winds.
-
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major BWV1048
[Allegro]
Adagio in E minor
Allegro -
Serenade for Winds in D minor, Op. 44
Moderato quasi Marcia
Minuetto - Tempo di minuetto
Andante con moto
Finale - Allegro Molto -
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K.466
Allegro
Romanze
Rondo, Allegro assai
Sean Chen, piano