St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, special guests present the music of rock icon David Bowie in February 7 concert

(November 14, 2024, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) announced a new concert addition to its 2024/2025 season: BLACKSTAR SYMPHONY: The Music of David Bowie, February 7 at Stifel Theatre.

The concert is at 7:30pm, Friday, February 7. Tickets for the public go on sale Friday and may be purchased at slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.

BLACKSTAR SYMPHONY: The Music of David Bowie immerses audiences in the sonic tapestry of David Bowie’s final, critically acclaimed album, Blackstar, reimagined for full orchestra. The concert includes orchestral reimaginations of Blackstar performed in its entirety including “Lazarus,” “Blackstar,” “I Can’t Give Everything Away,” and more. The performance also includes hits from throughout Bowie’s 50-year career, including touchstones like “Space Oddity,” “Life on Mars,” and “Heroes.”

The SLSO will collaborate with the jazz quartet that recorded the Blackstar album alongside Bowie. Joining these acclaimed musicians are Bowie’s original bandmate and lifelong friend Gail Ann Dorsey who performed the iconic bass on Bowie and Queen’s Under Pressure as well as Tony Award-winner and Golden Globe nominee, John Cameron Mitchell. These musical forces combine to bring their electrifying take on the music of one of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. 

Donny McCaslin (Artistic Director, Co-Music Director) is best known as the saxophonist on Bowie’s last album, Blackstar. The noted composer and bandleader has released a dozen albums over his genre-defying, Grammy-nominated career. McCaslin began playing at age 12, and as a teenager, performed in his vibraphonist father’s band in Santa Cruz. Bowie saw McCaslin perform as soloist for the Maria Schneider Orchestra and brought in McCaslin’s progressive jazz quartet that came to define Blackstar‘s visionary stylistic fusion.

Tim Davies (Conductor, Orchestrator) is a Grammy-nominated and Annie-winning composer, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor. He is a respected lead orchestrator and regular conductor in studios from Los Angeles to London. His credits for film and television include La La Land, Free Guy, Frozen movies, both Ant-Man movies, and many others.

John Cameron Mitchell (Guest Artist) co-created the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch for which he won two Tony Awards, Best Director at Sundance, a Golden Globe nomination and a review from David Bowie: “John, you got it right.” He directed the films Shortbus (2006), Rabbit Hole (2010) and Neil Gaiman’s How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017). On TV he’s appeared in Girls, Shrill, The Good Fight, Netflix’s The Sandman, Apple’s upcoming City on Fire, and as Tiger King’s Joe Exotic in Peacock Channel’s Joe Vs Carole.

Gail Ann Dorsey (Vocalist) is known as one of David Bowie’s longest-serving bandmates as bassist and vocalist, recording, and touring the world many times over since 1995 to his untimely death 2016. She sang lead vocals live on the showstopper “Under Pressure,” taking the part originally recorded by Freddie Mercury. She has toured and recorded countless acts including Tears for Fears, Lenny Kravitz, Bryan Ferry, and served as bandleader for Gwen Stefani. Recently, she was a featured vocalist on albums by The National and Matt Berninger and has released three solo albums.

Calendar listing:
A musical masterpiece reborn with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. BLACKSTAR SYMPHONY celebrates David Bowie’s final, critically acclaimed album Blackstar—plus iconic Bowie songs like “Space Oddity,” “Life on Mars,” and “Heroes”—reimagined for orchestra and performed by the SLSO with the original Blackstar band and Bowie’s longtime collaborators.

Friday, February 7, 2025, 7:30pm CST
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Donny McCaslin, Artistic Director and saxophone
Tim Davies, conductor
John Cameron Mitchell, guest artist
Gail Ann Dorsey, vocals
David Poe, vocals
Tim Lefebvre, bass
Jason Lindner, keyboard
Nate Wood, drums

Program announced from the stage.