St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s April concert calendar includes Brahms, Batman, and two nights of choral music

(March 4, 2025, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced details of its April concert calendar, which includes classical performances of music by Johannes Brahms, Antonín Dvořák, and Jean Sibelius; Batman in Concert; and chamber and choral performances.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.  A full concert calendar is available at slso.org or on the SLSO’s mobile app (available for iOS or Android).

While the transformational expansion and renovation of Powell Hall continues, the SLSO will perform April concerts at the Stifel Theatre (April 4 and 6, 26-27), the Pulitzer Arts Foundation (April 8), the Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (April 11-13), and The Sheldon (April 24). Shuttle service will be available for all classical concerts starting at $15 per seat. Shuttles for performances at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at UMSL will depart from Plaza Frontenac and free parking is available on the UMSL campus. Shuttles for Stifel Theatre will depart from Plaza Frontenac and St. Louis Community College–Forest Park. 

The SLSO recently announced its 2025/2026 season returning to Powell Hall at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. Learn more about this celebratory season at slso.org/season.

Batman in Concert
Friday, April 4, 7:00pm CDT
Sunday, April 6, 2:00pm CDT
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Norman Huynh, conductor

Danny Elfman Batman

Batman in Concert brings the legendary tale of the Caped Crusader to life as the SLSO performs Danny Elfman’s score live with the 1989 film. Tim Burton’s iconic take on Batman features memorable performances by Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Basinger. Guests are encouraged to dress up as their favorite DC superhero. Batman has a PG-13 rating and runs for approximately two hours. 

Live at the Pulitzer: Come Closer
Tuesday, April 8, 7:30pm CDT

Pulitzer Arts Foundation
3716 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63108

Andrea Jarrett, violin
Jennifer Humphreys, cello
Andrew Cuneo, bassoon
Peter Henderson, piano

Errollyn Wallen Dervish (First SLSO performance)
Wang Lu Rates of Extinction (First SLSO performance)
Eleanor Alberga No Man’s Land Lullaby (First SLSO performance)
John Fitz Rogers Come Closer (First SLSO performance)

Chamber music curated by composer Christopher Stark in response to exhibitions on view at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation.

Soloists from the SLSO take center stage in the final Live at the Pulitzer chamber music program of the 24/25 season. The program features an international roster of composers from Belize, China, Jamaica, and the United States, with music revolving around themes of interconnectedness. Eleanor Alberga muses on the lullaby’s generational transmission, while Errollyn Wallen composes trance-like dance rhythms and melodies. Wang Lu contemplates our relationship with the planet and other species; and finally, John Fitz Rogers’ virtuosic work shows off the bassoon in rapid, knit-like patterns. The Live at the Pulitzer series is an exploration of the ties between visual and aural media, with a focus on music created by composers of today.

Brahms’ Violin Concerto: Friendship and Solace
Friday, April 11, 10:30am CDT*
Saturday, April 12, 7:30pm CDT
Sunday, April 13, 3:00pm CDT
Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis 
1 Touhill Circle, St. Louis, MO 63121 

John Storgårds, conductor
Francesca Dego, violin (SLSO debut)

Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto
Jean Sibelius Lemminkäinen Suite (Four Legends from the Kalevala) (First complete SLSO performances)

*Coffee Concert series supported by Lutheran Senior Services. Refreshments provided by Kaldi’s Coffee and Eddie’s Southtown Donuts.

John Storgårds, a frequent guest conductor of the SLSO, returns to lead two monumental symphonic works. Violinist Francesca Dego performs Brahms’ Violin Concerto, a tour-de-force for the soloist and orchestra filled with humanity, speaking of pain and joy, solace and companionship. The Lemminkäinen Suite by Jean Sibelius celebrates a Finnish folk hero as he journeys far and wide.

St. Louis Symphony Chorus in Concert: A Celebration of Voice 
Friday, April 11, 7:30pm CDT
Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis 
1 Touhill Circle, St. Louis, MO 63121 

Erin Freeman, conductor
Gail Hintz, piano
Musicians from the SLSO
St. Louis Symphony Chorus | Erin Freeman, director

Roderick Williams O Guiding Night
Benjamin Britten “Lenten is Come” from Sacred and Profane, op. 91
Maurice Ravel “Three beautiful birds of Paradise” from Trois chansons
Kevin Puts If I Were a Swan
Reena Esmail when the violin
W.A. Mozart Ave verum corpus, K. 618
Ludwig van Beethoven Elegiac song, op. 118
G.F. Handel “Gloria Patri” from Dixit Dominus (Psalm 110), HWV 232

Choral music performed with instrumental accompaniment.

The St. Louis Symphony Chorus is the star for a concert highlighting a variety of styles, and previews the music of composers featured in the SLSO’s upcoming 25/26 season. Chorus soloists, a cappella performances, and intimate string accompaniments come together in a spectacular showcase that offers a unique glimpse into future performances. Roderick Williams’ lush, evocative O Guiding Night opens the evening that features the chorus’ extraordinary sound in a journey through music by Benjamin Britten, Maurice Ravel, W.A. Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Reena Esmail, and Kevin Puts. This special pay-as-you-wish event offers a stirring evening of sound and a unique opportunity to hear this magnificent chorus perform a variety of engaging styles—all in one night. 

Live at The Sheldon: Wind and Water
Thursday, April 24, 7:30pm CDT
The Sheldon
3648 Washington Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63108

Jelena Dirks, curator and oboe
Peter Henderson, curator and piano
Jennifer Nitchman, flute
Tzuying Huang, clarinet
Julia Paine, bassoon
Tod Bowermaster, horn

Gilles Silvestrini Hôtel des Roches noires à Trouville (after Claude Monet’s 1870 painting) from Six Etudes for Solo Oboe (First SLSO performance)
Maurice Ravel Jeux d’eau  (First SLSO performance)
Cécile Chaminade Six Pièces Romantiques (First SLSO performance)
Camille Saint-Saëns Sonata for Oboe and Piano (First SLSO performance)
Peter Henderson Chanson for Oboe and Piano (First SLSO performance)
Florent Schmitt Sonatine en trio for Flute, Clarinet, and Piano (First SLSO performance)
Yeoll Tewolde New Work (World premiere)
Francis Poulenc Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet

Chamber music curated by Jelena Dirks (Principal Oboe) and Peter Henderson (Principal Keyboard).
Sponsored by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. Welcomed by Classic 107.3.

Music for the oboe and piano paint a picture of the windswept French coast in the final Live at The Sheldon chamber music concert of the 24/25 season. Gilles Silvestrini’setude conjures the breezes of Claude Monet’s windy day at the beach. The movement of fountains and springs can be heard in Maurice Ravel’s Jeux d’eaux (Water Games), a delightful four-hands piano composition by Cécile Chaminade, and the dazzling virtuosity of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Sonata for Oboe and Piano. Flute, clarinet, bassoon, and horn join in, concluding with Francis Poulenc’s overflowing Sextet. Live at The Sheldon is curated by SLSO musicians, a remarkable evening that demonstrates the virtuosity of orchestra members on multiple fronts.

Dvořák’s Cello Concerto: Radiant Warmth
Saturday, April 26, 7:30pm CDT
Sunday, April 27, 3:00pm CDT
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Ruth Reinhardt, conductor (SLSO debut)
Andrei Ioniță, cello (SLSO debut)

Grażyna Bacewicz Concerto for Strings (First SLSO performances)
Paul Hindemith Mathis der Maler Symphony
Antonín Dvořák Cello Concerto

Rising conductor Ruth Reinhardt makes her SLSO debut in a program that burns with radiance. Warmth emanates from Paul Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler Symphony, a statement of defiance in troubled times. Longing sings through the unforgettable melodies of Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, performed by rising star Andrei Ioniță in his SLSO debut. Soulful darkness touches the SLSO’s strings in Grażyna Bacewicz’s long-forgotten Concerto for Strings.

St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus Annual Community Concert
Sunday, April 27, 7:00pm CDT
Greater Grace Church
3690 Pershall Road, Ferguson, MO 63135

Kevin McBeth, conductor
Dr. André Thomas, conductor
St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus | Kevin McBeth, director

Dello Thedford “Shout for Joy”
Rollo Dilworth  “Justice”
Florence Price “Praise the Lord”
Margaret Allison Bonds  St. Francis Prayer
Zanaida Stewart Robles Veni Sancte Spiritus
André J. Thomas  “Get On Board Little Children”
Moses Hogan  “We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace”
André J. Thomas  “Agnus Dei” from Mass

The St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus presents a free community concert at Greater Grace Church, featuring music by Margaret Bonds, Rollo Dilworth, Moses Hogan, Florence Price, and more. An inspiring blend of faith, music, this annual concert features guest conductor Dr. André Thomas, Assistant Artist of the London Symphony. No tickets are needed but RSVPs are requested at slso.org. Seating is general admission and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Supported by Bayer Fund.

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