SLSO’s 2026/27 Season Showcases Virtuosic Violinists and a Homegrown Star

By Eric Dundon

From international prizewinners to a beloved member of its own artistic family, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra welcomes a roster of virtuosic violinists during its 2026/27 season. Throughout the season, audiences at Powell Hall will experience the instrument’s many voices— youthful brilliance, Romantic lyricism, contemporary urgency and Nordic intensity—through a lineup of soloists who span generations and continents. Each brings a distinct history and sound to St. Louis, promising a season rich in personality as well as artistry.

At age 16, Himari arrives in St. Louis as one of the most talked-about young violinists in the world. The Japanese prodigy makes her SLSO debut in November, performing Alexander Glazunov’s Violin Concerto—a lush, late-Romantic showpiece that unfolds in a seamless arc of soaring melody and glittering technique.

Though new to the SLSO stage, Himari has already drawn attention for her poise and musical maturity well beyond her years. Glazunov’s concerto, with its singing lines and dazzling cadenzas, offers the ideal canvas for her expressive tone and technical command, setting the tone for a season that embraces both youth and artistry. She makes her SLSO debut on November 28-29, 2026.

Few violinists combine refinement and emotional depth as consistently as James Ehnes. The Grammy Award-winning Canadian returns to Powell Hall on January 8-10, 2027, to perform Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, one of the most beloved concertos in the repertoire.

Ehnes has built a longstanding relationship with orchestras across North America, and his appearances in St. Louis have consistently been marked by elegance and insight. Bruch’s concerto—famous for its sweeping opening and rhapsodic slow movement—suits Ehnes’s burnished sound and lyrical phrasing, promising a performance of both power and intimacy. Ehnes returns to collaborate with Music Director Stéphane Denève in these performances, reprising a partnership that spawned the release of an album of music for violin with orchestra by Leonard Bernstein and John Williams in April 2024.

A genre-crossing artist known for redefining what a classical violinist can be, Charles Yang brings a vibrant modern energy to the SLSO season. He will perform For a Younger Self by Kris Bowers with the SLSO on January 16-17, 2027, a concerto that blends cinematic sweep with deeply personal reflection.

Yang’s artistry bridges classical precision and contemporary storytelling. Bowers’ concerto—introspective yet rhythmically alive—allows Yang to explore a sound world that speaks directly to today’s audiences, reinforcing the orchestra’s commitment to living composers and evolving traditions.

Danish violinist and conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider returns to the SLSO on April 3-4, 2027, for Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, a towering work of passion and icy brilliance.

Szeps-Znaider’s previous appearances have revealed a commanding presence and a deeply considered musical voice. Sibelius’ concerto—with its windswept lyricism and fiery finale—aligns perfectly with his expansive tone and dramatic sensibility. He returns to the SLSO following moving performances of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in November 2025.

One of the most meaningful moments of the season comes when SLSO Associate Concertmaster Erin Schreiber steps into the spotlight for the world premiere of Christopher Stark’s Violin Concerto “Vesper Flights” on April 9-11, 2027.

A vital artistic leader within the orchestra, Schreiber has long shaped the ensemble’s sound from within. This premiere not only highlights her virtuosity but also underscores the orchestra’s investment in new music. The concerto promises a fresh addition to the repertoire—and a celebratory moment for St. Louis audiences watching one of their own take center stage.

Together, these five artists trace the violin’s journey from Romantic grandeur to contemporary exploration, ensuring that the 2026/27 season will sing—boldly and beautifully—from first note to last.

Eric Dundon is the SLSO’s Public Relations Director.