Photos

Take a look back at the SLSO’s 2025

By Eric Dundon

2025 was a banner year in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s 146-year history with the reopening of the Jack C. Taylor Music Center following a two-year expansion and renovation of Powell Hall. From stunning performances of Grieg’s Peer Gynt and monumental symphonies by Brahms, Mahler, and Beethoven, to intimate chamber music concerts at The Sheldon and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, the SLSO continued to push the boundaries of symphonic music.

The reopening of Powell Hall at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center in the fall of 2025 was filled with extraordinary music, meaningful partnerships, and the unmistakable energy of a deeply engaged community. The SLSO reached deep into the St. Louis community, performing in schools, at Forest Park, and in other public spaces, sharing the life-affirming joy of music.

JANUARY – Accordionist Hanzhi Wang joins hands with composer Nina Shekhar following the world premiere of Shekhar’s Accordion Concerto at UMSL’s Touhill Performing Arts Center. Daniela Candillari led the premiere performance. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
JANUARY – SLSO violinist Jessica Cheng Hellwege performs in the women’s pod at the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton for the kick-off event of Melodies of Hope—a partnership program that brought music lessons to residents at the center. “From a performer’s perspective, it isn’t any different from any concert I’ve played my entire career. The only difference is that incarcerated people don’t have the regular access to live music,” Hellwege said. (Photo by Eric Dundon)
JANUARY – A spotlight illuminates soloists at the Stifel Theatre during a performance of Beethoven x Beyoncé, a crossover event coalescing the music of the two icons. Stifel served as one of the SLSO’s primary homes during the nomadic 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
FEBRUARY – Awash in the glow of orange, the SLSO gives the world premiere of Anna Clyne’s PALETTE, a multi-media piece that incorporated visual art that influenced the mood and tone of each of the piece’s seven movements. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
FEBRUARY – Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher-turned-musician Adam Wainwright gestures to the audience, guitar in hand. The February 22 baseball-themed concert was Wainwright’s first collaboration with an orchestra in the city that made him a World Series winner. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
MARCH – Gemma New, the SLSO’s former Resident Conductor, leads the orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Chorus in Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9 to a nearly sold-out crowd. (Photo by Jon Gitchoff)
MARCH – SLSO Associate Principal Double Bassist Aleck Belcher, center, works with Sabrina Bush and Gabe Gibert during the SLSO’s Peer to Peer program, which facilitates mentorship and learning with young strings players and St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra musicians. (Photo by Brendan Batchelor)
MARCH – Tenor Michael Spyres, a Missouri native who has ascended to international acclaim, receives applause from Music Director Stéphane Denève following a performance of Gustav Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer at UMSL’s Touhill Performing Arts Center. (Photo by Phillip Hamer)
APRIL – Erin Freeman, Director of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, leads the ensemble in a special event celebrating the depth and breadth of choral music. The 24/25 season was Freeman’s first as Director of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus. (Photo by Phillip Hamer)
APRIL – Flutist Jennifer Nitchman and double bassist Sarah Hogan Kaiser interact with students at Flance Early Learning Center in one of many school visit made by SLSO musicians. (Photo by Brendan Batchelor)
MAY – A cast of characters from Concert Theatre Works tell the story of Peer Gynt in the classical finale of the SLSO’s 24/25 season. The presentation distilled hours of Henrik Ibsen’s play into a concert format performed with music by Edvard Grieg. (Photo by Tyler Small)
MAY – Members of the Sugarhill Gang acknowledge the audience at Stifel Theatre, one part of a night of hip hop with the SLSO that also included pioneering artist DMC. (Photo by Tyler Small)
JUNE – Music Director Stéphane Denève leads the fan section in a cheer at the St. Louis CITY SC game against Orlando. This was the second time the orchestra collaborated with the team at a match. (Photo by Jeff Curry, St. Louis City SC)
JUNE – Denéve leads the orchestra in Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings at the Fox Theater. This special concert served as a benefit for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis following the devastating EF3 tornado that tracked through the city on May 16. The concert and related fundraising effort generated more than $350,000 for the Urban League. (Photo by Latrelle Yancey)
SEPTEMBER – Principal Timpanist Shannon Wood prepares before the orchestra’s annual concert in Forest Park, performed in memory of Mary Ann Lee. Thousands of St. Louisans joined the orchestra for the festive event. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
SEPTEMBER – Colorful fireworks explode over the SLSO during its annual Forest Park concert. (Photo by Justin Barr)
SEPTEMBER – SLSO Board Chair Steve Finerty speaks at the ribbon cutting for the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. Finerty led the institution through the COVID pandemic and expansion and renovation project before concluding his tenure as Board Chair in October. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
SEPTEMBER – The ribbon is cutting on the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. Donors, architects, and leaders of the SLSO participated in the ceremony. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
SEPTEMBER – Audience begins to enter the Jack C. Taylor Music Center for opening night, which included world premieres by Kevin Puts and James Lee III. Artwork by renowned fiber and textile artist Sheila Hicks, provide a colorful anchor to the new lobby. (Photo by Sam Fentress)
SEPTEMBER – Denève is joined by composer Kevin Puts (right), mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato (left), and Erin Freeman (second from left) following the world premiere of Puts’ new song cycle, House of Tomorrow, performed by DiDonato, the orchestra, and the St. Louis Symphony Chorus at the opening night concert. (Photo by Virginia Harold)
OCTOBER – Films returned to Powell Hall, beginning with the first film of the Harry Potter franchise, providing a perfect setting for a date night. (Photo by Jon Gitchoff)
OCTOBER – Assistant Concertmaster Hannah Ji (left) and Associate Principal Second Violinist Kristin Ahlstrom (right) dress in costume for the first Concert for Kids of the season, aptly named Howl at Powell. (Photo by Phillip Hamer)
OCTOBER – An octet of musicians, led by acclaimed violinist Augustin Hadelich, perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet. Guest artist curated chamber music concerts are some of the new offerings from the SLSO as it returns to Powell Hall at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. (Photo by Justin Staggs)
NOVEMBER – Denève leads violinist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, which was also recorded for future release. (Photo by Jon Gitchoff)
NOVEMBER – At a community open house event, the SLSO welcomed more than a dozen St. Louis arts organizations into the Jack C. Taylor Music Center. In the Education and Learning Center, Story Stitchers delivered a powerful spoken word performance. (Photo by Phillip Hamer)
NOVEMBER – SLSO musicians provided the music for an original opera by students at Mullanphy Elementary School, part of a years-long partnership with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to inspire creativity at local schools. (Photo by Brendan Batchelor)
NOVEMBER – The SLSO kicked off its Happy Hour series, titled Playlist, with a performance Stravinsky’s The Firebird. SLSO musicians (from left Alejandro Valdepeñas, Ann Choomack, Hannah Ji, and Kevin Ritenauer) joined the audiences post-concert for a social experience. (Photo by Miranda Munguia)

Related stories