St. Louis Symphony Orchestra January concerts include dance collaboration, happy hour concert, and American musical classics The Wizard of Oz and Dolly Parton
Music Director Stéphane Denève leads the orchestra in a dance and ballet-themed program, including a dance collaboration with Saint Louis Dance Theatre dancers and artistic director Kirven Douthit-Boyd on Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite, January 10-11
In its second Playlist: Symphony Happy Hour concert of the season, Assistant Conductor Samuel Hollister leads Ludwig van Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 7, January 15
The SLSO and conductor Kevin McBeth explore the music of Dolly Parton in a multimedia journey through the American icon’s catalog of hits, January 17-18
At the second Live at the Pulitzer chamber music concert, SLSO musicians present pieces by Composer in Residence Kevin Puts, Steve Reich, and Alvin Singleton at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, January 20
In his SLSO debut, conductor Dima Slobodeniouk leads the orchestra in the first St. Louis performances of Jukka Tiensuu’s Teoton, a concerto for sheng with artist Wu Wei, alongside Lotta Wennäkoski’s Flounce and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, January 24-25
The SLSO and conductor Scott Terrell follow the yellow brick road with performances of the Herbert Stothart score to The Wizard of Oz while the movie plays, January 30-February 1
(November 20, 2025, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced details of its January 2026 concerts, which include classical favorites by Ludwig van Beethoven, Igor Stravinsky, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a happy hour concert designed to introduce symphonic music to audiences in a laid-back atmosphere, performances of the score to The Wizard of Oz; an exploration of the music of country superstar Dolly Parton; and a multi-discipline collaboration with the Saint Louis Dance Theatre.
Tickets for all concerts are on sale now. Tickets 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. Audiences can attend a Pre-Concert Conversation, an engaging discussion about the music and artists on the program, one hour prior to each classical concert.
Stravinsky and Debussy | Music in Motion
Saturday, January 10, 7:30pm CST
Sunday, January 11, 3:00pm CST
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Saint Louis Dance Theatre
Kirven Douthit-Boyd, choreographer
Igor Stravinsky “Dumbarton Oaks” Concerto
Igor Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite
Claude Debussy Jeux
Albert Roussel Suite No. 2 from Bacchus and Ariane
The SLSO and St. Louis Dance Theatre come together in an adventurous collaboration to imagine Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite in an entirely new way. In their third collaboration since 2021, dancers will join the orchestra on stage to perform brand new choreography by Saint Louis Dance Theatre’s artistic director Kirven Douthit-Boyd. Originally premiered as a ballet in 1920 by Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, Pulcinella traces the exploits of the title character in 1700s Naples. The SLSO previously collaborated with Saint Louis Dance Theatre on performances of Anna Clyne’s DANCE (September 2021) and Adam Schoenberg’s Picture Studies (March 2024), both also featuring world premiere choreography by Douthit-Boyd. As Stravinsky worked on Pulcinella, he toyed with the idea of disequilibrium and showcased his quirkiness and creativity with unconventional musical characters. Ballet music from Claude Debussy and Albert Roussel complete a program that celebrates partnerships between dance and music.
Playlist: Symphony Happy Hour | Beethoven’s Seventh
Thursday, January 15, 6:30pm CST
Samuel Hollister, conductor
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 7
Presented by the William T. Kemper Foundation.
Assistant Conductor Samuel Hollister leads the SLSO in its second Playlist: Symphony Happy Hour concert of the season. Playlist concerts are an hour long and feature signature cocktails and mocktails, paired with a casual atmosphere that serves as a fitting introduction to symphonic music. Featuring musical insights from the conductor, Playlist offers an opportunity to connect with SLSO musicians following the concert. Ludwig van Beethoven’s blazing and boisterous Symphony No. 7 features bold, dance-like patterns and dynamic contrasts. From the haunting beauty of the Allegretto to the triumphant finale, the driving rhythms and pulse-pounding force of this work have withstood the test of time.
Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony
Saturday, January 17, 7:30pm CST
Sunday, January 18, 2:00pm CST
Kevin McBeth, conductor
Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony is a multimedia journey through the American icon’s life and music with the SLSO. Featuring Dolly on screen, sharing the stories behind her songs and personal reflections on an extraordinary career, this one-night-only performance presents innovative new orchestrations of her legendary songs, including “I Will Always Love You,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “Jolene” with bold, symphonic arrangements. Personal favorites and timeless classics are woven together into a heartfelt tribute to one of music’s most enduring and beloved storytellers.
Live at the Pulitzer | Somehow We Can
Tuesday, January 20, 7:30pm CST
Pulitzer Arts Foundation
3716 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63108
Kevin Puts Two Caprices from Arches (First SLSO performance)
Alvin Singleton Somehow We Can (First SLSO performance)
Steve Reich Different Trains
Chamber music curated by composer Christopher Stark in response to exhibitions on view at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. Artists announced later.
Art and music come together as SLSO musicians perform adventurous chamber music by composers of today, curated by composer Christopher Stark, within the galleries of the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. This concert celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Pulitzer Arts Foundation and pays tribute to Jennie C. Jones’ outgoing exhibition, A Line When Broken Begins Again, which closes the following week. A virtuosic solo violin work by SLSO Composer in Residence Kevin Puts kicks off the festivities before audiences hear two monumental string quartets by Alvin Singleton and Steve Reich.
Tchaikovsky’s Fourth | Devotion and Destiny
Saturday, January 24, 7:30pm CST
Sunday, January 25, 3:00pm CST
Dima Slobodeniouk, conductor (SLSO debut)
Wu Wei, sheng (SLSO debut)
Lotta Wennäkoski Flounce
Jukka Tiensuu Teoton (Concerto for Sheng and Orchestra) (First SLSO performances)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
Presented by the Whitaker Foundation.
Conductor Dima Slobodeniouk joins the SLSO for the first time, leading the orchestra in invigorating performances of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, known for its sweet nostalgia and soul-shattering passion. Wu Wei plays a stunning concerto by Finnish composer Jukka Tiensuu on the sheng, a mouth organ and one of the oldest-known Chinese instruments, dating back more than 3,000 years. An “energetic pulse” and “a feeling of space” were Lotta Wennäkoski’s two goals as she penned Flounce, and both ideas weave throughout this powerful program. The SLSO gave the US premiere of Flounce in September 2018.
The Wizard of Oz in Concert
Friday, January 30, 7:00pm CST
Saturday, January 31, 7:00pm CST
Sunday, February 1, 2:00pm CST
Scott Terrell, conductor
Herbert Stothart The Wizard of Oz
Harold Arlen (songs)
E.Y. Harburg (lyrics)
TM & © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.
The SLSO’s performances of The Wizard of Oz in Concert are presented by the Paz Family Foundation.
The timeless 1939 film classic The Wizard of Oz returns to the big screen with the SLSO performing Herbert Stothart’s iconic score live. The story follows Dorothy and her friends as she follows the Yellow Brick Road to Oz and faces the Wicked Witch of the West, learning along the way “there’s no place like home.” Some of the recognizable songs from film—from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to “The Merry Old Land of Oz”—receive new life when this Technicolor event comes to Powell Hall.
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