Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

Santa Barbara Symphony Announces 2024/25 Season and Early Subscription Pricing

MUSIC AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR NIR KABARETTI CREATES A SEASON OF DIVERSE AND ELECTRIFYING PERFORMANCES

The Symphony’s season highlights include a two-day Mozart Marathon with eight masterworks, a two-concert residency by legendary violinist Gil Shaham, the sultry Storm Large, and Brahms’ Requiem in a community collaboration – all on The Granada stage from October 2024 through May 2025

The Santa Barbara Symphony announces its vast, star-studded 2024/2025 season line-up featuring world-renowned guest artists, opening on Saturday, October 19, 2024 and Sunday, October 20, 2024 with guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas. Subscriptions to the new season are now on sale and can be purchased in-person, online, or by calling The Symphony box office at (805) 898-9386 or visiting subscribe.TheSymphony.org. Prices for all seven concerts start at less than $27 each when purchased by July 31, 2024; new prices begin August 1, 2024. 

“We are thrilled to bring our Santa Barbara community a rich and culturally expansive experience. Beloved masterworks of Mozart, Brahms, Dvořák, and Tchaikovsky will be heard alongside the sultry cabaret vocals of Storm Large, a centennial cinematic classic with Charles Chaplin, and more, featuring extraordinary guest artists, including our own musicians,” said Nir Kabaretti, Music and Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony. 

“The Symphony has so much to share this season that our traditional schedule couldn’t contain it all! January 18 and 19, 2025 the community will experience a Mozart Marathon – with four masterworks on Saturday and a different four on Sunday. To close the season, the legendary violinist Gil Shaham will be in residence performing three different concertos over two days, including a world premiere, featuring his wife, violinist Adele Anthony,” shared Symphony President & CEO Kathryn R Martin. “Collaborations will shine the spotlight on the exemplary choral singers here in Santa Barbara, and Artist Residencies will create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for our local students,” she added. 

The 2024/2025 Santa Barbara Symphony season calendar includes the following programs and artists: 

Saturday, October 19, 2024 – 7:30 pm and Sunday, October 20, 2024 – 3:00 pm 
Opening Weekend: TCHAIKOVSKY’S FOURTH 

The return of guitar sensation Pablo Sáinz-Villegas playing Rodrigo’s haunting Concierto de Aranjuez, in a program also featuring Tchaikovsky’s passionate Symphony No. 4. 

Nir Kabaretti, conductor 
Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, Guitar 

Emma Lou Diemer: Homage to Tchaikovsky 
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez 
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 

Sunday, November 17, 2024 – 3:00 pm (one performance only) 
FRENCH CONNECTIONS 

David Greilsammer, “One of the most accomplished and adventurous musicians of his generation,” (The New York Times) leads music from across three centuries by Rameau, Haydn, and Milhaud, and conducting from the keyboard, plays Ravel’s jazz-inspired Piano Concerto in G. Both Saturday and Sunday subscribers will attend this very special performance! (Seating will be similar to the usual subscriber seats.) 

David Greilsammer, conductor and pianist 

Rameau: Orchestral Suite from Platée 
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G 
Haydn: Symphony No. 85, “La Reine” 
Milhaud: Le Boeuf sur le Toit 

Saturday, January 18, 2025 – 7:30 pm and Sunday, January 19, 2025 – 3:00 pm 
MOZART MARATHON! 

A Mozart Marathon— featuring orchestra members as soloists in different programs on Saturday and Sunday – with exquisite serenades, concertos and symphonies. (Subscribers can add the second concert to their series.) 

Nir Kabaretti, conductor 
and featuring the musicians of the orchestra as soloists! 

Saturday program features: 
Amy Tatum, flute • Michelle Temple, harp • Jessica Guideri, violin 

Mozart: Overture to The Impresario 
Mozart: Concerto For Flute and Harp 
Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 4 in D 
Mozart: Symphony No. 35, “Haffner” 

Sunday program features: 
Lara Wicks, oboe • Natasha Kislenko, piano 

Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 
Mozart: Oboe Concerto 
Mozart: Symphony in D, K 196 / 121 
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K 488 

Saturday, February 15, 2025 – 7:30 pm and Sunday, February 16, 2025 – 3:00 pm 
Valentine’s Weekend 
CHAPLIN’S MASTERPIECE @ 100 – THE GOLD RUSH 

With Chaplin’s enchanting blend of pantomime and music, his masterwork, “The Gold Rush,” has endured for a century. The Symphony performs Chaplin’s own score LIVE as the movie classic is projected on the big screen! Share the laughs with family, kids, or that special someone on Valentine’s Weekend. 

Saturday, March 22, 2025 – 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 23, 2025 – 3:00 pm 
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS 

The sensational and sultry Storm Large will get the pulse racing with her unique take on Kurt Weill’s seductive The Seven Deadly Sins. The celebrated six-man ensemble Hudson Shad will also perform. 

Nir Kabaretti, conductor 
Storm Large, vocalist 
The Hudson Shad Quartet 

Ibert: Divertissement 
Still: Seven Little Pieces from The Black Belt 
Jessie Montgomery: Strum 
Weill / Brecht: The Seven Deadly Sins 

Saturday, April 26, 2025 – 7:30 pm and Sunday, April 27, 2025 – 3:00 pm 
BRAHMS’ REQUIEM 

Nir Kabaretti conducts Brahms’ powerful and poetic musical settings from the Bible, A German Requiem, a community collaboration featuring soloists from Music Academy of the West and a stage full of local choral singers join forces on The Granada stage. 

Nir Kabaretti, conductor 
Magdalena Kuźma, soprano 
Navasard Hakobyan, baritone 

Mahler: Three Rückert-Lieder 
Brahms: A German Requiem 

Saturday, May 17, 2025 -7:30 pm and Sunday, May 18, 2025 – 3:00 pm 
Season Finale: GIL SHAHAM WEEKEND! 

A weekend residency by violin virtuoso Gil Shaham joined by his wife, violinist Adele Anthony. Gil Shaham plays three different violin concertos over two concerts. (Subscribers can add the second concert to their series.) 

Nir Kabaretti, conductor 
Gil Shaham, violin 

Saturday program features: 
Gil Shaham, violin 

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto 
Dvořák: Symphony No. 8 

Sunday program features: 
Gil Shaham, violin 
Adele Anthony, violin 

J.S. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor 
Avner Dorman: Double Concerto (West Coast premiere) 
Dvořák: Symphony No. 8

About The Santa Barbara Symphony

Now in its 72nd year, The Santa Barbara Symphony delivers artistic excellence, outstanding music education stewardship and programming, and community collaboration – all through symphonic music. Under the artistic leadership of Maestro Nir Kabaretti as Music & Artistic Director since 2006, The Symphony is one of the region’s premier cultural institutions. Through his charismatic leadership, this globally admired conductor and Santa Barbara resident invigorates audiences and musicians alike through his passion, creativity, and vast experience. As the only music education program tied to a professional symphony orchestra in the region, The Symphony serves more than 2,000 students annually throughout Santa Barbara County. While The Symphony continues to evolve, bringing joy, engagement, and connection remain steadfast pillars of its mission and were evident in the organization’s ability to thrive during the pandemic including the historic announcement that board chair Janet Garufis and President & CEO Kathryn R Martin join Nir Kabaretti in making a five-year commitment to serve in their roles. For more information, visit TheSymphony.org.

Other Articles

Support The Santa Barbara Symphony

Your support matters now more than ever!
Please make a donation today.