Highlights include a Joint Season Opener with State Street Ballet, Mozart’s Requiem with the newly formed Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus, and all five Beethoven Piano Concertos — all on The Granada Theatre stage from October 2025 through May 2026
Early 7-concert subscribers enjoy an additional free Spring 2025 concert
The Santa Barbara Symphony proudly announces its 2025/26 Season marking Music & Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti’s 20th anniversary season. Known for his visionary leadership and commitment to musical excellence, Maestro Kabaretti’s milestone will be celebrated with a dynamic and diverse series, beginning with a joint season-opening collaboration with State Street Ballet on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 3:00 PM.
Thematically, 2025/26 Season audiences will be treated to beloved masterworks by Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler, Tchaikovsky, and Gershwin; international and cultural influences from Italian composers such as Vivaldi, Puccini, and Respighi in Bella Italia in March; romantic influences with An American in Paris in April and love songs from Hollywood’s most amorous classic films over Valentine’s weekend.
“Santa Barbara is a very special place — one that I am proud to call home for the last decade,” said Music & Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti. “Celebrating this milestone anniversary is an incredible privilege, and I’m honored to serve the community that has embraced my family and me with eight months of concerts designed especially for Santa Barbara.”
The new season spotlights an extraordinary lineup of guest artists and bold programming, featuring some of the most promising stars of the future. January’s two-day Beethoven Piano Concerto Marathon showcases five rising piano virtuosos — each an international competition winner or medalist— including a laureate from Santa Barbara’s own Music Academy of the West.
The season also celebrates rarely featured instruments. In November, acclaimed trombonist Christian Lindberg joins Principal Trombonist Dillon MacIntyre for a co-commissioned Double Trombone Concerto, while accordionist Hanzhi Wang dazzles in Red Ferrari in March. Genre-defying violinist Alexi Kenney brings his artistry to Barber’s Violín Concerto in April, and the newly formed Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus brings emotional closure to the season finale in Mahler’s “Resurrection”.
“The Symphony continues to be a cultural beacon in Santa Barbara, uniting a diverse and passionate community of music enthusiasts through versatile programming and the power of symphonic music,” shared Kathryn R. Martin, President & CEO. “The 2025/26 Season is a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and commitment to creating impact throughout Santa Barbara County. We celebrate Maestro Kabaretti and are grateful to the community for its visionary support.”
Celebrate Maestro Nir Kabaretti’s 20th anniversary season! All performances will take place live, in person at the Granada Theatre. Season subscriptions are on sale now with packages starting as low as $190 for a full seven-concert package, and $192 for a four-concert package. Seven-concert subscribers will enjoy a free 2025 spring concert when they subscribe before May 18. All subscribers receive a 20% discount on single ticket prices and add-on concerts, including New Year’s Eve on Broadway with The Symphony.
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.
Single tickets go on sale in early September.
The 2025/26 Santa Barbara Symphony season calendar includes the following programs and artists performing at the Granada Theatre:
JOINT SEASON OPENER WITH STATE STREET BALLET
Saturday, October 18, 2025 | 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 19, 2025 | 3:00 PM
Nir Kabaretti, conductor
State Street Ballet
Santa Barbara City College Brass Band
Shostakovich | Festive Overture
Tchaikovsky | Swan Lake Suite
Prokofiev | Scenes from Romeo and Juliet (with State Street Ballet)
MOZART REQUIEM
Saturday, November 15, 2025 | 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 16, 2025 | 3:00 PM
Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Christian Lindberg, trombone
Dillon MacIntryre, trombone
Anastasia Malliaras, soprano
Christina Pezzarossi, mezzo-soprano
Lawrence Barasa, tenor
Colin Ramsey, bass
Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus
Aaron Jay Kernis | Musica Celestis
Andrea Tarrodi | Double Trombone Concerto (co-commissioned by The Symphony)
Mozart | Requiem
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO MARATHON
All Five of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos in Two Different Programs Over One Weekend
Saturday, January 17, 2026 | 7:30 PM and Sunday, January 18, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Soloists, 5 winners & medalists of different international piano competitions
Concerto No. 1 (SUN) | Dmitry Shishkin (International Tchaikovsky and Geneva International competitions)
Concerto No. 2 (SUN) | Angie Zhang (American Piano Awards)
Concerto No. 3 (SAT) | Winner of the Music Academy of the West piano competition (to be announced in July 2025)
Concerto No. 4 (SAT) | Evren Ozel (Cleveland International Piano Competition)
Concerto No. 5 (SUN) | Jonathan Mamora (Palm Springs International Piano Competition)
ROMANTIC HOLLYWOOD (VALENTINE’S WEEKEND)
Saturday, February 14, 2026 | 7:30 PM and Sunday, February 15, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Richard Kaufman, conductor
Valentine’s Weekend brings the sweep of cinema’s most romantic melodies. A concert of love themes, stories, and songs from Hollywood classics: Out of Africa, Dr. Zhivago, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more!
BELLA ITALIA
Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 29, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Hanhzi Wang, accordion
Vivaldi | “Winter” from The Four Seasons
Cristian Carrara | Red Ferrari Accordion Concerto
Puccini | Capriccio Sinfonico
Respighi | The Pines of Rome
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
Saturday, April 18, 2026 | 7:30 PM and Sunday, April 19, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Alexi Kenney, violin
Ives | Three Places in New England
Barber | Violin Concerto
Jennifer Higdon | Blue Cathedral
Gershwin | An American in Paris
MAHLER’S RESURRECTION (SEASON FINALE)
Saturday, May 17, 2026 | 7:30 PM and Sunday, May 18, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Johanna Will, soprano
Felicia Gavilanes, mezzo-soprano
Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus
Mahler | Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”
