2025/26 Season

Be a part of our 65th season with a celebration of America at 250 where every Classical Symphony concert will begin with a piece by an American composer. Also be sure to join as the BPMC celebrates 50 years of Choral Music in the Treasure Valley culminating in a performance of Carmina Burana!

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Sym. 1 ~ MOZART & TCHAIKOVSKY 4 / OCT 4 & 5

We begin our season-long celebration of American concert openers with John Williams’ celebratory Liberty Fanfare. Violinist Bella Hristova joins us for Mozart’s Violin Concerto #5. We conclude with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4, a deeply personal work exploring fate’s inevitability. The symphony’s journey from dark to light provides an emotional arc that brings the program to a breathtaking close.

Sym. 2 ~ MENDELSSOHN’S ITALIAN / NOV 8 & 9

In this program, we hear music that transcends borders, cultures, and traditions. Our global journey begins with Clarice Assad’s Baião n’ Blues, a delightful opener that blends Brazilian rhythms with echoes of American blues. Pianist Joyce Yang takes center stage with Grieg’s audience favorite Piano Concerto in A minor, a blend of lyrical beauty, classical form, and fiery virtuosity. The program concludes with Mendelssohn’s effervescent Italian Symphony, capturing the vibrant culture of Italy.  

Relive John Hughes’ hilarious and heartwarming tale about 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who is left to defend his home against a pair of dimwitted burglars when his family departs for Christmas vacation without him. The 1990 comedy yielded one of John Williams’ most delightful scores. Now hear it performed live by members of the Boise Phil!

Sym. 4 ~ RAVEL & STRAUSS / JAN 24 & 25

We open this series by honoring the memory of Boise composer David Alan Earnest with a performance of his thrilling overture Turbulence, composed for the Boise Phil in 2013. For these performances, we will be joined by the talented BPYO seniors. Next, Boise Phil Principal Cellist Philip Kettler joins us for Saint-Saëns’ lyrical Cello Concerto No. 1. The program concludes with Ravel’s elegant Le Tombeau de Couperin and Richard Strauss’ lush Der Rosenkavalier Suite. Both Ravel and Strauss connect through their nostalgic nods to the past: Ravel pays homage to the Baroque era and two friends lost in World War 1, blending grace and clarity with 20th-century style, while Strauss evokes the lavish charm and romanticism of a bygone Viennese world.

Sym. 5 ~ CARMINA BURANA (with BPMC) / MAR 14 & 15

This program captures the full range of human emotions and experiences. We celebrate the Boise Phil Master Chorale’s 50th anniversary with Carl Orff’s epic masterpiece, Carmina Burana. The program opens with Jennifer Higdon’s ethereal blue cathedral, a beautiful and meditative tribute to the human spirit, composed in the wake of her brother’s passing.

Sym. 6 ~ SAILING: Soft Rock Hits of the 70s and 80s / MAY 2 & 3

Set sail on a nostalgic journey through the breezy, laid-back sounds of soft rock music from the 70s and 80s. “Yacht Rock” defined a generation and continues to be prevalent throughout pop culture today. Boise Native Morgan James, Doug Wamble and John Scarpulla join the orchestra to lead you on a musical voyage performing hits from Hall & Oates, Christopher Cross, Fleetwood Mac, George Michael, Kenny Loggins and many more.

Sym. 7 ~ PINES OF ROME (season finale) / MAY 16 & 17

We conclude the season with a spectacular finale featuring Respighi’s stunning depictions of Rome’s glorious landmarks in the Fountains of Rome and the Pines of Rome. Pianist Stewart Goodyear joins us for Rachmaninoff’s virtuosic Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a thrilling showcase of technical brilliance. The program opens with Michael Torke’s audience favorite Javelin, a work commissioned by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympics and performed at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics.