Denève leads the SLSO in its annual concert for the community in works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Hector Berlioz, Edvard Grieg, Scott Joplin, Hugh Martin, W.A. Mozart, John Philip Sousa, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and John Williams, with guest vocalist Kennedy Holmes
Celebratory opening of SLSO’s 145th season includes food trucks on Art Hill and concludes with fireworks display over Forest Park’s Grand Basin
Led by Music Director Stéphane Denève, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra marks the beginning of its 2024/2025 season with the return of its free concert in Forest Park at 7:00pm CDT, Thursday, September 19, on Art Hill. Since its inaugural Forest Park concert more than 50 years ago, the SLSO has performed for thousands of people each year as a community celebration of music and the kick-off of the SLSO’s season.
A portion program serves as preview for the orchestra’s 145th season and Denève’s sixth as The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Selections include favorites from symphonies by Ludwig van Beethoven, W.A. Mozart, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The orchestra brings a local flair to the concert with performances of St. Louis-native Scott Joplin’s The Cascades—written for the 1904 World’s Fair—and a tribute to St. Louis’ turn hosting the 1904 Olympics with John Williams’ Olympic Fanfare and Theme.
The orchestra will be joined by guest vocalist, St. Louis native Kennedy Holmes, a finalist on NBC’s The Voice, for performances of “The Trolley Song” from Meet Me in St. Louis—also a nod to the World’s Fair—in her third appearance with the SLSO. A close collaborator of the inimitable film composer John Williams,
Denève programmed selections of Williams’ score from E.T. the Extraterrestrial, which the orchestra will play in its entirety September 21-22 at Stifel Theatre. The festivities end with a show-stopping fireworks display following John Philip Sousa’s patriotic anthem The Stars and Stripes Forever.
Performed in memory of longtime SLSO supporter Mary Ann Lee, this concert marks the 56th anniversary of the first Forest Park concert in 1968. Attendees are encouraged to come early, bring chairs and blankets, and enjoy food trucks at the top of Art Hill. Designed to engage families with children, the SLSO’s Education and Community Partnerships team will host a family fun zone at the top of Art Hill from 6:00 to 7:00pm, engaging children through musical activities, including music creation and conducting members of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Annual Forest Park community concert. Photo courtesy of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
SLSO staff and volunteers will hand out glow sticks for children to join Denève in conducting the orchestra. Local vendors at the concert will include Angie Burger, ByJack, Cajun Seduction, Delicious Delights, Doggie Mac’s Food Truck, Falafel Saha Food Truck, Fire and Ice Cream Truck, Go Gyro Go, Grace Meat + Three, Holy Crepe, Honey Bee Tea, Picture Perfect Panini, Ron Ron’s Black Fried Rice, Scoops of Joy, STL BarKeep, Takozz Real Mexican Food, The Popcorn Bar, and Urban Chestnut Brewing Company. Food and drink vendors will be available starting at 5:00pm.
Audiences can sign up to receive updates about the concert, including information about food trucks, parking, and shuttles, at slso.org/forestpark.
Following the opening of the season in Forest Park, Denève leads the orchestra in performances of the complete score to E.T. the Extraterrestrial, with music by John Williams, at Stifel Theatre as the film plays (September 21-22). The orchestra’s first classical concerts of the season, September 27 and 29, welcome violinist and friend of the SLSO Gil Shaham for performances of Mason Bates’ Nomad Concerto alongside Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.
As the transformational expansion and renovation of the orchestra’s home—Powell Hall—enters its final year, the SLSO will perform throughout the St. Louis region, most notably at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis and Stifel Theatre.
Tickets for all 24/25 season concerts are on sale now and can be purchased at slso.org or by calling the SLSO Box Office at 314-534-1700.
John Stafford Smith The Star-Spangled Banner Arranged by Adam Maness
J. Rosamund Johnson “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Arranged by Hale Smith Ludwig van Beethoven Molto vivace from Symphony No. 9 Hector Berlioz “Hungarian March” from The Damnation of Faust W.A. Mozart Allegro from Symphony No. 31, “Paris” Edvard Grieg Selections from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Finale from Symphony No. 5 Various Armed Forces Salute Arranged by Hayman/Kessler Hugh Martin “The Trolley Song” from Meet Me in St. Louis Arranged by Salinger/Russ Scott Joplin The Cascades Arranged by Virgil Barstad John Williams Olympic Fanfare and Theme John Williams Flying Theme from E.T. John Philip Sousa The Stars and Stripes Forever
This concert is performed in memory of Mary Ann Lee.
About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today’s most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 145th year with the 2024/2025 season and its sixth with Stéphane Denève, The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Widely considered one of the leading American orchestras, the Grammy® Award-winning SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community collaborations—all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
The transformational expansion and renovation of its historic home, Powell Hall, slated to be completed in 2025, builds on the institution’s momentum as a civic leader in convening individuals, creators, and ideas, while fostering a culture welcoming to all. Committed to building community through compelling and inclusive musical experiences, the SLSO continues its longstanding focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, embracing its strengths as a responsive, nimble organization, while investing in partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally. For more information, visit slso.org.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
On Thanksgiving weekend, SLSO strings perform Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires at three locations throughout the region, featuring Concertmaster David Halen and Associate Concertmaster Erin Schreiber
On December 1, conductor David Danzmayr leads the orchestra in Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, along with Jessie Montgomery’s Strum and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Oboe Concerto featuring SLSO Principal Oboist Jelena Dirks
The second of five Live at The Sheldon concerts, curated by SLSO violinist Angie Smart and SLSO cellist Bjorn Ranheim, features SLSO strings players in music by Jessie Montgomery, Christian Quiñones, and Franz Schubert, plus the world premiere of a new work by University of Missouri student Harry González, December 6
On December 8, Kevin McBeth leads the SLSO and the SLSO IN UNISON Chorus in the annual Gospel Christmas concert, featuring baritone Wintley Phipps
The SLSO performs the scores to two films while the movies play on the Stifel Theatre big screen: Home Alone (December 9-10) and Back to the Future (December 28-29)
On December 12-17, the SLSO performs its traditional Mercy Holiday Celebration with a selection of holiday tunes, led by Stuart Malina and featuring vocalist Scarlett Strallen in her SLSO debut, in St. Charles and downtown St. Louis
The surprise-filled New Year’s Eve Celebration rings in 2024 with conductor Norman Huynh and vocalist Jimmie Herrod in his SLSO debut
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has announced details of its holiday concerts—a wide range of symphonic concerts performed across six venues throughout the region. Concerts include classical favorites, chamber music, films with scores performed live, and concerts that celebrate the holiday season. Two vocalists will make their SLSO debuts: musical theater veteran Scarlett Strallen and America’s Got Talent finalist Jimmie Herrod.
Tickets are on sale now and 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. A broadcast of the December 1 classical concert will be aired on December 2 on 90.7 FM KWMU St. Louis Public Radio, Classic 107.3, and online. 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.
While the expansion and renovation of Powell Hall continues, the SLSO will perform holiday concerts at several venues throughout the region: St. Joseph Catholic Church Cottleville (November 24), Manchester United Methodist Church in Manchester (November 25), The Sheldon in Grand Center (November 26 and December 6), the Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (December 1), Stifel Theatre in downtown St. Louis (December 8-10, 16-17, 28-29, 31), and the J. Scheidegger Center for Performing Arts at Lindenwood University (December 12-13). Shuttle service will be available for concerts at the Touhill at UMSL and Stifel Theatre starting at $15 per seat. There will be two shuttle pick-up locations for performances at Stifel Theatre: Plaza Frontenac and St. Louis Community College–Forest Park. Shuttles for performances at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at UMSL will depart from Plaza Frontenac, and free parking is available on the UMSL campus.
The Eight Seasons of Vivaldi and Piazzolla
Friday, November 24, 7:30pm St. Joseph Catholic Church Cottleville 1355 Motherhead Road, Cottleville, MO 63304
Saturday, November 25, 7:30pm Manchester United Methodist Church 129 Woods Mill Road, Manchester, MO 63011
Sunday, November 26, 3:00pm The Sheldon 3648 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108
David Halen, violin Erin Schreiber, violin
Antonio VivaldiThe Four Seasons
Astor Piazzolla (arr. Desyatnikov)The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
The SLSO brings the melodies of the changing seasons to life in three performances on Thanksgiving weekend. The timeless charm of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons transports listeners to the northern Italian countryside, brilliantly contrasting with the passionate soundscape of Argentina in Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Season of Buenos Aires. From Vivaldi’s iconic Spring to Piazzolla’s intense Winter, the SLSO’s own gifted violinists, Concertmaster David Halen and Associate Concertmaster Erin Schreiber, weave a seasonal musical tapestry. Tickets for general admission are $30.
David Danzmayr
Beethoven’s Second Symphony
Friday, December 1, 10:30am CST* Friday, December 1, 7:30pm CST Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis 1 Touhill Circle, St. Louis, Missouri, 63121
David Danzmayr, conductor Jelena Dirks, oboe
Jessie Montgomery Strum
Ralph Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto (First SLSO performances)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 2
Presented by the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.
*Refreshments courtesy of Kaldi’s Coffee and Eddie’s Southtown Donuts.
Conductor David Danzmayr returns to the SLSO for two concerts on December 1 that pair the familiar with the new. Danzmayr pushes Ludwig van Beethoven’s Second Symphony close to the edge, revealing the magic behind one of the composer’s lesser-known symphonies. SLSO Principal Oboist Jelena Dirks’ goal is to sing through her instrument. She has every opportunity in the songful, break-your-heart musical world of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Oboe Concerto, performed by the SLSO for the first time in these concerts. Strum by Jessie Montgomery, the in-demand American composer of this moment, salutes American folk music.
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Live at The Sheldon Wednesday, December 6, 7:30pm CST The Sheldon Concert Hall 3648 Washington Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, 63108
Angie Smart, curator and violin
Bjorn Ranheim, curator and cello
Andrea Jarrett, violin
Shannon Farrell Williams, viola
Aleck Belcher, double bass
Jessie MontgomeryStrum
Harry González New Work (World premiere)
Christian QuiñonesPasemisí, Pasemisá
Franz Schubert String Quintet in C major
Curated by Angie Smart (SLSO violin) and Bjorn Ranheim (SLSO cello).
The performance of Harry González’s work is presented in partnership with the Mizzou New Music Initiative.
Sponsored by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation.
The second in a five-concert chamber series in partnership with the SLSO’s Grand Center neighbor, The Sheldon, celebrates the virtuosity of SLSO string players on December 6. Curated and led by violinist Angie Smart and cellist Bjorn Ranheim, a quintet of SLSO string players performs a rich array of music by Jessie Montgomery and Christian Quiñones, as well as Franz Schubert’s Quintet in C major. In a unique partnership with the Mizzou New Music Initiative at the University of Missouri, the musicians also give the world premiere of new music by Harry González, a student composer. The St. Louis American called this new series “the hottest ticket in town.”
A Gospel Christmas
Friday, December 8, 7:30pm CST Stifel Theatre 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103
Kevin McBeth, conductor
Wintley Phipps, vocals
St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus | Kevin McBeth, director
Leroy Anderson A Christmas Festival
Jeffrey Ames (orch. Dunsmoor) A Festive Praise
Traditional “Walk Together Children”
Traditional (arr. Wilberg) “The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy”
Traditional (arr. Lawrence) “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
G.F. Handel (arr. Warren/Jackson/Kibble/Hey/Chinn) “Hallelujah” from Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration
Traditional (arr. Smith) “Go Tell It On the Mountain”
Traditional (arr. Stoddart/Turner) “Here’s One”
Alfred Burt (arr. Smith) “Some Children See Him”
Jill Jackson (arr. Clydesdale) “Let There Be Peace On Earth”
Traditional (arr. Davis) Deck the Halls
Brandon A. Boyd (orch. Joubert) “Sign Me Up”
Traditional (arr. Johnson/Davis) “Children, Go Where I Send Thee”
Franz Gruber (arr. Tyzik) “Silent Night”
Cliff Duren Star of Wonder Medley
Traditional (arr. Clydesdale) “Kum Ba Yah”
Adolph-Charles Adam (arr. Smith) “O Holy Night”
Traditional (arr. Keveren) “Amazing Grace”
Supported by Bayer Fund.
The SLSO IN UNISON Chorus returns for a beloved tradition on December 8, the Gospel Christmas concert with the SLSO, led by Chorus Director Kevin McBeth at Stifel Theatre. Joining the IN UNISON Chorus is baritone Wintley Phipps, whose silky-smooth voice highlights the soulful stylings of holiday music. Supported by Bayer Fund since 1994, the IN UNISON Chorus performs and preserves music from the African diaspora.
Jason Seber
Home Alone in Concert
Saturday, December 9, 7:00pm CST Sunday, December 10, 2:00pm CST Stifel Theatre 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103
Jason Seber, conductor
Webster University Chorale | Trent Patterson, director
John Williams Home Alone
Back by popular demand, the SLSO performs John Williams’ iconic score to Home Alone live to the hilarious and heartwarming holiday classic at Stifel Theatre on December 9-10. When the McCallisters leave for vacation, they forgot one thing: Kevin! Discover an experience the whole family can share. Limited tickets are available for this holiday favorite.
Mercy Holiday Celebration
Tuesday, December 12, 7:30pm CST Wednesday, December 13, 7:30pm CST J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts at Lindenwood University 2300 W. Clay St., St. Charles, Missouri, 63301
Saturday, December 16, 2:00pm & 7:30pm CST Sunday, December 17, 2:00pm CST Stifel Theatre 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103
Stuart Malina, conductor
Scarlett Strallen, vocals (SLSO debut)
Cally Banham, English horn
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (arr. Baynes) Christmas Overture
George Wyle (arr. Clydesdale) “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
James Pierpont (arr. Waldin) “Jingle Bells”
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (arr. Ellington/Strayhorn; orch. Tyzik) Selection from The Nutcracker Suite
Irving Berlin (arr. Maness) “White Christmas”
Richard Rodgers (arr. Bennett) “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music
Adolphe Adam (arr. Clydesdale) “O Holy Night”
Various (arr. Stephenson) A Charleston Christmas
Traditional (arr. Tyzik) Chanukah Suite
Tom Lehrer (arr. Malina) “Chanukah in Santa Monica”
J. Fred Coots (arr. Holcombe) “Santa Claus in Coming to Town”
Sergei Prokofiev “Troika” from Lieutenant Kijé Suite
Leroy Anderson Sleigh Ride
Felix Bernard (arr. Harper; orch. Blank) “Winter Wonderland”
Various (arr. Waldin) “The Christmas Song/Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
Various (arr. Stephenson) A Holly and Jolly Sing-Along!
Presented by Mercy.
The SLSO and conductor Stuart Malina bring the music of the holiday season to the stage at Stifel Theatre and Lindenwood University in St. Charles for a cherished holiday tradition—the Mercy Holiday Celebration. Full of favorite carols and sounds of the season, this year the orchestra will be joined by special guests, Broadway and West End veteran vocalist Scarlett Strallen and SLSO English horn player Cally Banham. Even Santa makes time for these festive concerts December 12-13 (Lindenwood) and December 16-17 (three concert at Stifel Theatre)!
Back to the Future in Concert
Thursday, December 28, 7:00pm CST Friday, December 29, 7:00pm CST Stifel Theatre 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103
Norman Huynh, conductor
Alan SilvestriBack to the Future
Recharge your flux capacitor…and get ready to celebrate the unforgettable 1985 classic, Back to the Future, with the SLSO performing Alan Silvestri’s score live as the film plays on Stifel Theatre’s big screen on December 28-29. Back to the Future topped the box office chart, spawned two wildly successful sequels, and stamped an enduring imprint on pop culture. Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime.
Jimmie Herrod
New Year’s Eve Celebration
Sunday, December 31, 7:30pm CST Stifel Theatre 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103
Norman Huynh, conductor
Jimmie Herrod, vocals (SLSO debut)
Repertoire announced from the stage.
Send 2023 off in style at the SLSO’s annual bash—the New Year’s Eve Celebration concert. Frequent guest conductor Norman Huynh leads this musical party filled with surprises. Although the repertoire is a secret, it’s sure to be a fun-filled evening with the SLSO and guest vocalist Jimmie Herrod, a Pink Martini and America’s Got Talent alumnus. This one-night-only concert takes place at the stylish Stifel Theatre on December 31.
About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today’s most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 144th year with the 2023/2024 season and its fifth with Stéphane Denève, The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Widely considered one of the leading American orchestras, the Grammy® Award-winning SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community collaborations—all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
The transformational expansion and renovation of its historic home, Powell Hall, slated to be completed in 2025, builds on the institution’s momentum as a civic leader in convening individuals, creators, and ideas, while fostering a culture welcoming to all. Committed to building community through compelling and inclusive musical experiences, the SLSO continues its longstanding focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, embracing its strengths as a responsive, nimble organization, while investing in partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally. For more information, visit slso.org.
Jelena Dirks, oboe
About the University of Missouri–St. Louis Touhill Performing Arts Center
Designed by the renowned architectural firm I.M. Pei, Cobb, Freed and Partners, the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center is a landmark performance facility on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). The Center hosts an average of 120 events, 200 performances, and 90,000 visitors per year.
The Touhill staff manages several collaborative relationships and programs that, along with campus and community partners, bring together a diverse season of dance, theatre, music, festivals, and special events.
About Stifel Theatre
Stifel Theatre is a historic, 3,100 seat theatre in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Originally opened in 1934, Stifel Theatre’s stage has welcomed some of entertainment’s greatest performers and was the primary venue for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1934-1968. Following a $78.7 million restoration, this historical gem has been restored to its original splendor and undergone state-of-the-art upgrades.
Stifel Theatre plays host to a wide variety of events, including concerts, comedies, theatricals, family shows, holiday productions, and more.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
HILARY HAHN RETURNS TO OPEN THE ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY ORCHESRTA’S 144TH SEASON WITH MUSIC DIRECTOR STÉPHANE DENÈVE; SEASON-LONG BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO CYCLE BEGINS, SEPTEMBER 23-30
Season-opening classical concerts at Stifel Theatre September 23-24, led by Denève, feature violinist Hilary Hahn in Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto; concerts also include Richard Strauss’ Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, W.A. Mozart’s The Magic Flute Overture, and Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
In September 29-30 concerts at the UMSL Touhill Performing Arts Center, Denève conducts Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 4, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, and first SLSO performances of Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza; pianist Jonathan Biss performs Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto to begin the season’s complete cycle of Beethoven Piano Concertos
(August 24, 2023, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced details of its September classical concerts to open its 144th season, led by Stéphane Denève in his fifth season as Music Director. Concerts feature superstar violinist Hilary Hahn and pianist Jonathan Biss, both of whom return to the SLSO for the first time in more than a decade to perform monumental concertos by Felix Mendelssohn and Ludwig van Beethoven. These opening concerts follow the SLSO’s ceremonial opening of the season, the free community concert in Forest Park on Thursday, September 21.
Tickets start at $15 and 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. The Saturday, September 30, concert will be broadcast live on 90.7 FM KWMU St. Louis Public Radio, Classic 107.3, and online. Audiences can attend a Pre-Concert Conversation, an engaging discussion about the music and artists on the program, one hour prior to each concert.
While the expansion and renovation of Powell Hall continues, the SLSO will perform classical concerts at two landmark performance venues: Stifel Theatre in downtown St. Louis (September 23-24) and the Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (September 29-30). Shuttle service will be available for all classical concerts starting at $15/seat. There will be two shuttle pick-up locations for performances at Stifel Theatre: Plaza Frontenac and St. Louis Community College–Forest Park. Shuttles for performances at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at UMSL will depart from Plaza Frontenac and free parking is available on UMSL campus.
Conductor Stephane Deneve, now in his fifth year
Opening Weekend with Hilary Hahn
Saturday, September 23, 2022, 7:30pm CDT Sunday, September 24, 2022, 3:00pm CDT Stifel Theatre 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103
Stéphane Denève, conductor Hilary Hahn, violin
Richard Strauss Don Juan Felix Mendelssohn Violin Concerto W.A. Mozart The Magic Flute Overture Paul Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Richard Strass Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks
Presented by the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.
The SLSO’s season-opening concerts led by Denève meld grandeur, enchantment, and jollity. The program begins with Richard Strauss’ symphonic poem Don Juan, which tells the adventures of the legendary character Don Juan. Violinist Hilary Hahn delivers the heart of the concert with performances of Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. The concerto is famous for its lyrical melodies and is one of the most beloved concertos in the violin repertoire. Hahn’s most recent performance with the SLSO was 21 years ago. She is a three-time Grammy winner and one of the foremost violinists of our time, known for her exceptional musicianship and her commitment to expanding the accessibility of classical music through her educational partnerships and through her social media engagement.
The program continues with a trio of playful works including W.A. Mozart’s The Magic Flute Overture, Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and Richard Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks.The Magic Flute, considered one of Mozart’s most famous works, overflows with dynamic and captivating melodies. Dukas’ piecetells the story of an enchanted broomstick, a piece made famous for its inclusion is Disney’s Fantasia. The excitement continues through to the final work, Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks which is based on a trickster from German folklore.
Beethoven’s Piano Cycle: Jonathan Biss Plays the First Friday, September 29, 10:30am CDT* Saturday, September 30, 7:30pm CDT Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis 1 Touhill Circle, St. Louis, Missouri, 63121
Stéphane Denève, conductor Jonathan Biss, piano
Ludwig van Beethoven Coriolan Overture Unsuk Chin subito con forza(First SLSO performances) Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 Robert Schumann Symphony No. 4
*Refreshments courtesy of Kaldi’s Coffee and Eddie’s Southtown Donuts.
September 29-30 concerts honor the composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The program opens with Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, inspired by Heinrich Joseph von Collin’s play “Coriolan,” which tells the story of the Roman general Gaius Marcius Coriolanus who seeks revenge against Rome. Korean composer Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza was composed in 2020, the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. Inspired by the Coriolan Overture, the piece references some of Beethoven’s most well-known music, his Symphony No. 5 and Piano Concerto No. 5, which the SLSO will perform later this season.
Pianist Jonathan Biss collaborates with the SLSO for the first time in 15 years in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, the first of all five Beethoven piano concertos performed by the SLSO this season. One of today’s foremost Beethoven experts, Biss recorded an audio book, Unquiet: My Life with Beethoven, in 2020 where he details his complex relationship with the composer. Like Biss and Chin, the composer Robert Schumann took inspiration from Beethoven. In his Fourth Symphony, Schumann develops a motif throughout the four movements in a similar cyclic form to Beethoven’s works, and dramatic shifts in mood and dark orchestral textures reveal Beethoven’s influence.
SLSO at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Sunday, October 1, 3:00pm CDT Krannert Center for Performing Arts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 500 S Goodwin Ave, Urbana, Illinois, 61801
Denève, Biss, and the SLSO take the September 29-30 program to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Krannert Center for Performing Arts—the SLSO’s third visit to the university since Denève became Music Director.
The SLSO’s 144th season runs through May 2024. For more information, visit slso.org.
About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today’s most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 144th year with the 2023/2024 season and its fifth with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the leading American orchestras, the Grammy® Award-winning SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community collaborations—all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
The transformational expansion and renovation of its historic home, Powell Hall, slated to be completed in 2025, builds on the institution’s momentum as a civic leader in convening individuals, creators, and ideas, while fostering a culture welcoming to all. Committed to building community through compelling and inclusive musical experiences, the SLSO continues its longstanding focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, embracing its strengths as a responsive, nimble organization, while investing in partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally. For more information, visit slso.org.
About the University of Missouri–St. Louis Touhill Performing Arts Center
Designed by the renowned architectural firm I.M. Pei, Cobb, Freed and Partners, the Touhill Performing Arts Center is a landmark performance facility on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). The Touhill at UMSL hosts an average of 120 events, 200 performances, and 90,000 visitors per year.
The Touhill at UMSL staff manages several collaborative relationships and programs that, along with campus and community partners, to bring together a diverse season of dance, theatre, music, festivals, and special events.
Stifel Theatre interior
About Stifel Theatre
Stifel Theatre is a historic, 3,100 seat theatre in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Originally opened in 1934, Stifel Theatre’s stage has welcomed some of entertainment’s greatest performers and was the primary venue for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1934-1968. Following a $78.7 million restoration, this historical gem has been restored to its original splendor and undergone state-of-the-art upgrades.
Stifel Theatre plays host to a wide variety of events, including concerts, comedies, theatricals, family shows, holiday productions and more.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
It goes against form to start a symphony review (or any review for that matter) by pointing out the limits of words to describe a performance. Even the inestimable writer Virginia Woolf, when attempting to describe paintings in a 1920s essay, wrote, “But words, words! How inadequate you are! How weary one gets of you.” If words can fail the masterful Woolf, there’s not much hope for the rest of us – though she more than adequately spent the rest of the essay brilliantly describing the art, anyway.
Still, words are our medium. Thus, perhaps the best that can be said for the Friday, Oct. 21 performance of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, directed by Stéphane Denève, is: You had to be there. The same could no doubt be said for the Oct. 22 performance, too.
If you were there, you know how the orchestra, along with the SLSO Chorus, performed a powerfully emotional quadtych of complementary compositions (two by Francis Poulenc, and one each by Florent Schmitt and Reena Esmail). Denève has an avowed passion for Poulenc, a sentiment he reinforced in his introduction to the evening’s performance. “I looooove Poulenc!” he proclaimed from the podium.
Poulenc comprised the second half of the evening’s bill, and Denève avoided giving the Schmitt and Esmail compositions short shrift by describing the interconnected themes of love, faith, dedication and sacrifice. The well-considered choices to explore these themes added up to an entirely fulfilling and engaging experience while locally premiering Esmail’s “Testament” (From “Vishwas”) and the 12-movement “Stabat Mater” by Poulenc.
Jeanine De Bique
The strength of this concert was, at a macro level, the focus on love, faith, dedication and sacrifice. That focus was often filtered through a religious perspective. “Testament,” the final movement of a three-part composition for classical Indian dancer and orchestra, illuminates the fervent belief and hunger strike of a 15th-century poet.
Schmitt’s “The Tragedy of Salome,” is a symphonic suite that presents the sacrifice of virginal innocence, exemplified by its femme fatale protagonist, Salome of Biblical fame. The piece climaxes with a Stravinskian crash in the “Dance of Fear” movement.
Poulenc’s “Stabat Mater” uses the setting of a 13th-century hymn in Latin to the Blessed Virgin Mary’s reaction to the crucifixion of Jesus. The final scene from his opera “Dialogues of the Carmelites” presents a cast of nuns conversing about “anguish, fear, and the human condition.” It ends with their systematic beheadings, complete with guillotine sound effect.
Heavy stuff – indeed. But words fall short of the ultimately cathartic and uplifting nature of the SLSO’s performance. It was akin to attending a Greek tragedy. As Friedrich Nietzsche has observed: experiencing tragedy through art can lead to a meaningful affirmation of our own existence.
The success of this slate of compositions relies on the pieces themselves, the interplay of styles, themes and influences, and the performance by the SLSO and chorus. The sequence of pieces began with a religious person’s hunger strike, continued with the decapitation of John the Baptist, focused on the intense loss of Jesus’ crucifixion and concluded with the execution of 16 nuns. Although this description might sound unappealingly grisly, it was anything but. In sum, it was a satisfying, cerebral experience.
The orchestra, under Denève’s direction, was clean, confident and balanced – as usual. The “exotic” elements in the Esmail and Schmitt compositions were not exaggerated. Neither were the 16 uses of the guillotine sound effect during the “Dialogues of the Carmelites.” The effect was quite similar to the one used during The Muny’s production of “Sweeney Todd” this past summer.
The addition of the chorus, guest directed by Scott Allen Jarrett, for the Poulenc pieces was a welcome addition and filled the stage with an aural presence that only a large choir can bring.
Reena Esmail
The highlight of the performance was certainly the SLSO debut of soprano Jeanine De Bique. Clad in blood red gown among the more soberly black dress of the rest of the musicians, De Bique delivered a beautiful and commanding performance, especially during the “Stabat Mater.”
The choice of works was innovative and balanced, and it certainly fits within this season’s overarching goal of journeying the world through music – compositions and musicians.
Through the fervency expressed in the works individually stood on their own, it was the cohesive ways the fit together to create a whole experience that proved most successful.
CB Adams is an award-winning fiction writer and photographer based in the Greater St. Louis area. A former music/arts editor and feature writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, his non-fiction has been published in local, regional and national publications. His literary short stories have been published in more than a dozen literary journals and his fine art photography has been exhibited in more than 40 galley shows nationwide. Adams is the recipient of the Missouri Arts Council’s highest writing awards: the Writers’ Biennial and Missouri Writing!. The Riverfront Times named him, “St. Louis’ Most Under-Appreciated Writer” in 1996.
Upon first reviewing the selections for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s second performance of the 2022-23 season, it might have seemed like a concert designed by Debbie Downer.
Two of the pieces, Tōru Takemitsu’s “Night Signal” and Qigang Chen’s “L’Éloignement” (The Distancing), are neither well-known nor necessarily upbeat sounding based on their titles. And the better known Mahler work, “Das Lied von der Erde” (“The Song of the Earth”), is an hour-long cycle of six song movements that explore themes and variations on the shuffling off of this mortal coil, i.e., life and death.
But not all first thoughts are best thoughts.
Stéphane Denève, Music Director, and Erik Finley, development partner and the SLSO’s Vice President and General Manager, chose a more sophisticated and ultimately uplifting curation of pieces chosen to be experienced in person in a concert hall. This concert was designed to be both self-contained and part of the overall arc of the entire season – to experience through music the interconnectedness of the world.
To use a twenty-five-cent word: it was polyphony. To quote the Sherman Brothers’ Disneyland boat ride ditty, “It’s a small world after all.” Either way, Denève and SLSO delivered an exquisite performance from first note to last.
The performance began with the brass section standing in a line behind the strings. This arrangement provided a potent visual clue that Takemitsu’s “Night Signal” was about to emit something out of the ordinary. According to The Guardian, “Takemitsu’s understated and crystalline compositions combine elements of his own Japanese traditions with the western modernism he loved so much.” That modernism included American jazz, elements of which are woven into “Night Signal” like “tsuzure-nishiki,” the Japanese term for polychrome tapestry.
“Night Signal” was unusual in another way. At the three-minute mark, a time when listeners are just getting settled into a piece, it was over. It was brief only in duration. It made a complete, minimalist statement unto itself while serving as a fanfare for the pieces that followed. Roger Kaza, principal horn, and the entire horn section rendered the score with a nimbleness and restraint.
The orchestra then settled into place for Qigang Chen’s “L’Éloignement.” Chen is a Chinese-born French composer whose credits include symphonies, chamber pieces, film scores and songs, including “You and Me,” the theme song for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics (he also served as music director). Moving from “Night Signal” to the string-only “L’Éloignement” was a logically smooth transition into the latter’s bustling, cinematic phrases woven with a touching Chinese folk love song.
“Night Signal” and “L’Éloignement” were clearly selected and sequenced because they share a delicate aesthetic melding for western and eastern influences. These influences were pleasing and expanding in the effects. The pieces were expert choices to demonstrate polyphony at its most subtle and worldliness. And Danny Lee, principal cellist, and Beth Guterman, principal violist, proved in their performances why they deserved to sit at the head of their sections.
Many who attended the Sept. 22 or 23 performances probably came for “Das Lied von der Erde,” described by Leonard Bernstein as Mahler’s “greatest symphony.” Such a listy designation may be debatable, but “The Song of the Earth” is almost universally considered Mahler’s most autobiographical work.
It’s a symphonic cycle of six songs for alto and tenor voices and orchestra. Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano, and Clay Hilley (making his SLSO debut), tenor, were the soloists for these performances.
So, what’s this piece got to do with the intermingling of western and eastern musical influences? The answer is not really sonically. It’s somewhat part academic and definitely part Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. The source material is a bit removed as it was inspired by an anthology of Chinese poems translated into German. This text was further translated into English and projected during the performance. The result was often more Germanic sturm und drang (and drinking), especially during Hilley’s songs.
“’Das Lied von der Erde’” is about loss, grief, memory, disintegration, and, ultimately, transfiguration,” according to Robert Greenberg, a noted historian, composer, pianist and author. And it’s those themes that make a compelling case for including it with the preceding compositions rather than Mahler’s masterful use of eastern pentatonic scales.
Mahler’s “song symphony” is essentially a two-part symphony with six songs that explore the phases of life (songs 1-5) and the transition to death (song 6). O’Connor and Hilley were splendid and powerful in distinctively different ways. They were definitely a study in contrast, with Hilley storming through his songs with operatic passion while O’Connor presented her lyrics with refined, gossamer restraint. This binary approach aligned with – mirrored – the song symphony’s themes of life and death, light and dark, conflict and acceptance.
And it’s that last word – acceptance – that ended the performance so satisfyingly. As O’Connor sang “Der Abschield” (“The Farewell”), her voice led toward the ending that Mahler intended: acceptance of death as well as acceptance of the pairing of these compositions into a cohesive experience.
CB Adams is an award-winning fiction writer and photographer based in the Greater St. Louis area. A former music/arts editor and feature writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, his non-fiction has been published in local, regional and national publications. His literary short stories have been published in more than a dozen literary journals and his fine art photography has been exhibited in more than 40 galley shows nationwide. Adams is the recipient of the Missouri Arts Council’s highest writing awards: the Writers’ Biennial and Missouri Writing!. The Riverfront Times named him, “St. Louis’ Most Under-Appreciated Writer” in 1996.
By CB Adams It’s been more than a week since the Saint Louis Symphony’s (SLSO) opening performance, the first salvo in the 2022-23 season. Across the St. Louis cultural landscape, as we have emerged from the isolating effects of the pandemic, the last several months have seemed like a time of emergence, anticipation and expectation for theater, live music and the visual arts. The pandemic was not a pleasant experience, but for some, this hunker-down time was like a creative chrysalis or inspiring incubator.
Such seems to have been the case for Stéphane Denève, Music Director of the Symphony, and his development partner, Erik Finley, the SLSO’s Vice President and General Manager. “Stéphane’s big idea for 2022/23 was the French word ailleurs,” Finley is quoted in the Symphony’s Playbill. “Loosely translated, the word means ‘elsewhere,’ or ‘another place.’ Stéphane and I began our conversation around the idea of ‘journeying’ – of traveling the world through music.”
The onus on reviewers is usually to provide one’s critique like a loaf of freshly baked bread – best hot from the oven (i.e., performance). But some reviews benefit from a little more time, more of a stew, perhaps (to continue the culinary metaphor). Such is the case with the SLSO’s prix fixe season opener that included Antonín Dvořák (best known), Jacques Ibert (less well-known) and Nathalie Joachim (perhaps the least known, especially outside of the symphony world).
Preparing for the opening performance, I ranked the pieces in that order. Yet, with the passage of some time, that order has been upended – at least in terms of what has had the most staying power. And that’s thanks to that sense of ailleurs, especially Joachim’s “Fanm d’Ayiti” (“Women of Haiti”) Suite, which was sandwiched between the Ibert and Dvořák pieces.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Joachim, a Brooklyn-born self-identified Haitian- American who is a Grammy-nominated composer, vocalist and flutist whose works range from classical to pop and indie-rock, and whose affiliations include Oregon Symphony (where she is the Artistic Partner) and the flute duo, Flutronix (which she co-founded). She’s also a newly appointed faculty member at Princeton University.
The full-length “Fanm d’Ayiti” (2019), which earned the Grammy nomination, consists of 11 pieces for flute, voice (in “kreyól” or creole), string quartet and some electronics. Grammy.com noted that “Fanm d’Ayiti” “…constitutes an ethnographic research undertaking.” It is based on Joachim’s conversations with family members and others in the Haitian community, as well as additional field research.
“I found such a kinship in their stories as artists, and specifically female artists, really trying to make it in a field where women’s voices are ever-present but really under- represented,” Joachim was quoted by Grammy.com.
On paper, Joachim’s project seemed a risky choice for the SLSO because of its ethnographic, almost academic, approach. “Yes,” I thought, “but is it any good?” My skepticism was almost immediately allayed within the first minutes of the three selections: “Suite pou Dantam,” “Madan Bellegrade” and “Fanm d’Ayiti.”
What remains of this performance is a warm sense of being transported to the Haitian country, of “being there.” Joachim’s voice was smooth and sweet, as was her flute playing, and the orchestra’s performance was intermingled with recorded voices of her maternal grandmother and of an all-girls choir from her family’s hometown.
Overall, it was a visceral experience, not dryly academic. It’s no wonder, then, that the performance earned a mid-concert standing ovation. Because “Fanm d’Ayiti” is the least well-known of the evening’s music makes it deserving of the lion’s share of coverage. It was an important choice, and based on its success, it helps strengthen the relationship – the trust – that should exist between music director and those who support the SLSO. It’s as if Denève and Finley were saying, “Trust us, you’ll like this.”
SLSO at Powell Hall
They weren’t wrong with “Fanm d’Ayiti.” The success of “Fanm d’Ayiti” was elevated by the works that surrounded it, forming a musical travelogue that transported the audience to the Czech Republic, nee Bohemia, and ports of call in the Mediterranean. The combination integrated thoughtfully well, especially as it relates to the notion of ailleurs.
The evening began with Ibert’s 1922 suite “Escales” (“Ports of Call”). “Escales” is a story in three movements that begins at sea and explores the soundscapes of three ports of call, “Rome—Palermo,” “Tunis—Nefta” and “Valencia.” Denève directed Ibert’s colorful suite with a vigorous, cinematic soundtrack sensibility. Ibert’s score made fine use of the skills of Jelena Dirks, principal oboist.
The evening concluded with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, Op. 88. The names of symphony’s four movements (Allegro con brio, Adagio, Allegretto grazioso and Allegro ma non troppo) offer some indication of why this was a fine way to end the evening with an energetic, cheerful, exuberant and poetic performance. Denève and D (let’s call them the Two D’s) drew upon the SLSO’s strong woodwinds during the numerous solo passages.
In her Playbill introduction, SLSO President and CEO, Marie-Hélène Bernard, wrote, “We believe that music is a universal language and in creating an environment where music is accessible to all. This is made possible through a more welcoming concert experience and for new and returning audience; broader programming that makes the orchestra a vital part of everyone’s life…”
Every journey begins with a first step, and the opening performance of this new season was indeed a terrific first step toward that ideal of ailleurs. There is no substitute for experiencing a live orchestral performance – especially one as diverse and satisfying as this one. It’s amazing to view the musicians assembled on Powell Hall’s stage and to consider all that practice, practice, practice that led them to this point. And for the next several months, it’s up to us to listen, listen, listen.
CB Adams is an award-winning fiction writer and photographer based in the Greater St. Louis area. A former music/arts editor and feature writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, his non-fiction has been published in local, regional and national publications. His literary short stories have been published in more than a dozen literary journals and his fine art photography has been exhibited in more than 40 galley shows nationwide. Adams is the recipient of the Missouri Arts Council’s highest writing awards: the Writers’ Biennial and Missouri Writing!. The Riverfront Times named him, “St. Louis’ Most Under-Appreciated Writer” in 1996.
Appointments made to Principal Flute, Associate Principal Viola, Associate Principal Timpani/Section Percussion, and Second Bassoon positions
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Stéphane Denève are pleased to announce the appointments of four new full-time musicians as the SLSO begins its 2022/2023 season, the orchestra’s 143rd.
The SLSO’s 2022/2023 season begins in mid-September with the annual free community concert in Forest Park. Throughout the season, Denève and the SLSO perform repertoire that spans genre and time and celebrates music without boundaries, offering a musical journey to places near and far, real and imaginary, physical and spiritual.
The SLSO’s new musicians are:
Julia Paine, Second Bassoonist, joins the SLSO following appearances with a variety of orchestras including the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and Oregon Symphony. A graduate of the University of Miami and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Paine is a native of the Chicago suburbs.
Paine succeeds Felicia Foland, who held the Second Bassoon position for 31 seasons until her retirement at the conclusion of the 2021/2022 season.
Kevin Ritenauer, Associate Principal Timpanist/Section Percussionist and the Paul A. and Ann S. Lux Chair, was appointed to the SLSO following four seasons as a percussion fellow at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. He has performed around the country with orchestras including The Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony. He received his Master of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Ritenauer succeeds Tom Stubbs, who held the Associate Principal Timpani position for 51 years prior to retirement in 2021.
Matthew Roitstein, Principal Flutist and the Herbert C. and Estelle Claus Chair, joins the SLSO after eight seasons as the Associate Principal Flutist of the Houston Symphony. He also held positions in the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. Roitstein has performed as guest principal flute with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra. He has also taught extensively in the United States as well as throughout South and Central America. Roitstein received bachelor’s degrees in architecture and music from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.
Roitstein assumes the position formerly held by Principal Flutist Mark Sparks from 2000 to 2021.
Alejandro Valdepeñas, Associate Principal Violist, enjoys a multi-faceted career as a violinist and violist. He has recorded with the Amici Chamber Ensemble and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Chamber Soloists. He has spent multiple summers as a violinist with the Santa Fe Opera and has also performed with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. In the summers, Valdepeñas has performed at the Aspen Music Festival and School and Norfolk Chamber Music Festival at Yale. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Valdepeñas made his solo debut on violin at age 9 with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Valdepeñas succeeds longtime Associate Principal Violist Kathleen Mattis, who retired in September 2019.
About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as a leading American orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 143rd year with the 2022/2023 season and its fourth with Music Director Stéphane Denève. The SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community collaborations, honoring its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
The SLSO serves as a convener of individuals, creators, and ideas, and is committed to building community through compelling and inclusive musical experiences. As it continues its longstanding focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, the SLSO embraces its strengths as a responsive, nimble organization, while investing in partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally. For more information, visit slso.org.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
