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The 2025-26 Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Classical Series features 17 programs and specials that stretch the imagination with music that invites storytelling, adventure, and shared artistic experience

Season highlights include:

Stories of adventure and brilliant ballet scores including: Ravel’s complete “Daphnis and Chloe,” Stravinsky’s complete “The Firebird,” Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” Strauss’ “Don Quixote,” and Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”

“Alexander Shelley Conducts America at 250” will launch a multi-season initiative exploring themes around the founding of the U.S. and features the West Coast Premiere of Peter Boyer and Joe Sohm’s “American Mosaic,” plus Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F

Spotlighting leading women artists: conductors Tianyi Lu, Anna Rakitina and Valentina Peleggi; soloists Gabriela Montero, Alexandra Dariescu, Aubree Oliverson, and Anne Akiko Meyers; and music by Jessie Montgomery, Cassandra Miller and Gabriela Montero

Music Director Laureate Carl St.Clair returns to lead three Classical Series programs, including Puccini’s “Turandot,” and three specials

Special performance by superstar pianist Lang Lang

Pacific Symphony announces its 2025-26 season, welcoming Alexander Shelley to the podium for his exciting prelude season as Artistic and Music Director Designate. Shelley assumes full directorship in 2026-27. As this new chapter in the orchestra’s history begins, Shelley is set to energize Orange County’s musical landscape with fresh interpretations, innovative programming, and powerful connections to the heart of the music. His multidisciplinary approach to the season brings a broad range of programs, featuring ballet scores in their entirety, storytelling through music, and a virtuosic range of soloists in concertos for piano, violin, guitar and mandolin. Carl St.Clair assumes his new role as Music Director Laureate and returns for three subscription programs and three special concerts, including a one-night-only performance with superstar pianist Lang Lang. His classical series appearances include this year’s annual semi-staged opera, “Turandot.” Comprising 36 concerts as part of a 12-program subscription series plus four Sunday matinees and five specials, the 2025-26 Classical Series features jaw-dropping talent, beloved masterworks, and rarely performed gems just waiting to be discovered.

“This season is filled with beautiful and exciting moments that showcase the music of our time, capture the brilliant compositions of the past, and connect us to the emotions in music that transcend time and place,” said Shelley. “Our goal as an orchestra is to connect with audiences and take them on a journey of shared discovery as we experience the qualities of the human experience together. I’m also looking forward to growing my relationship with Pacific Symphony’s distinguished musicians as we shape our collective sound and push the boundaries of what’s possible.”

“The 2025-26 classical season marks a defining moment for Pacific Symphony as we welcome Alexander Shelley for four concerts, offering a preview of the exciting era to come,” said President and CEO John Forsyte. “Shelley’s ambitious programming will both showcase and stretch the orchestra, building on the exceptional caliber the musicians have developed under the hand of Carl St.Clair, who also returns for three subscription weeks of artistic continuity. Together, the two conductors will create an extraordinary season that honors tradition while embracing the future of orchestral music in Orange County. It’s not to be missed!”

2025-26 HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE

OPENING WEEKEND
Pacific Symphony’s opening weekend (September 18-20, 2025) features a stirring combination of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1, two masterpieces born from moments of personal and national struggle. Guest pianist Alessio Bax performs Rachmaninoff’s concerto, a journey of emotional renewal and artistic triumph. Led by guest conductor Ludovic Morlot, Sibelius’ symphony is a bold expression of national pride and defiance. Together, these iconic pieces speak to the indomitable human spirit, showing that from adversity, the greatest triumphs emerge.

STORYTELLING THROUGH MUSIC
Alexander Shelley leads a rich musical exploration through modern vitality, soulful tradition, and timeless myth on October 16-18, 2025. Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” weaves the magical tales of “One Thousand and One Nights,” allowing individual members of the orchestra to shine while evoking feelings such as being at sea and the hustle-and-bustle of a marketplace. The concert opens with music from two preeminent contemporary composers—Jessie Montgomery’s “Starburst” is bright, ebullient and joyful followed by Arturo Márquez’s “Mystical and Profane” concerto, which Shelley co-commissioned with the Naples Philharmonic and the National Arts Centre Orchestra for acclaimed Spanish guitarist Pablo Sainz-Villegas, who reprises the work with Pacific Symphony.

A night of heroism takes place February 5-7, 2026 as Pacific Symphony’s own Principal Cellist Warren Hagerty takes on the title role of the noble knight in Richard Strauss’ sweeping tone poem, “Don Quixote,” based on the novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Music Director Laureate Carl St.Clair leads the orchestra and the evening features Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, which has a story of its own. Acclaimed violinist Paul Huang takes on the path-breaking work that was tailored to the musical personality of his friend Franz Joseph Clement, and later brought to its current fame by Joseph Joachim.

St.Clair returns March 26-28, 2026 for an evening of exhilarating music that captures the thrill of flight and the spark of innovation. John Williams’ “Flying Scene” from E.T. opens the program sparking nostalgia and imagination in listeners before moving to Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty’s “Blue Electra,” a new work featuring superstar violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, which is inspired by American icon Amelia Earhart and described by The Washington Post as, “stunning, cinematic and relentlessly inventive….”. Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 concludes the program, with the emotional depth and grandeur of the composer’s final symphony.

BRILLIANT BALLET SCORES
Celebrating 150 years of Ravel, Alexander Shelley leads a performance of the composer’s most radiant orchestral masterpiece, the complete ballet score of “Daphnis and Chloe,” November 20-22, 2025. This Impressionist retelling of the Greek myth culminates in one of the most mesmerizing sunrises in music, featuring the ethereal voices of Pacific Chorale. The evening ignites with the fiery Spanish passion of Bizet’s beloved “Carmen” Suite No. 1, setting the stage for the virtuosic Gabriela Montero. The Venezuelan pianist, composer, and renowned improviser takes the spotlight in her own “Latin Concerto,” which blends vibrant Latin rhythms with lush melodies and rich textures.

On January 15-17, 2026, Alexander Shelley conjures a world of magic and myth with Stravinsky’s “The Firebird,” performed in its complete, spellbinding glory. Bursting with vibrant colors, pulsating rhythms, and lush harmonies, this iconic ballet comes to life with stunning, innovative visuals that heighten its drama and enchantment. The program opens with a thrilling journey through American musical history—beginning with the exhilarating rush of an early work of John Adams, his “Short Ride in a Fast Machine,” followed by the sweeping romanticism of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto, performed by rising American star Aubree Oliverson in a dazzling showcase of virtuosity and lyricism.

SPOTLIGHTING FEMALE CONDUCTORS
With a commitment to bringing exceptional, diverse, and talented guest conductors and artists to the Pacific Symphony stage, the 2025-26 season features three emerging female conductors.

Born in China and raised in New Zealand, Tianyi Lu returns to the podium after a triumphant debut with Pacific Symphony. She is internationally known for her thrilling energy on the podium, her deeply creative approach to the repertoire and her open-hearted style of leadership. Her performance on December 4-6, 2025 displays elegance and emotion with Cassandra Miller’s serene “Swim,” followed by Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major featuring Alexandra Dariescu—hailed as one of the most inspiring pianists of her generation—and the timeless romance of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” Ballet Suite.

Former Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) assistant conductor and rising star Anna Rakitina has been praised by BSO music director Andris Nelsons as “one of the most talented and promising young conductors I’ve come across and her potential is truly extraordinary. It is a joy to watch her conduct.” Born in Moscow to a musical family, she brings her sensitivity and profound musicianship to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and shares the spotlight with the Pacific Symphony debut of Avi Avital, a groundbreaking mandolin soloist who performs the U.S. Premiere of Fazil Say’s concerto. Mozart’s Overture to “The Abduction from the Seraglio” opens this concert taking place May 7-9, 2026.

Pacific Symphony’s audience will also have the pleasure of experiencing the return of Valentina Peleggi after a successful debut earlier this year. Her expressive interpretations are on full display as she conducts the lushly romantic Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 for a grand season finale on June 11-13, 2026. Zlatomir Fung, the youngest musician and first American to win First Prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition Cello Division performs Boccherini’s lyrical Cello Concerto, preceded by the tender beauty of Mascagni’s Intermezzo from “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Rossini’s “William Tell” Overture.

A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA: 250 YEARS IN MUSIC
Pacific Symphony and Alexander Shelley celebrate the spirit of America’s 250th anniversary with a musical reflection of the country’s past, present, and future, beginning a multi-season initiative exploring themes around the founding of the U.S. on May 28-30, 2026. The West Coast Premiere of Peter Boyer and Joe Sohm’s “American Mosaic” is a powerful work that captures the diverse and dynamic essence of our nation and features award-winning photography of America. Also on the program is Pacific Symphony favorite pianist Conrad Tao performing Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, which nods to the young enthusiastic spirit of American life in the 1920s with a Charleston-esque rhythm and the hints of American blues.

CARL ST.CLAIR CONTINUES OPERA TRADITION
Renowned for his stellar career as an opera conductor in Europe, Carl St.Clair helped bring opera back to Orange County with semi-staged performances that put the orchestra at the center. The tradition continues April 16, 18, and 21, 2026 with Puccini’s “Turandot,” where love and destiny collide. From the soaring aria “Nessun Dorma” to the dramatic moments of the princess’s defiance, Puccini’s lush orchestration and unforgettable melodies create an immersive experience filled with tension, grandeur, and heart-stirring beauty.

SUNDAY MATINEE SERIES
The four-concert Sunday Matinee series offers audiences an intimate and lively exploration of the classics. Just 90 minutes long, these informal programs provide a perfect introduction to classical music: Alexander Shelley conducts Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Scheherazade" on October 19, 2025 and Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” on January 18, 2026. Carl St.Clair conducts Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 on March 29, 2026, and guest conductor Valentina Peleggi leads Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 on June 14, 2026.


PACIFIC SYMPHONY SPECIAL EVENTS

10th ANNIVERSARY LUNAR NEW YEAR
Pacific Symphony welcomes Lunar New Year on February 21, 2026 with a concert celebrating the Year of the Horse and Pacific Symphony’s 10th anniversary of this production. Carl St.Clair conducts this annual cross-cultural celebration uniting Eastern and Western traditions in a vibrant display of music and dance, reflecting the rich tapestry of our diverse communities.

NOWRUZ: IRANIAN NEW YEAR
Pacific Symphony marks the occasion of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, with a special concert on March 21, 2026. Nowruz, which heralds the start of spring, is recognized as a time of renewal and a celebration of nature’s rejuvenation. The Symphony’s performance is dedicated to embracing this spirit of new beginnings and the shared values of diverse cultures through the universal language of music.  

HANDEL’S GLORIOUS MESSIAH
A work of enduring significance that continues to resonate with audiences of all generations, Handel’s revered oratorio “Messiah” (Dec. 7, 2025) is celebrated for its intricate instrumental textures and the exuberant “Hallelujah” chorus. This performance with Pacific Chorale and vocal soloists to be announced, under the baton of Pacific Chorale Artistic Director Robert Istad, offers a profound musical experience that encompasses joy, contemplation, and the spirit of renewal.

HOLIDAY ORGAN SPECTACULAR
Celebrate the season with the king of instruments on Dec. 16, 2025. The performance brings a magnitude of musical splendors with a renowned organist and members of Pacific Symphony engaging the audience in a delightful mix of sacred and holiday music.

SPECIAL CONCERT:  LANG LANG PLAYS BEETHOVEN
A cultural icon and legend by the age of 20, pianist Lang Lang joins Pacific Symphony for a one-night-only performance on March 23, 2026. The superstar’s breathtaking virtuosity shines through in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, led by Carl St.Clair. Known for popularizing classical music and rejuvenating a generation of young pianists in China, Lang Lang has performed at Royal Albert Hall for a concert broadcast on Disney+, at the 2021 Global Citizens Live concert, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The evening opens with Beethoven’s “Egmont” Overture and concludes with Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony, “From the New World.”

SUBSCRIPTION AND TICKET INFORMATION
Pacific Symphony’s 2025-26 Classical Series subscriptions are now available, offering up to 25% savings on packages of 4 to 12 concerts. Subscribers also save 20% on additional tickets, enjoy easy exchanges, and receive exclusive discounts.
 
Special concert tickets are currently available only with subscriptions. Subscriptions can be purchased or renewed online, by phone, mail, or in person, with an optional payment plan charging in installments through September.
 
For details, call Patron Services at (714) 755-5799 (Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.) or visit PacificSymphony.org. Groups of 10+ can contact group sales at (714) 876-2391.

An electronic press kit of photos and biographies of 2025-26 artists can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/ps2526epks

2025-26 HAL AND JEANETTE SEGERSTROM FAMILY FOUNDATION CLASSICAL SERIES
All concerts at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. While it rarely happens, programs, artists, prices, dates, and availability are subject to change.

Opening Night Celebration
RACHMANINOFF & SIBELIUS
September 18, 19 & 20 2025 at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano

RACHMANINOFF: Piano Concerto No. 2
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 1

Magical Melodies
SHELLEY CONDUCTS SCHEHERAZADE
October 16, 17 & 18, 2025 at 8 p.m.
October 19, 3 p.m. (Scheherazade only)
Alexander Shelley, conductor
Pablo Sainz-Villegas, guitar

JESSIE MONTGOMERY: Starburst (Full Orchestra)
ARTURO MARQUEZ: Concerto for Guitar Mystical and Profane
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade

Ravel's Masterwork:
SHELLEY CONDUCTS CARMEN & DAPHNIS AND CHLOE

November 20, 21 & 22, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Alexander Shelley, conductor
Gabriela Montero, piano
Pacific Chorale —Robert Istad, artistic director

BIZET: Suite No. 1 from Carmen
GABRIELA MONTERO: Latin Concerto
RAVEL: Daphnis and Chloe (complete)


Sounds of Serenity
TCHAIKOVSKY’S SWAN LAKE
December 4, 5 & 6, at 8 p.m.
Tianyi Lu, conductor
Alexandra Dariescu, piano

CASSANDRA MILLER: Swim
RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G Major
TCHAIKOVSKY: Suite(s) from Swan Lake


A Journey of Passion and Fire
SHELLEY CONDUCTS STRAVINSKY'S FIREBIRD
January 15, 16 & 17, 2026 at 8 p.m.
January 18, 2026 at 3 p.m. (The Firebird only)
Alexander Shelley, conductor
Aubree Oliverson, violin

JOHN ADAMS: Short Ride in a Fast Machine
KORNGOLD: Violin Concerto
STRAVINSKY: The Firebird (complete ballet, with visuals)

Musical Heroes
CARL ST.CLAIR CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN AND DON QUIXOTE
February 5, 6 & 7, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Paul Huang, violin
Warren Hagerty, cello

BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto
STRAUSS: Don Quixote

FROM MOZART TO MAHLER
February 26, 27 & 28, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Eduardo Strausser, conductor
Yoav Levanon, piano

MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 23
MAHLER: Symphony No. 1

ST.CLAIR CONDUCTS WILLIAMS, DAUGHERTY, AND BRAHMS
March 26, 27 & 28, 2026, 8 p.m.
March 29 at 3 p.m. (Brahms Symphony No. 4 only)
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin

WILLIAMS: “Flying Scene” from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
DAUGHERTY: Blue Electra
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4


Love and Destiny
PUCCINI’S TURANDOT
April 16, 18 & 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Carl St.Clair, conductor
Pacific Chorale–Robert Istad, artistic director
Cast to be announced

PUCCINI: Turandot

Inspired by Fate
MOZART, SAY, AND TCHAIKOVSKY
May 7, 8 & 9, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Anna Rakitina, conductor
Avi Avital, mandolin

MOZART: Overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio
FAZIL SAY: Mandolin Concerto (U.S. Premiere)
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5

ALEXANDER SHELLEY CONDUCTS AMERICA AT 250
May 28, 29 & 30, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Alexander Shelley, conductor
Conrad Tao, piano

GERSHWIN: Piano Concerto in F Major
PETER BOYER & JOE SOHM: American Mosaic (West Coast Premiere)


Echoes of Romance
ROSSINI, BOCCHERINI, MASCAGNI & RACHMANINOFF
June 11, 12 & 13, 2026 at 8 p.m.
June 14, 2026 at 3 p.m. (Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 only)

Valentina Peleggi, conductor
Zlatomir Fung, cello

ROSSINI: Overture to William Tell
BOCCHERINI: Cello Concerto in Bb Major (Grützmacher)
MASCAGNI: Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana
RACHMANINOFF: Symphony No. 2

SPECIAL EVENTS

HANDEL’S GLORIOUS MESSIAH
December 7, 2025 at 3 p.m.

Robert Istad, conductor
Pacific Chorale
Robert Istad, artistic director
Vocal soloists to be announced

HANDEL: Messiah

HOLIDAY ORGAN SPECTACULAR
December 16, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Todd Wilson, organ
Pacific Symphony musicians

10TH ANNIVERSARY LUNAR NEW YEAR
February 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Programming to be announced

NOWRUZ: IRANIAN NEW YEAR
March 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Carl St.Clair, conductor

Programming to be announced

LANG LANG PLAYS BEETHOVEN
March 23, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Lang Lang, piano

BEETHOVEN: Egmont Overture
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3
DVOŘÁK: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”


About Artistic and Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley
One of the foremost conductors of his generation, Alexander Shelley is “a natural communicator, both on and off the podium” (Daily Telegraph), regularly performing across six continents with the world’s finest orchestras and soloists.

Shelley is in demand throughout the world and currently serves as Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada through the 2025-26 season and was recently appointed Artistic and Music Director of Artis—Naples. Since 2015 he has served as Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic of London.

He has collaborated with Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Itzhak Perlman, Renée Fleming, and Thomas Hampson, among other renowned artists, and with some of the finest orchestras of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australasia, including Leipzig’s Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Deutsche Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Helsinki, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Malaysian, Oslo, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestras, and the Sao Paulo, Houston, Montreal, Toronto, Munich, Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, and New Zealand symphony orchestras.

Born in London to celebrated concert pianists Howard Shelley and Hilary Macnamara, Shelley began playing the piano as a toddler and later learned to play the cello. He gained widespread attention when he was unanimously awarded first prize at the 2005 Leeds Conductors’ Competition, praised as “the most exciting and gifted young conductor to have taken this highly prestigious award.”

As his career on the symphonic stage subsequently flourished so did his operatic credentials, and he has since led productions at the Royal Danish Opera, Opera Lyra/National Arts Centre, Canadian Opera Company/ National Arts Centre, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Opéra National de Montpellier and Opera North (Leeds).

Read more about Pacific Symphony’s appointment of Alexander Shelley as the next Artistic and Music Director.  

About Pacific Symphony
Pacific Symphony is ushering in a new era of artistic leadership in the 2025-26 season, as the orchestra welcomes Alexander Shelley as Artistic and Music Director Designate before he assumes full responsibilities as Artistic and Music Director in the 2026-27 season. Carl St.Clair has been honored with the title of Music Director Laureate and continues to be involved in conducting several concerts for the orchestra he led for more than three decades. Celebrating its 47th season, Pacific Symphony has been the resident orchestra of Orange County’s Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for over 15 years. Founded in 1978, the Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 50 years and is not only a fixture of musical life in Southern California but is also recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scenes. The orchestra presents more than 100 concerts and events each year and a rich array of education and community engagement programs, reaching more than 300,000 residents of all ages.

Pacific Symphony made its debut at Carnegie Hall in 2018, where it was invited to perform as part of a yearlong celebration of composer Philip Glass' 80th birthday. The Symphony made its first-ever tour to China the same year, with performances in five cities, including Shanghai and Beijing. The Symphony has been recognized with multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and included among the country’s five most innovative orchestras by the League of American Orchestras.

Pacific Symphony’s discography comprises 15 recordings, mostly of 20th- and 21st-century music by such American composers as William Bolcom, John Corigliano and Richard Danielpour. In 2012 for Naxos, St.Clair and the orchestra recorded Philip Glass’s The Passion of Ramakrishna, a Pacific Symphony commission that appeared on the Carnegie Hall program. The Symphony has also recorded for Harmonia Mundi, Koch International Classics, Reference Recordings, and Sony Classical, among other labels. The Symphony has been recognized with multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and included among the country’s five most innovative orchestras by the League of American Orchestras. The Symphony’s education and community engagement activities have also been recognized by the League, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts.

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