The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) has announced their 2025-26 season, including performances exploring a diverse range of genres and eras to uplift spirits at Kleinhans Music Hall.

Aside from the BPO’s annual Classics, Pop, Rocks, Kids and Special event series, the 2025-26 concert season awaits beloved symphonies, world premier, iconic film scores and rock and pop hits. The season will open on Sept. 20 with pianist Alexander Malofeev’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and a preceding traditional gala dinner by the BPO. Other guests throughout the season include Broadway star Leslie Odom Jr., Buffalo native vocalists Michele Ragusa and Jay Dref, pianist Fabio Bidini and more. 

Many other traditions of the BPO will continue throughout the 2025-26 season. The Festival Encanto Hispano, A Gospel Symphony Celebration, BPO UpClose, Holiday Pops, Celtic Woman and full scores from movies “E.T.,” “Batman” and “The Princess Bride” are included in the upcoming season. Featured performances from the orchestra include Concertmaster Nikki Chooi, Principal Cellist Roman Mekinulov, Principal Harpist Madeline Olson and more. 

Subscription packages for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra 2025-26 Season are available for purchase at the Box Office in Kleinhans Music Hall or by calling (716) 885-5000. For more information, visit bpo.org.

CLASSICS SERIES

Sept. 20 – Malofeev Plays Tchaikovsky – Alexander Malofeev, piano; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Bernstein: Overture to Candide, R. Strauss: Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor

Oct. 3-4 – Fabio, Folklore & Fantasy – Fabio Bidini, piano; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Rossini: Overture to Semiramide, Bartók: Dance Suite, Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor

Oct. 17-18 – Nikki Plays Beethoven –  Nikki Chooi, violin; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Gould: Cowboy Rhapsody, Montgomery: Snapshots, Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major

Oct. 24-25 – Beethoven’s Pastoral – Nikki Chooi, violin; Roman Mekinulov, cello; Eric Huebner, piano; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Paterson: Trio Concerto, Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”

Nov. 7-8 – Mahler & Mahler – Andrea Bickford, soprano; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• A. Mahler: Lieder, G. Mahler: Symphony No. 1, “Titan”

Nov. 22-23 – Grieg & Schumann: Romantic Impressions – Adam Golka, piano; Eric Jacobsen, conductor

• Brahms: Hungarian Dances Nos. 4, 6, 10, 21, Schumann: Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor

Dec. 12-13 – JoAnn’s Classical Christmas – JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus

Jan. 16-17, 2026 – Mozart’s Great Mass – Maximiano Valdés, conductor; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus

• Mozart: Symphony No. 38, “Prague,” Mozart: “Great” Mass in C minor, 

Jan. 24-25, 2026 – Mozart’s Violin – Aubree Oliverson, violin; Anthony Parnther, conductor

• Bologne: Symphony No. 2, Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, Paradis: Overture to The School Candidate. Mozart: Symphony No. 35, “Haffner”

Feb. 6-7, 2026 – Shostakovich No. 5 – Madeline Olson, harp; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Brahms: Academic Festival Overture, Reinecke: Harp Concerto in E minor, Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor

Feb. 21-22, 2026 – Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 – George Li, piano; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Copland: Dance Symphony, Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Hindemith: Symphonic Dances

March 7-8, 2026 – Tchaikovsky Meets Elfman – Colin Currie, percussion; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Elfman: Percussion Concerto, Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor

March 20-21, 2026 – Brahms & Bruch – Simone Porter, violin; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Butterworth: The Banks of Green Willow, Bruch: Scottish Fantasy, Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor

April 11-12, 2026 – Pablo’s Guitar – Pablo Sáinz Villegas, guitar; Anna Sułkowska-Migoń, conductor

• Bacewicz: Overture for Orchestra, Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Lutosławski: Little Suite for Symphony Orchestra, Borodin: Symphony No. 2 in B minor

April 24-25, 2026 – Mendelssohn & Dvořák – Amaryn Olmeda, violin; Roberto Minczuk, conductor

• Zwilich: Concerto Grosso 1985, Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Dvořák: Symphony No. 8 in G major

May 8-9, 2026 – Haydn Cello Concerto – Sterling Elliott, cello; Rune Bergmann, conductor

• Kuzmenko: Fantasy on a Theme by Beethoven, Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major, Grieg: Symphonic Dances

May 30-31, 2026 – Carmina Burana – Eva Rae Martinez, soprano; Kameron Lopreore, tenor; Joshua Conyers, baritone; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Leshnoff: Symphony No. 5 (world premiere), Orff: Carmina Burana

June 5-6, 2026 – American Soundscapes – Jon Kimura Parker, piano; JoAnn Falletta, conductor

• Bernstein: Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, Daugherty: Niagara Falls (orchestral world premiere), Copland: Appalachian Spring: Suite, Moravec: Serenade (orchestral world premiere), Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

POPS SERIES

Sept. 27 – Showstopping Pops! – Jay Dref & Michele Ragusa, vocals; Ron Spigelman, conductor

Oct. 11 – La Vida Loca – Ender Thomas & Jackie Mendez, vocals; José Sibaja, trumpet; Luisito Quintero, percussion; Enrico Lopez-Yañez, conductor

Oct. 31 – Nov. 1 – E.T. the Extra Terrestrial in Concert: Film with Live Orchestra – Scott Terrell, conductor

Nov. 15 – Clouds in My Coffee – Morgan James, Shayna Steele, & Bryonha Marie, vocals; Ted Sperling, conductor

Dec. 18-21 – Holiday Pops – Ron Spigelman, conductor; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus

Jan. 31, 2026 – Uptown Nights with Byron Stripling – Byron Stripling, trumpet & conductor; Carmen Bradford, vocals; Leo Manzari, tap dancer

Feb. 13-14, 2026 – Ruben Studdard: My Tribute to Luther Vandross – Ruben Studdard, vocals; Ron Spigelman, conductor

Feb. 28, 2026 – Dancing & Romancing – Joan Hess & Kirby Ward, vocals; Ron Spigelman, conductor

April 17-18, 2026 – Disney in Concert: Tale As Old As Time – Ron Spigelman, conductor

May 22-23, 2026 – Patriotic Pops – Sal Andolina, saxophone; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus; Ron Spigelman, conductor

ROCK SERIES

Nov. 14 – The Music of Green Day (Rock Special)

Jan. 30, 2026 – The Music of Journey – Bradley Thachuk, conductor

Feb. 27, 2026 – The Music of Pink Floyd with The Machine – Bradley Thachuk, conductor

May 1, 2026 – The Music of The Tragically Hip with The Strictly Hip – Bradley Thachuk, conductor

KIDS SERIES

Oct. 12 – Symphonic Spooktacular

Dec. 14 – Jingle Bell Jam

Feb 7 & 14, 2026 – BPO Little Kids

April 19, 2026 – Peter and the Wolf, April 19, 2026

SPECIAL EVENTS

Oct. 10 – A Gospel Symphony Celebration with Karen Clark-Sheard – Karen Clark-Sheard & Kierra Sheard-Kelly, vocals; Buffalo United Community Choir; Jonathan Taylor Rush, conductor

Nov. 29 – The Princess Bride in Concert: Film with Live Orchestra – Ron Spigelman, conductor

Dec. 9 – Celtic Woman Christmas – Lloyd Butler, conductor

Jan. 28 & April 29, 2026 – BPO UpClose

March 14, 2026 – Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) in Concert: Film with Live Orchestra – Ron Spigelman, conductor

May 2, 2026 – Leslie Odom, Jr. with the BPO – Leslie Odom, Jr., vocals; Ron Spigelman, conductor