In its U.S. premiere at Spoleto USA, White Box blends dance, music, puppetry, film, and projection to explore the true story of a lost expedition to fly over the North Pole in a gas balloon. Composed by Catherine Graindorge and directed by Sabine Theunissen, who also wrote the libretto. (May 29-31) https://spoletousa.org/events/white-box/
The Indianapolis Symphony will present the world premiere of James Beckel’s Double Bass Concerto on May 30-31, with ISO Principal Bass Ju-Fang Liu as soloist. This program, conducted by David Danzmayr, also includes A Short Piece for Orchestra by Julia Perry and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/event/tchaikovskys-5th-symphony/
On June 5-8, Baltimore Symphony music director Jonathon Heyward will lead the orchestra in the world premiere of James Lee III’s Concerto for Orchestra. This is one of a series of concerts and educational programs focusing on the works of Lee, who is a native of Baltimore. Yefim Bronfman takes the stage for Beethoven’s Piano […]
Detroit Symphony music director Jader Bignamini leads a world premiere by Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Abels (known for composing the scores to Jordan Peele’s films Get Out, Us, and Nope) and the Detroit premiere of Leokadiya Kashperova’s lyrical Symphony in B minor. Behzod Abduraimov is the featured guest, playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. (June 5-7) https://www.dso.org/events-and-tickets/events/24-25-spring/tchaikovskys-piano-concerto
The world premiere of Reza Vali’s newest work will occur June 6-8, with Manfred Honeck conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony. Alice Sara Ott will play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, and soprano Lilit Davtyan will be the soprano soloist in Mahler’s Fourth Symphony. https://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/production/92965/beethoven-mahler-plus-world-premiere
Members of the Albany Symphony, calling themselves Dogs of Desire, will present an evening of new music on June 6, with David Alan Miller conducting. Featured composers will include Dai Wei, Tanner Porter, Juhi Bansal, JUAKHAN, and Brent Michael Davids. https://www.albanysymphony.com/upcomingconcerts/2025/6/13/dogs-of-desire
On June 6, the Ojai Festival presents the world premiere of Alex Peh’s arrangement for trio of Terry Riley’s Pulsing Lifters. Peh, along with fellow keyboardist/composers Cory Smythe and Craig Taborn, will also play works by themselves, John Coltrane, and Anna Thorvaldsdottir. https://www.ojaifestival.org/2025-festival-schedule/
A new work by Gabriella Smith, on the theme of climate action, will receive its world premiere June 6-8 with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony. The program also features Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 7, the composer’s final symphony, as well as two of Richard Strauss’s tone poems—Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks. https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2024-25/salonen-sibelius7
On June 7, the American Music Festival, an evening hosted by the Albany Symphony, will present the world premiere of Bobby Ge’s Water Music. Global sensations Third Coast Percussion will be on hand to play Clarice Assad’s Percussion Concerto, and Stephen Williamson will solo in Christopher Theofanidis’ Clarinet Concerto. https://www.albanysymphony.com/upcomingconcerts/2025/6/14/american-music-festival-water-music
Joining with an ensemble that includes 2025’s Ojai Festival artistic director, Claire Chase, the JACK Quartet will give the world premiere of Susie Ibarra’s new work for sheng and percussion. Ibarra’s Sky Islands will also receive its West-coast premiere on this June 8 program, which opens with the JACK’s Modern/Medieval, a “renewing” of works from […]
Principal flute Demarre McGill performs the West Coast premiere of Allison Loggins-Hull’s Flute Concerto with the Seattle Symphony on June 12-22. Conductor emeritus Ludovic Morlot will also lead two beloved symphonic works by Ravel: Bolero and Rapsodie espagnole. https://www.seattlesymphony.org/en/concerttickets/calendar/2024-2025/24sub21
Notes & Frames: A Film and Music Festival is a three-week initiative by the National Symphony. On June 20-21, the festival culminates in a world premiere by Academy Award®–winning director, composer, and pianist Kris Bowers, who will curate and perform a program of contemporary film music to be conducted by Anthony Parnther. https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2024-2025/kris-bowers/
Atlanta Opera will present the world premiere of Steele Roots by composer Dave Ragland and librettist Selda Sahin, winners of the 2023 96-Hour Opera Project. The work was inspired by Carrie Steele Logan, a formerly enslaved woman who dedicates her life to caring for orphaned children in Atlanta. Director Tazewell Thompson mentored the winning team […]
A Mass for Women in Bathrooms is a new electronic chamber opera by Irish composer Emma O’Halloran and librettist Naomi Louisa O’Connell examining themes of infertility, reproductive rights and dementia, while reclaiming bodily autonomy for women in a historically violent space. It will be workshopped at Opera Saratoga’s summer festival on June 22 and 27. […]
