2025-2026 Season Concert Series
The Program
Ludwig van Beethoven Coriolan Overture
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, “Pathétique”
with 2026 Young Artist Competition winner
Please join us before the concert for the Inside the Music talk at 1:45 PM.
program run time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Bringing the Main Stage season to a fittingly dramatic conclusion are two works that embrace the spectrum of human experience—from passion to grief, and ultimately death. Ludwig van Beethoven’s stormy Coriolan Overture, Op. 62, captures the rebellious nature of the piece’s namesake placing it in stark juxtaposition with gentle soothings of his mother. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op.74, “Pathétique,” premiered just nine days before the composer’s death. Known for emotional works, “Pathétique” is characteristically passionate and melodic, yet it also possesses a dark and tragic quality that some believe foreshadowed the composer’s death. The PSO will also be joined by the 2026 Young Artist Competition winner, who will perform their winning concerto.
Featured Artists
The winner of the 2026 Young Artist Concerto Competition. (Check back in April to see who won!)
What Makes This Concert Special?
- Program explores the full emotional arc of being human: defiance, tenderness, passion, grief, and ultimately finality. The concert is emotionally fearless, looking unflinchingly at life’s extremes while celebrating the future of music at the same time.
- Inspired by Heinrich von Collin’s play Coriolan (which was inspired by Shakespeare’s Coriolanus), Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture musically dramatizes the internal conflict of the Roman leader Coriolanus specifically portraying his tense, warlike nature contrasted with the pleading of his family.
- Written and premiered just days before Tchaikovsky’s death, Symphony No. 6 is one of the rare symphonies that ends not in triumph, but in dissolution. Lush, heart-wrenching melodies give way to darkness and exhaustion, leaving the audience in a place of stillness.
- These pieces sandwich the solo performance of the 2026 Young Artist Concerto Competition winner.
What You'll Hear
Take a Closer Look
The Details
- The concert will last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes including a 15 minute intermission.
- Join us at 1:45 PM for a pre-concert talk by Music Director John Page.
- We recommend arriving 30 minutes in advance to allow ample time for parking and finding a seat.
- Is this your first time joining us? Welcome! Visit our Before You Arrive page to learn more!
