Santa Barbara Symphony Announces 2024-2025 Season

The Star-Studded Lineup Features Violinist Gil Shaham and a Mozart Marathon

Maestro Nir Kabaretti will conduct the recently announced Santa Barbara Symphony season for 2024-2025. | Photo: Nik Blaskovich (file)

A two-concert residency by renowned violinist Gil Shaham, a Mozart marathon with eight masterworks performed over two days, and a Brahms requiem in community collaboration are among the highlights of Santa Barbara Symphony’s 2024-2025 offerings. The season is set to kick off on Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20, with guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas at The Granada Theatre.

“We are thrilled to bring our Santa Barbara community a rich and culturally expansive experience. Beloved masterworks of Mozart, Brahms, Dvořák, and Tchaikovsky will be heard alongside the cabaret vocals of Storm Large, a centennial cinematic classic with Charles Chaplin, and more, featuring extraordinary guest artists, including our own musicians,” said Nir Kabaretti, Music and Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony.

The upcoming symphony season includes:

Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20: Opening Weekend: Tchaikovsky’s Fourth

The return of guitar sensation Pablo Sáinz-Villegas playing Rodrigo’s haunting Concierto de Aranjuez, in a program also featuring Tchaikovsky’s passionate Symphony No. 4.

Nir Kabaretti, conductor

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, guitar

Sunday, November 17: French Connections

David Greilsammer, “one of the most accomplished and adventurous musicians of his generation (The New York Times),” leads music from across three centuries by Rameau, Haydn, and Milhaud, and conducting from the keyboard, plays Ravel’s jazz-inspired Piano Concerto in G. Both Saturday and Sunday subscribers will attend this very special, one-day-only performance! (Seating will be similar to the usual subscriber seats.)

David Greilsammer, conductor and pianist

Saturday, January 18, and Sunday, January 19: Mozart Marathon!

A Mozart Marathon — with different programs on Saturday and Sunday of exquisite serenades, concertos, and symphonies. (Subscribers can add the second concert to their series.)

Nir Kabaretti, conductor and featuring the musicians of the orchestra as soloists!

Saturday, February 15, and Sunday, February 16 (Valentine’s Day Weekend): Chaplin’s Masterpiece @ 100 — The Gold Rush

With Chaplin’s enchanting blend of pantomime and music, his masterwork, The Gold Rush, has endured for a century. The Symphony performs Chaplin’s own score live as the movie classic is projected on the big screen! Share the laughs with family, kids, or that special someone on Valentine’s Day Weekend.

Saturday, March 22, and Sunday, March 23: The Seven Deadly Sins

The sensational and sultry Storm Large will get the pulse racing with her unique take on Kurt Weill’s seductive The Seven Deadly Sins.

Nir Kabaretti, conductor

Storm Large, vocalist

The Hudson Shad Quartet

Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 26: Brahms’s Requiem

Nir Kabaretti conducts Brahms’s powerful and poetic musical settings from the Bible, A German Requiem, a community collaboration featuring three choirs massed overflowing the Granada stage.

Nir Kabaretti, conductor

Magdalena Kuźma, soprano

Navasard Hakobyan, baritone

Quire of Voyces

Santa Barbara Choral Society

Westmont College

Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18: Season Finale: Gil Shaham Weekend!

A weekend residency by violin virtuoso Gil Shaham joined by his wife, violinist Adele Anthony. Gil Shaham plays three different violin concertos over two concerts. (Subscribers can add the second concert to their series.)

Nir Kabaretti, conductor

Gil Shaham, violin

Subscriptions are on sale now and can be purchased in-person, online at thesymphony.org, or by calling the Symphony box office at (805) 898-9386.