The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Stéphane Denève have announced details for the orchestra’s spring 2021 season—a season with live, socially distanced concerts at Powell Hall, the debut of Assistant Conductor Stephanie Childress, greater access to SLSO performances through digital concerts, enhanced educational resources, and a wealth of opportunities to connect with the SLSO from home.

Tickets for live, in-person concerts—scheduled for March 26 through May 15—are now on sale to the public. Each concert will be approximately one hour and performed without intermission. Tickets for the SLSO’s digital concerts—launched February 11 and available to stream on slso.org—are also on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit slso.org or call the Box Office at 314.534.1700.

Out of an abundance of caution, capacity will be limited to 300 people at live concerts. Tickets to live concerts are $25-$50, and free tickets have been made available to community partners through the SLSO’s Stéphane Seats program. Additionally, the SLSO plans to make selections from these performances accessible via on-demand streaming later this year on slso.org. Tickets to view digital concerts on slso.org are $15.

Stéphane Denève, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Music Director, said, “‘Retrouvailles’ is one of the most beautiful French words to me. It perfectly describes the happiness of being together again, after too long an interval! At last, we are indeed able to welcome our dear audience safely back at Powell Hall. What a joy to reunite our family, including our Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin and also the exciting addition of Stephanie Childress, our new Assistant Conductor! What a thrill to share altogether the power of live music anew! Music is a precious balm for these times and its essential resounding gives me hope for the bright future that lies ahead.”

Marie-Hélène Bernard, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra President and CEO, said, “We are so pleased to resume live concerts this spring in a safe and supportive environment. Over the past year, Stéphane, our musicians, and staff have worked tirelessly to make music accessible to all despite the pandemic. We are eager to welcome audiences back to Powell Hall and are grateful to maintain connections with those who can’t yet join us for in-person events with a growing portfolio of digital content.”

Jonathan Chu and Jennifer Nitchman, Co-Chairs of the SLSO Musicians’ Council, said, “The musicians of the SLSO cannot wait to get back on stage to perform live for our community! Throughout this difficult year, the support of the Board, our tireless staff, and our patrons has been steadfast, for which we are deeply grateful. We have loved performing for you digitally, but there is something special in the experience of live music that cannot be replicated. We are looking forward to giving back in the way we best know how: through performing to you all, live, on stage at Powell Hall.”

The spring 2021 live concerts include eight weeks of performances at Powell Hall with socially distanced audiences. The season embraces the family of SLSO artists, with concerts led by Music Director Stéphane Denève, as well as Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin, and the conducting and performance debut of SLSO Assistant Conductor Stephanie Childress, a rising talent who also begins her tenure as the Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra.

SLSO musicians also share the spotlight in the spring 2021 season, with five stepping forward as featured soloists during the season, including Associate Principal Second Violinist Kristin Ahlstrom, Second Associate Concertmaster Celeste Golden Boyer, Assistant Concertmaster Erin Schreiber, violinist Xiaoxiao Qiang, and violist Shannon Farrell Williams. Spring 2021 live concerts feature the first SLSO performances of works by Sally Beamish, Luigi Boccherini, TJ Cole, Ester Mägi, and Arvo Pärt.

Concerts begin March 26-28 and continue through May 13-15, with each performance approximately one hour and performed without intermission. Concerts will be recorded by the SLSO’s new high-definition camera system and will be available to stream on slso.org for a limited time at a later date. Additionally, rebroadcasts of prior SLSO concerts will continue each Saturday night at 8:00pm CDT on 90.7 KWMU St. Louis Public Radio (news.stlpublicradio.org/#stream/0) and on the first Sunday of each month at 5:00pm CDT on Nine PBS (ninepbs.org/night-at-the-symphony/). Performances from the fall 2020 season, including the SLSO’s Songs of America and Songs of the Holidays series, are available on SLSO digital platforms including its YouTube channel and SLSO Stories.

The SLSO’s ability to now offer in-person concerts complement robust digital offerings that have been available throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital concerts, available to view for a limited a time on slso.org with a new concert available every two weeks, launched February 11. Filmed in Powell Hall, digital concerts launched with a free performance of works by Richard Strauss, Antonín Dvořák, and Takashi Yoshimatsu, led by Denève. Digital concerts launched to acclaim from critics, who were “thoroughly impressed by the audio and video quality” (Chuck Lavazzi,KDHX). Live concerts will take place concurrently to digital concerts.

The SLSO’s spring 2021 live concerts will build upon the success of in-person concerts in October and November 2020, when the SLSO welcomed audiences to live events in Powell Hall for the first time since March 2020. On the advice of a team of infectious disease experts at the Washington University School of Medicine led by Dr. Stephen Liang, the SLSO will maintain its operating plan that adheres to the highest standards of health and safety for patrons, musicians, and staff. This plan, approved by the City of St. Louis, includes a socially distanced seat map, limits contact, and requires audience members, staff, and string players of the orchestra to wear masks at all times. Based on current guidance from the city and the SLSO medical team, Powell Hall has been approved for a 726-person capacity per concert. Out of an abundance of caution, the SLSO has capped each concert at 300 people per concert to allow direct seat access for all patrons. Protocols may change throughout the spring as pandemic conditions evolve. Learn more about the SLSO’s health and safety protocols for concerts here.

The 20/21 SLSO Classical Season is presented by the Steward Family Foundation. The SLSO’s digital concerts are supported in part by a grant from the Berges Family Foundation. The SLSO’s expanded portfolio of virtual events for patrons to deepen their understanding of the orchestra and its musicians is supported by Washington University Physicians.

Spring 2021 Live Concert Season

The following concerts will be held at Powell Hall in front of limited, socially distanced audiences.

Friday, March 26, 2021, 7:30pm

Saturday, March 27, 2021, 7:30pm

Sunday, March 28, 2021, 3:00pm

Stéphane Denève, conductor

Kristin Ahlstrom, violin

Stephanie Childress, violin (SLSO performance debut)

J.S. BACH                                      Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043

Ester MÄGI                                  Vesper (First SLSO performances)

Arvo PÄRT                                   Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten (First SLSO performances)

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH          Chamber Symphony in C minor

This concert is presented by the Whitaker Foundation and the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.

Thursday, April 1, 2021, 7:30pm

Friday, April 2, 2021, 11:00am

Saturday, April 3, 2021, 11:00am

Stéphane Denève, conductor

Alessio Bax, piano (SLSO debut)

Lucille Chung, piano (SLSO debut)

Aaron COPLAND                      Appalachian Spring Suite (original for 13 players)

Arthur HONEGGER                   Pastorale d’été

Camille SAINT-SAËNS            Carnival of the Animals

This concert is presented by the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.

Friday, April 9, 2021, 7:30pm

Saturday, April 10, 2021, 7:30pm

Sunday, April 11, 3:00pm

Stephanie Childress, conductor (SLSO conducting debut)

Benjamin BRITTEN                   Simple Symphony

Sally BEAMISH                            The Day Dawn (First SLSO performances)

Antonín DVOŘÁK                     Serenade for Strings

This concert is presented by the Whitaker Foundation.

Friday, April 16, 2021, 11:00am

Saturday, April 17, 2021, 7:30pm

Sunday, April 18, 2021, 3:00pm

Stephanie Childress, conductor

Xiaoxiao Qiang, violin

Shannon Farrell Williams, viola

Luigi BOCCHERINI                                       Overture (First SLSO performances)

W.A. MOZART                                              Sinfonia concertante, K. 364

Ottorino RESPIGHI                                    Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 3

This concert is presented by the Whitaker Foundation.

Friday, April 23, 2021, 7:30pm

Saturday, April 24, 2021, 7:30pm

Sunday, April 25, 2021, 3:00pm

Leonard Slatkin, conductor

Erin Schreiber, violin

Benjamin BRITTEN                   Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge

Maurice RAVEL                         Tzigane

Alberto GINASTERA                 Variaciones concertantes

This concert is presented by the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.

Friday, April 30, 2021, 11:00am

Saturday, May 1, 2021, 7:30pm

Sunday, May 2, 2021, 3:00pm

Stéphane Denève, conductor

Richard STRAUSS                                       Serenade for Winds

W.A. MOZART                                              Serenade No. 10, K. 361, “Gran Partita”

This concert is presented by the Whitaker Foundation.

Friday, May 7, 2021, 11:00am

Saturday, May 8, 2021, 7:30pm

Sunday, May 9, 2021, 3:00pm

Stéphane Denève, conductor

Sergei PROKOFIEV                    Peter and the Wolf

Igor STRAVINSKY                     Pulcinella Suite

This concert is presented by the Whitaker Foundation.

Thursday, May 13, 2021, 7:30pm

Friday, May 14, 2021, 7:30pm

Saturday, May 15, 2021, 7:30pm

Stéphane Denève, conductor

Celeste Golden Boyer, violin

TJ COLE                                          Death of the Poet (First SLSO performances)

Felix MENDELSSOHN             Violin Concerto

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN      Symphony No. 7

This concert is presented by the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.