Calgary Philharmonic To Kick Off 2026/2027 Season In September
The season begins with events on September 4-5.
Once again proving that orchestral music is for everyone, the Calgary Phil returns to stages across the city this September, performing an exciting array of works in almost every imaginable concert category: Classics, Pops, Specials, Kids, and Community.
The fun officially gets underway on September 4 + 5 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium with How to Train Your Dragon 2 in Concert, presented in partnership with Glatz Loft Concerts. This high-flying adventure, starring Hiccup, Toothless, and friends, marks the first of the Phil’s always popular film concerts this season. A wonderful way for both newcomers and dedicated Phil fans to experience symphonic sounds, these performances feature the Orchestra performing the demanding act of playing the soundtrack live as all the action unfolds on the big screen.
The following Wednesday (September 9), new Calgary Phil Resident Conductor Ilan Kumaranayake Mendel makes his debut with the Orchestra in the community of Alpine Park for another Twilight Symphony in Central Park. This is the second year running for this free concert presented by Alpine Park. The performance begins at 7PM.
The Orchestra returns to its home base, Jack Singer Concert Hall, on Friday, September 11 for the first of many spectacular specials in 2026/2027. Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony features Dolly’s songs and the stories behind them in an innovative multimedia symphonic experience featuring Dolly on screen, leading audiences in a visual-musical journey of her songs, her life, and her stories. With a cast of phenomenal guest vocalists and musicians, along with new and innovative orchestrations by David Hamilton, the concert features hit songs, including Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, and I Will Always Love You, in addition to Dolly’s personal favourites and a selection from her upcoming Broadway musical.
On Sunday, September 13, all of Calgary is invited to grab their blankets and picnic baskets for the return of Phil in the Park. The event, free with registration at calgaryphil.com, drew more than 10,000 music lovers to the beautiful heart of the city in last year’s iteration, so make sure to arrive early. The concert starts at 2PM.
Music shaped by nature, myth, and the endless northern sky make for a suitably grand Classics series opener, Nordic Nights, on September 18 + 19. Conductor Naomi Woo, last seen on the Jack Singer stage at this past May’s monumental Alberta in Harmony: The Planets in a joint performance by the Calgary Phil and ESO, returns to lead the Orchestra through Calgary-born composer Zosha Di Castri’s Moon voyage-inspired J Long Is the Journey, Short Is the Memory, Jean Sibelius’s epic Second Symphony, and Edvard Grieg’s mighty Piano Concerto. Star Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear joins Woo and the Orchestra as guest soloist for the concerto — a sure-to-be dazzling performance of phenomenal artistry.
Also that weekend, Symphony Sundays for Kids returns with Beethoven Lives Upstairs on the afternoon of September 20. Life gets a little noisy, and a whole lot more interesting for young Christoph after a crabby, eccentric old man named Beethoven moves in upstairs. Critically acclaimed ensemble Classical Kids Live! join the Orchestra and conductor Monica Chen on stage, helping to introduce young concertgoers to the music and history of the great composer in this popular production blending symphonic music and drama. The Instrument Discovery Zoo, where children can try instruments and meet musicians, begins at 1PM in the lobby and the concert starts at 2PM.
Finally, on September 24, 25, and 26, the Pops series strikes gold with the works of silver screen composer John Williams, presenting an adventure revisiting five decades of motion picture history. From the daring thrills of Indiana Jones, to the majestic tones of Jurassic Park, the beloved scores featured in The Music John Williams will transport audience members from heartwarming suburban landscapes (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) to a galaxy far, far away (Star Wars) and so much more, all from their seats in the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
The Calgary Philharmonic thanks 2026/2027 Season Sponsor National Bank for its generous and significant support.
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