Pittsburgh Symphony Unveils 2026 Summer Season Lineup

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra revealed its 2026 Summer with the Symphony programming, featuring a Cinematic Soundtrack Festival, Fiddlesticks in Your Neighborhood, and the Symphony’s annual, free Americana Concert at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum. These programs join an existing lineup of summer programming by the Symphony, including its America250 Festival June 12-21 (featuring all American music like Copland’s Lincoln Portrait and Appalachian Spring with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre), and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers June 26-28. Together, the Symphony’s summer programming combines free community performances, family-friendly experiences, and large-scale cinematic concerts at Heinz Hall. Further PSO summer programming, including free outdoor concerts, programs at Arts Landing, and headline artists are still to be announced. Tickets are on pre-sale to Symphony subscribers now, and go on sale to the public Friday, February 6. 
 
“Summer is a time to experience the Pittsburgh Symphony in new and welcoming ways, whether you're sharing our free Americana Concert with friends and family, introducing young listeners to orchestral music through Fiddlesticks, or immersing yourself in the unforgettable soundtracks that have shaped our collective moviegoing memories,” said Melia Tourangeau, President & CEO of the PSO. “This summer’s programming reflects our commitment to meeting audiences where they are, celebrating the power of great music, and bringing extraordinary artistic experiences to communities across our region.” 
 
The Cinematic Soundtrack Festival in July is comprised of concerts highlighting music in film, including performances of Disney’s Fantasia, a concert featuring composer Danny Elfman and his music, and the return of last summer’s popular Mad About the Movies. Additional programming will be announced later.  
 
 
Full Summer Chronological Listing 
_______________________________________________ 
 

BNY Classics: Lincoln Portrait (America250 Festival) 

June 12 | Fri 7:30 PM 
June 14 | Sun 2:30 PM 
Heinz Hall 
 
Manfred Honeck, conductor 
Matthias Goerne, baritone 
Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh 
 
Joan Tower: Tambor 
John Adams: The Wound-Dresser 
Bernstein: Chichester Psalms 
Copland: Lincoln Portrait 
_______________________________________________ 
 

BNY Classics: Appalachian Spring (America250 Festival) 

June 19 | Fri 7:30 PM 
June 20 | Sat 7:30 PM 
June 21 | Sun 2:30 PM 
Heinz Hall 
 
Manfred Honeck, conductor 
Augustin Hadelich, violin 
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre 
 
Michael Daugherty: Dancing in the Streets (World Premiere and PSO Commission) 
Barber: Violin Concerto 
Jessie Montgomery: Strum 
Copland: Suite from Appalachian Spring (with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre) 
_______________________________________________ 
 

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 

June 26 | Fri 7:00 PM 
June 27 | Sat 7:00 PM 
June 28 | Sun 2:30 PM 
Heinz Hall
_______________________________________________ 
 

Americana Concert 

July 2 | Thu 7:00 PM 
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum 
 
Join the Pittsburgh Symphony for its annual Americana Concert, an evening of patriotic music featuring beloved American classics. The program opens with the Star-Spangled Banner and continues with Morton Gould’s American Salute, John Williams’ Hymn to the Fallen from Saving Private Ryan, and Aaron Copland’s John Henry and Lincoln Portrait, alongside familiar anthems and marches including America the Beautiful, an Armed Forces Salute, and Tchaikovsky’s thrilling 1812 Overture.  
 
Performed in Oakland at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, this free concert is open to the public, though registration is required. The evening is led by Associate Conductor Jacob Joyce and features vocalist Katy Williams, honoring our military personnel and veterans through the music. 
 
Jacob Joyce, conductor 
Katy Williams, vocalist 
_______________________________________________ 
 

Symphonic Soundtracks: A Cinematic Summer Festival 

 
Disney’s Fantasia 
July 10 | Fri 7:00 PM 
July 11 | Sat 3:30 PM 
Heinz Hall 
 
Jacob Joyce, conductor 
 
Fantasia in Concert, featuring highlights from two of Disney’s most extraordinary and groundbreaking animated feature films “Fantasia” (1940) and its sequel “Fantasia 2000,” shown on the big screen and the score performed live by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, is not to be missed. Blending animated imagery with classical music, the concert will ignite the imaginations of a new generation. Scored to some of the world’s most memorable classical compositions, Fantasia has provided four generations of children with their first introduction to the glorious sounds of the orchestra’s strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.   
 

Mad About the Movies 

July 16 | Thu 7:30PM 
 
Jacob Joyce, conductor 
 
Grab your popcorn for a night of unforgettable cinematic music, performed live by the Pittsburgh Symphony with no screen required. As part of the Cinematic Soundtrack Festival, the orchestra brings the magic of the movies to life through thrilling adventures, fantastical worlds, and haunting classics. This concert features iconic scores from The Shining, Apocalypse Now, Death in Venice, Star Wars, A Clockwork Orange, There Will Be Blood, Indiana Jones, and more, offering a program that will delight movie lovers of all ages. 
 

The Music of Danny Elfman 

July 18 | Sat 7:30 PM 
July 19 | Sun 2:30 PM 
 
Danny Elfman 
Sandy Cameron, violin 
 
Danny Elfman performs with the Pittsburgh Symphony, joined by featured violinist Sandy Cameron, bringing his music to life in a powerful symphonic setting.

Be among the first to experience Danny Elfman’s brand-new symphonic project, featuring music from his celebrated film career. Known internationally for scoring more than 100 films—including Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and The Nightmare Before Christmas—Elfman is also a Grammy-winning composer, Emmy Award winner, and former lead singer of the LA rock band Oingo Boingo. 
 
_______________________________________________ 
 

Fiddlesticks in Your Neighborhood