Upcoming Concerts
Experience inspiring and enriching music by world-class talent.
Home for the Holidays
A Bakersfield Family Tradition!
Celebrate the holiday season with BSO and Bakersfield College Choirs with festive music, from traditional carols to holiday movie hits.
Arrive early for our annual lobby festivities including free desserts, children’s keepsake project, photo opportunity, and live music from PBVUSD’s Strolling Strings.
Video Games & Movie Music: Family Matinee Concert
Fun for the whole family! Adventure through music from many popular video games and movies, plus, meet different instruments of the orchestra.
Costumes encouraged! Arrive early for free desserts, children’s art activity, and photo opportunity.
Mozart & Beethoven
With Bakersfield Master Chorale, Bakersfield College Combined Choirs, and CSUB University Singers
Mozart | Le nozze di Figaro: Overture
Shaw | Seven Joys
Guest Conductor: Jennifer Garrett
Beethoven | Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, “Choral”
Season Finale
Featuring LA Phil Principal Clarinetist, Boris Allakhverdyan
Smetana | The Bartered Bride: Overture
Copland | Clarinet Concerto
Soloist: Boris Allakhverdyan
Tchaikovsky | Symphony No. 4 in F Minor
Friends & Inspirations
Special collaboration with Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra
Tchaikovsky | Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy
Elgar | Enigma Variations (Variations on an Original Theme)
Opening Night
Featuring internationally renowned violinist Stella Chen
Shaw | Verdant
Winner from The Catherine M. Urner Composer Discovery Project
Barber | Violin Concerto
Soloist: Stella Chen
Cziner | Solaris: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (West Coast Premiere)
Soloist: Stella Chen
Ginastera | Estancia: Four Dances
Scheherazade
Featuring world-renowned guest pianist Roman Rabinovich
Celebrating the Inaugural
Catherine M. Urner Composer Discovery Project
Dr. Doug Davis, Winner
The concert begins with the debut of The Catherine M. Urner Composer Discovery Project, featuring the winning composition by Bakersfield’s Dr. Doug Davis: Dust Swirls, then Speaks (Journey to Hope) – you don’t want to miss this celebration of our own homegrown talent! World-renowned guest pianist Roman Rabinovich will then join the orchestra for what is sure to be a memorable performance of Prokofiev’s thrilling Piano Concerto No. 3. Maestro Kirov and the orchestra will close the concert by taking the audience on an epic journey through Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, an incredible musical retelling of the stories and drama found in the classic One Thousand and One Nights.
Davis | Dust Swirls, then Speaks (Journey to Hope)
Prokofiev | Piano Concerto No. 3
Soloist: Roman Rabinovich
Rimsky-Korsakov | Scheherazade
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m. | Pre-concert Lecture: 5:30 p.m.
Delano Free Family Concert & Resource Fair
Sunday, April 28
Cesar Chavez High School | 800 Browning Road, Delano, CA 93215
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Resource Fair - Open to all!
Essential Health + Wellness
Tools to Empower You and Your Family
Covid-19 Prevention
Voter Registration
Public Safety
Art Activity
Prizes
Food Trucks On-site
1:00 PM
Bakersfield Symphony Concert - Fun for the whole family!
The Conductor’s Spellbook by Paul Dooley
Magical, Interactive, and Narrated Family Concert
Arrive Early, Limited Seating Available!
The Firebird
Featuring internationally renowned guest conductor, Vlad Vizireanu
There is magic in music, and this concert is the perfect example of this statement as all three pieces on the program include magical characters, fairy tale aspects, and beautiful stories behind the music. The Magic Flute Overture combines popular musical themes from one of Mozart’s most famous works and the music is truly immortal with its beauty, excitement, and perfect compositional structure. Both Ravel’s Mother Goose and Stravinsky’s Firebird were written for ballets, and the sense of dance as well as the theatrical grandeur within the music is absolutely breathtaking. This is a concert for all ages with music that has stood the test of time to carry and bring us these compelling tales. Award-winning and world-renowned guest conductor, Vlad Vizireanu will lead the Orchestra through this musical journey.
Mozart | Overture to The Magic Flute
Ravel | Mother Goose Suite
Stravinsky | The Firebird Suite (1945)
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m. | Pre-concert Lecture: 5:30 p.m.
Family Matinee: The Conductor's Spellbook
Join Bakersfield Symphony for a fun, interactive program that the whole family will enjoy. The Conductor’s Spellbook tells a narrated magical story of Tony Stradivarius. During a field trip to the symphony, young Tony finds a book of spells and takes control of the orchestra. This will be an exciting and interactive concert experience that introduces audiences to music, orchestral instruments, and even conducting! Be sure to arrive early for the performance to enjoy the lobby festivities, including free desserts, a children’s craft, and some extra musical entertainment in the theater lobby!
Concert: 2:00 p.m.
Doors Open: 1:00 p.m.
Arrive early for free desserts, children’s craft , and entertainment in the lobby.
Anderson | Plink, Plank Plunk
Reinecke | Konzertstück
Soloist: Emily Chen, Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra
Dooley | The Conductor’s Spellbook
Home for the Holidays
Bakersfield Symphony welcomes you to a holiday event full of musical fun for the whole family. With music and activities in the lobby prior to the performance, as well as a concert full of all your favorite holiday tunes, there’s sure to be something for everyone. Choirs from Bakersfield College join our BSO for traditional carols, childhood classics, music from holiday movies, and an invitation to the audience to participate in a sing-along medley of holiday songs. We hope you will join us for this festive holiday tradition!
Doors Open: 5:30 p.m.
Arrive early for free children’s activities in the lobby.
Great Classics
Featuring BSO Principal Flutist Catherine Baker
Bologne | Symphony No. 1
Mozart | Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major
Soloist: Catherine Baker
Principal Flute, BSO
Beethoven | Symphony No. 5
BECOME A SEASON TICKET HOLDER ♪ PRICING
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m. | Pre-concert Lecture: 5:30 p.m.
Opening Night
Featuring vocal soloists Kimberly E. Jones and Bill McMurray with Bakersfield Master Chorale and Bakersfield College Chamber Singers
Gershwin | Overture to Girl Crazy
Robert Paterson | Whitman’s America
Gershwin | Porgy and Bess: A Concert of Songs
BECOME A SEASON TICKET HOLDER ♪ PRICING
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m. | Pre-concert Lecture: 5:30 p.m.
Concert in the Park Series with The Beale Park Band
Traditional marches, show tunes, overtures and more!
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will return to the Beale Park Amphitheater this summer to perform free concerts! The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of Fourth of July.
Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and picnic baskets!
Free to the public • fun for all ages
June 11th
June 18th
June 25th
July 2nd
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
Concert in the Park Series with The Beale Park Band
Traditional marches, show tunes, overtures and more!
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will return to the Beale Park Amphitheater this summer to perform free concerts! The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of Fourth of July.
Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and picnic baskets!
Free to the public • fun for all ages
June 11th
June 18th
June 25th
July 2nd
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
Concert in the Park Series with The Beale Park Band
Traditional marches, show tunes, overtures and more!
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will return to the Beale Park Amphitheater this summer to perform free concerts! The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of Fourth of July.
Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and picnic baskets!
Free to the public • fun for all ages
June 11th
June 18th
June 25th
July 2nd
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
Concert in the Park Series with The Beale Park Band
Traditional marches, show tunes, overtures and more!
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will return to the Beale Park Amphitheater this summer to perform free concerts! The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of Fourth of July.
Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and picnic baskets!
Free to the public • fun for all ages
June 11th
June 18th
June 25th
July 2nd
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
Berlioz and Rodrigo
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m.
Pre-Concert Lecture, Presented by Dr. Scott Dirkse: 5:30 p.m.
The final concert of our 2022-2023 season begins with Berlioz’s festive and enchanting Roman Carnival Overture. Mak Grgić joins the Symphony on stage for Rodrigo’s Fantasia para un gentilhombre, a moving classical guitar solo with orchestral accompaniment. The concert concludes with the beautifully emotive and exciting epic, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.
Berlioz I Roman Carnival Overture
Rodrigo I Fantasía para un gentilhombre
Guest Artist: Mak Grgić
Berlioz I Symphonie fantastique
Verdi's Requiem
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m.
Pre-Concert Lecture, Presented by Dr. Scott Dirkse: 5:30 p.m.
The Bakersfield Symphony is joined by the Bakersfield Master Chorale, Bakersfield College Combined Choirs and CSU Bakersfield Chamber Singers for this incredible performance of Verdi’s Requiem. This magnificent piece of music brings together a full orchestra, enormous choir, and four vocal soloists from the LA Opera’s Young Artist’s Program, all under the direction of our very own Maestro Stilian Kirov – surely not a performance to be missed!
The Magical Instruments of Harry Potter: Family Matinee Concert
Doors Open: 1:00 p.m.
Special Children Pricing: $10
Special Adult Pricing: $20
This special matinee performance is an enchanting and interactive program that takes the audience on a musical journey to meet the instruments of the orchestra, featuring some of John Williams’ music from the beloved Harry Potter movie series. Be sure to arrive early for an art activity, refreshments, and a little extra music in the lobby. Audience members are welcome to dress in Harry Potter themed costumes!
Home for the Holidays: Family Concert
Doors Open: 5:30 p.m.
Special Children Pricing: $10
Free refreshments and children’s art project available in the lobby.
The Bakersfield Symphony welcomes you to a holiday event full of musical fun for the whole family. With music and activities in the lobby prior to the performance, as well as a concert full of all your favorite holiday tunes, there’s sure to be something for everyone. Choirs from Bakersfield College join the Symphony for a performance full of traditional carols, childhood classics, music from holiday movies, and an invitation to the audience to participate in a sing-along medley of holiday songs. We hope you will join your Bakersfield Symphony for this festive holiday tradition!
American Composers
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m.
Pre-Concert Lecture, Presented by Dr. Scott Dirkse: 5:30 p.m.
Join the Bakersfield Symphony for a special journey through the music of American composers. The performance begins with a work by one of the best and most overlooked African American composers in recent history; the orchestra will perform William Grant Still’s Festive Overture. Virtuosic pianist Fei-Fei Dong then joins the Bakersfield Symphony for an enchanting performance of Leroy Anderson’s Piano Concerto. After intermission, Fei-Fei takes the stage once more, this time performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, perhaps the most famous American piano solo of all time. This incredible journey through American orchestral music ends with another Gershwin favorite: An American in Paris.
Still I Festive Overture
Anderson I Piano Concerto
Guest Artist: Fei-Fei Dong
Gershwin I Rhapsody in Blue
Guest Artist: Fei-Fei Dong
Gershwin I An American in Paris
Opening Night
Doors Open: 5:15 p.m.
Pre-Concert Lecture, Presented by Dr. Scott Dirkse: 5:30 p.m.
The opening concert of our 2022-2023 season begins with a joyful and energetic flourish as Maestro Stilian Kirov leads the Bakersfield Symphony in the overture to Glinka’s Ruslan and Lyudmila. Guest Artist Robyn Bollinger then takes the stage for what is sure to be a captivating and unforgettable performance of Mozart’s 5th violin concerto. The concert closes with a journey through Tchaikovsky’s exciting and moving 5th symphony.
Glinka I Overture to RusIan and Lyudmila
Mozart I Violin Concerto No. 5
Guest Artist: Robyn Bollinger
Tchaikovsky I Symphony No. 5
The Beale Park Band: June Series
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will perform free summer concerts every Sunday evening during the month of June!
Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of live music that includes a traditional mix of marches, show tunes, overtures and more. The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
The Beale Park Band: June Series
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will perform free summer concerts every Sunday evening during the month of June!
Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of live music that includes a traditional mix of marches, show tunes, overtures and more. The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
The Beale Park Band: June Series
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will perform free summer concerts every Sunday evening during the month of June!
Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of live music that includes a traditional mix of marches, show tunes, overtures and more. The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
The Beale Park Band: June Series
The Bakersfield Municipal Band, who many refer to as “The Beale Park Band”, will perform free summer concerts every Sunday evening during the month of June!
Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of live music that includes a traditional mix of marches, show tunes, overtures and more. The final concert of the month-long series will be primarily patriotic in honor of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.
The Beal Park Band is sponsored by the City of Bakersfield and is primarily made up of local Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra musicians and is directed by Doug Kelley, Band Director at Frontier High School.
Navarro and Mahler 1
This concert marks the final event in the Bakersfield Symphony 2021-2022 concert season, and it’s a performance you won’t want to miss. The concert opens with Oscar Navarro’s oboe concerto Legacy, performed by our very own principal oboist, Laura Arganbright. Laura will then rejoin the orchestra for the emotionally intense and beautiful Symphony No. 1 by Mahler, also known as Titan.
Peter and the Wolf
The Bakersfield Symphony is excited to add a family concert to our season of events this year. Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf is a story beloved by generations, and we hope you and your family will join us for an afternoon of fun and music.
Free children’s art project and refreshments available in the lobby!
Adults - $12
Students - $8
Dvořák and Beethoven
The Bakersfield Symphony is joined by Martin Chalifour, Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, for this spectacular concert event. Chalifour will open the concert with a virtuosic performance of Dvořák’s beautiful violin concerto. In the second half of the concert, Maestro Stilian Kirov will take us through Beethoven’s classically energetic and moving 7th Symphony.
Learn more & read the program notes here.
Limited seating – reserve your seats NOW!
Home for the Holidays: Joy!
Friday, December 3, 2021 I Concert: 6:30 PM I Doors Open: 5:30 PM
The Bakersfield Symphony continues its beloved tradition of bringing our community together during the holidays to share in the joy of music. Our holiday concert has a little something for everyone, from traditional favorites to music from holiday movies. We hope your family will join ours as we celebrate this joyous season!
Children under age 12 enter for only $10 and can create a holiday keepsake before or after the concert!
For tickets, please call us at 661-323-7928 or visit the box office M-F, 12-4 PM.
Mozart and More
Maestro Stilian Kirov takes the Bakersfield Symphony on a journey through a selection of captivating string orchestra works, beginning with Mozart’s well-known Eine kleine Nachtmusik, or “A Little Night Music.” Corigliano’s Voyage provides a soothing interlude before Purcell’s lively Sonata for Trumpet and Strings, featuring Mike Raney, retiring principal trumpet of our own Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra in his farewell performance. The concert closes with Tchaikovsky’s rousing Souvenir de Florence.
Mozart | Eine kleine Nachtmusik (A little Night music)
Corigliano | Voyage
Purcell | Sonata for Trumpet and Strings
Trumpet Soloist: Michael Raney, former Principal Trumpet of the Bakersfield Symphony
Tchaikovsky | Souvenir de Florence
Doors Open: 5PM | Concert Talk: 5:15PM | Concert: 6PM
Read the program notes here.
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Tickets also available online and at the box office.
Bruch and Dvořák
Join the Bakersfield Symphony for our season opening concert as we welcome a live audience back into Mechanic’s Bank Theater. The concert opens with the talented violinist Simone Porter playing Bruch’s enchanting Scottish Fantasy. Maestro Kirov then takes us on a journey to the “New World” with Dvořák’s enigmatic Symphony No. 9.
Tickets are on sale now!
Buy online, or save on transaction fees and call our office at 661-323-7928.
Price and Mozart
Broadcast:
Sunday, May 9, 2021
2:30 p.m. KERO 23-ABC
Join the Bakersfield Symphony for an evening of beautiful music. The concert opens with Florence Price’s Andante Moderato, an enchanting movement of her string quartet in G major. The performance closes with Mozart’s Serenade No. 10, more commonly known as the Gran Partita.