2026-2027 Friday Morning Concerts
These full-length (2 hour) BPO concerts on Friday mornings give middle and high school students a chance to hear complete pieces of repertoire in a casual atmosphere.
Recommended for Grades 7-12
September 2026
FRI
25
September 25 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
S’Wonderful Gershwin
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
Ron Spigelman, conductor
Alexandra McArthur, vocals
Gershwin’s music lives at the crossroads of concert hall brilliance and American popular song, instantly recognizable and endlessly fresh. Under Ron Spigelman, the BPO celebrates Gershwin’s birthday with vocalist Alexandra McArthur bringing favorites to life, including I Got Rhythm, Summertime, I’ve Got a Crush on You, and The Man I Love. Expect swing, romance, and rhythmic sparkle, all elevated by the full sound of the orchestra. It is a feel good night built on melody and style, the kind of concert that makes the room smile and sends you back into the world a little lighter.
October 2026
FRI
23
October 23 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Glidden Plays Bruch
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Amy Glidden, violin
JONATHAN LESHNOFF Symphony No. 5 (World Premiere)
BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
BRAHMS Symphony No.2
This program offers a satisfying arc from the new to the beloved. BPO Associate concertmaster Amy Glidden joins JoAnn Falletta for Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, a Romantic favorite filled with lyricism, drama, and heart. You will also hear a world premiere, Jonathan Leshnoff’s Symphony No. 5, bringing a contemporary voice into conversation with masterworks. The evening closes with Brahms’s Second Symphony, warm, luminous, and richly crafted. It is a concert that rewards deep listening and leaves you feeling grounded.
November 2026
FRI
6
November 6 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Bronfman Plays Mozart
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
JOHN ADAMS The Chairman Dances
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24
R. STRAUSS Also Sprach Zarathustra
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 is one of his most gripping works, full of tension, elegance, and emotional depth. Pianist Yefim Bronfman brings commanding presence to the solo role, partnered by JoAnn Falletta and the BPO. John Adams’ The Chairman Dances adds rhythmic sparkle and motion, while Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra expands the orchestra into vast, cinematic territory. Together these works create a journey from crisp precision to awe, with the concert hall itself becoming part of the experience.
December 2026
FRI
11
December 11 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
JoAnn’s Classical Christmas
$13.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
John Riesen, tenor
Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus
If you love the season’s glow but crave something quieter and more luminous, this concert is your tradition. JoAnn Falletta leads an elegant program with tenor John Riesen and the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, shaped for reflection as much as celebration. Rather than hustle, this is an invitation to pause and let the hall’s warmth, voices, and orchestral color create space. Expect music that feels like candlelight, uplifting and resonant with a calm center. It is a Classical Christmas that offers what the season rarely does on its own, room to breathe and leave a little steadier.
THU
17
December 17 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Holiday Pops
$13.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
Ron Spigelman, conductor
Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus
Holiday Pops is Buffalo’s most cherished seasonal tradition for a reason. It is pure shared joy. Under Ron Spigelman, the BPO fills Kleinhans with familiar favorites, fresh surprises, and the warmth you feel the moment you walk into the hall. With guest artists to be announced and the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus on stage, this concert is designed for families, friends, and anyone who wants a holiday outing that feels uplifting rather than hectic. Expect sparkle, singable moments, and that unmistakable feeling when the whole room is in it together. Come for the music, stay for the atmosphere, and leave with the season feeling a little brighter.
January 2027
FRI
15
January 15 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Dvořák Violin Concerto
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
Valentina Peleggi, conductor
Bella Hristova, violin
DVOŘÁK Violin Concerto
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 5
Dvořák’s Violin Concerto combines lyrical warmth with quicksilver energy, and violinist Bella Hristova brings the solo role to life with both brilliance and intimacy. Conductor Valentina Peleggi shapes the program with a clear sense of momentum and color. Dvořák’s Fifth Symphony completes the evening with bright spirit and generous melody, expanding the sound into a wide horizon. Together, the concerto and symphony create a richly satisfying journey, soloist and orchestra in conversation, then the full ensemble opening outward in radiant orchestral bloom.
FRI
29
January 29 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Bugs Bunny at the Symphony
$13.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
George Daugherty, conductor
Celebrate the world’s most popular rabbit as “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” projects 17 classic Looney Tunes on the big screen while the BPO, conducted by George Daugherty, performs the iconic original scores LIVE. Composed by Carl Stalling, and inspired by the masterpieces of Wagner, Rossini, Donizetti, Johann Strauss, Liszt, and many more, the beloved animated masterpieces including Baton Bunny, The Rabbit of Seville, Corny Concerto, Long-Haired Harem and What’s Opera, Doc?, plus such brand new eye-popping premieres as “Skyscraper Scrap” starring Tweety and Sylvester, and a very special animated short produced to celebrate Bugs’ 85th Birthday, and the concert’s 35th. Created by George Daugherty and David Ka Lik Wong.
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s26)
February 2027
FRI
5
February 5 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Falletta Conducts John Williams
$13.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Paul Huang, violin
| JOHN WILLIAMS | The Cowboys Overture Violin Concerto No. 1 Harry Potter Suite Star Wars Suite |
Hear the music that shaped generations, performed with the full power and color it deserves. JoAnn Falletta leads an all-John Williams program that moves between concert hall brilliance and cinematic wonder. Violinist Paul Huang joins for Williams’ Violin Concerto No. 1, revealing a bold, expansive side of the composer beyond the screen. You will also hear The Cowboys Overture and suites from Harry Potter and Star Wars, where imagination and orchestral craft meet at every turn. This is a night of recognition and discovery, with the whole hall leaning in together.
FRI
12
February 12 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Let’s Misbehave
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
Ron Spigelman, conductor
Tony DeSare, piano, vocals
Aubrey Logan, trombone, vocals
John Manzari, tap dance, vocals
Cole Porter’s songs are witty, stylish, and full of charm, perfect for a night when you want to feel like you stepped into a smarter era. With Ron Spigelman conducting, Tony DeSare leads from the piano and vocals, joined by Aubrey Logan on trombone and vocals and John Manzari with tap dance and vocals. You will hear Porter classics including Night and Day, I Get a Kick Out of You, Anything Goes, Too Darn Hot, and more, delivered with fresh sparkle and playful sophistication. If you come Saturday, stay after the concert for the Annual Sweetheart Dance and make the evening a true occasion.
FRI
19
February 19 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Spanish Fire & Fantasy
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Avery Gagliano, piano
FALLA Ritual Fire Dance
FALLA Nights in the Gardens of Spain
TURINA Danzas fantasticas
GRANADOS Intermezzo from Goyescas
FALLA The Three-Cornered Hat Suites No. 1 & 2
Color, rhythm, and heat fill the hall from the very first bars. JoAnn Falletta leads a Spanish inspired program built on dance, vivid orchestration, and unmistakable energy. Pianist Avery Gagliano is featured in Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain, a work that feels like twilight, lush, atmospheric, and quietly spellbinding. Around it you will hear Falla’s Ritual Fire Dance and suites from The Three Cornered Hat, plus Turina’s Danzas fantásticas and an intermezzo from Granados’ Goyescas. This concert does not just entertain, it transports.
March 2027
FRI
19
March 19 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Enigma Variations & Bach
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
Robert Moody, conductor
Orion Weiss, piano
J.S. BACH Concerto No. 3
J.S. BACH Concerto No. 1
BACH/STOKOWSKI Komm, süsser Tod
ELGAR Enigma Variations
This program offers clarity, craft, and a sense of quiet revelation. Robert Moody pairs Bach’s luminous concertos with Elgar’s deeply personal Enigma Variations, music that feels like a gallery of human character, each variation revealing a different shade of warmth and spirit. Pianist Orion Weiss joins for Bach’s concertos, bringing precision and vitality to music that remains fresh centuries later. Bach Stokowski’s Komm, süsser Tod adds a moment of reflective beauty that bridges eras. It is a concert designed for close listening, with space to settle and let the music speak.
April 2027
FRI
9
April 9 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Liszt & Prokofiev
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
William Wolfram, piano
ROLAND MARTIN “On Air” WNED 50th anniversary (World Premiere)
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5
Virtuosity and power meet in a program built for big sound and bright artistry. Pianist William Wolfram takes on Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1, bold, brilliant, and packed with theatrical flair, while JoAnn Falletta shapes the orchestral landscape with clarity and momentum. The concert also features a world premiere marking WNED’s 50th anniversary, with the title to be announced. After intermission, Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 arrives with monumental force, sweeping, propulsive, and unmistakably symphonic. You leave with the feeling of having witnessed something substantial and alive.
May 2027
FRI
7
May 7 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 3
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Kara Dugan, soprano
Roger Honeywell, tenor
PAUL FRUCHT Inextinguishable (World Premiere)
RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 3
Rachmaninoff’s Third Symphony is lush yet restless, unfolding in long lines and vivid orchestral color. Under JoAnn Falletta, the BPO brings out both the intimacy and the sweep, moments that feel confessional followed by passages that bloom into full symphonic radiance. The program is framed by Paul Frucht’s Inextinguishable, adding a contemporary voice to a night rooted in emotional resonance. With Kara Dugan and Roger Honeywell as vocal soloists, the concert offers a broader canvas while keeping its center of gravity in depth, warmth, and expressive clarity.
FRI
21
May 21 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Paul Neubauer, viola
TURINA Sinfonia Sevillana
ELLEN TAAFFE ZWILICH Viola Concerto (World Premiere)
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4
Few symphonies deliver catharsis like Tchaikovsky’s Fourth, music that wrestles with fate, surges with urgency, and finally breaks into exhilarating release. JoAnn Falletta leads the BPO in a performance designed for maximum emotional impact. Violist Paul Neubauer and the orchestra premiere Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Viola Concerto, bringing the viola’s rich voice forward with expressive range and dramatic presence. Turina’s Sinfonia Sevillana opens with Spanish color and sparkle, setting the stage for a program that travels widely in mood and palette. This is a night for when you want to feel something real, together.
FRI
28
May 28 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Patriotic Pops
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
Ron Spigelman, conductor
Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus
This annual tribute honors the American spirit and recognizes the men and women who have served our country. Led by Ron Spigelman, the BPO is joined by the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, with guest artists to be announced. Expect music that feels ceremonial and uplifting, shaped for a full hall where voices and orchestra resonate together. Patriotic Pops is not simply a concert. It is a community moment, a chance to gather, reflect, and celebrate what connects us. If you have made this part of your year, you know the feeling. The room stands a little taller, and the music lands with meaning.
June 2027
FRI
4
June 4 @ 10:30am
Kleinhans Music Hall
Beethoven in Retrospect I – Piano Concerto No. 4
$9.00
One complimentary chaperone ticket for every 15 purchased.
Michael Stern, conductor
Clayton Stephenson, piano
BEETHOVEN Incidental Music from Egmont
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto is one of his most poetic creations, intimate in spirit yet quietly revolutionary. Michael Stern and pianist Clayton Stephenson bring it to life alongside incidental music from Egmont, where Beethoven’s dramatic instincts and sense of purpose come through clearly. This concert opens the two weekend journey with a feeling of discovery. You hear a composer balancing elegance with boldness and expanding what music can express. It is a deeply satisfying entry point for the cycle, rewarding for longtime Beethoven listeners and welcoming for anyone returning to this music after some time away.
Additional Offerings
The Art of Storytelling: A Symphonic Journey to Oz
For Grades 1-4 & Grades 5-8
Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the BPO! This year, we invite you to join us at Kleinhans where we bring the world of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz to life through music.
Symphonic Folktales
For Grades 7-12
Join the BPO and conductor Grant O’Brien for a concert exploring the folk roots of the orchestra.
Exceptional Holiday Concerts
For children and adults with disabilities
Exclusive accessible concerts for group attendance.