The Utah Symphony presents Markus Poschner conducting Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, with Marc-André Hamelin on piano, alongside Brahms and Ravel.
Markus Poschner takes the podium at Maurice Abravanel Hall on Friday, June 4, and Saturday, June 5, 2027, for two performances of Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. He's joined by pianist Marc-André Hamelin, and the program pulls from three very different corners of the repertoire.
The Bernstein is the center of the evening. These are the Symphonic Dances—the orchestral suite drawn from the West Side Story score—and they run through the show's emotional range, from the fiery 'Mambo!' to the heartbreak of 'Maria' and 'Tonight.' It's a piece that works just as well if you've never seen the musical as it does if you know every note.
That's paired with Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1, which is where Hamelin comes in. It's a heavy, demanding work, often called the greatest post-Beethoven masterpiece, and it's one of the few concertos where the piano soloist and the orchestra stand as equal partners rather than one accompanying the other. Ravel's La valse closes the night, a piece that starts with waltz-like elegance and spins out into chaotic splendor.
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These concerts are the finale of the Utah Symphony's 2026-27 Masterworks Series. If you're arriving early, there's a pre-concert chat with the guest artists and musicians in the First Tier Room 45 minutes before each performance. Both shows start at 7:30 PM at Maurice Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. The general age guideline is ages five and older.
