A concert by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stéphane Denève, featuring works by Bernstein and Copland, including West Side Story, alongside new commissions.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is playing Bernstein and Copland: American Rhapsody at Powell Hall over three dates in April 2027: Friday, April 9, at 10:30 AM; Saturday, April 10, at 7:30 PM; and Sunday, April 11, at 3:00 PM. Stéphane Denève is conducting, and the program pairs new works with American favorites, with two SLSO musicians taking the solo spotlight: principal clarinetist Scott Andrews and associate concertmaster Erin Schreiber.
The program opens with Carlos Simon's Wake Up!, a concerto for orchestra. Then comes Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto, with Scott Andrews on solo. The center of the bill is a world premiere: Christopher Stark's Vesper Flights, a violin concerto commissioned by the SLSO, with Erin Schreiber on solo. Stark has been one of the orchestra's longtime artistic partners, so this is a piece coming from someone they've worked with for years. The concert closes with Leonard Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, the one most people will recognize.
Each performance runs an hour and 45 minutes, including intermission. Afterward, the SLSO hosts an After Party in the lobby—a relaxed, modern space to grab a drink and hang out with friends that doesn't require an extra ticket. The series is presented by the Whitaker Foundation, with the Coffee Concerts supported by EverTrue.
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If you're deciding which one to hit, you've got a morning, an evening, and a matinee to choose from. Friday, April 9, is at 10:30 AM; Saturday, April 10, is at 7:30 PM; and Sunday, April 11, is at 3:00 PM. All three are at Powell Hall.
