An immersive symphonic event for teens featuring Mason Bates' Philharmonia Fantastique, pairing live orchestral music with vibrant animations by Gary Rydstrom, conducted by Samuel Hollister.
Samuel Hollister conducts the musicians of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall on Sunday, January 31, 2027, for a matinee that pairs a modern, visual experience with a symphonic classic. The program centers on Mason Bates' Philharmonia Fantastique, a Grammy Award-winning work that runs alongside vibrant animations by Oscar-winning filmmaker Gary Rydstrom, known for his sound work on Jurassic Park and Toy Story. The two run in tandem, so you're seeing the orchestra and the visuals at the same time rather than one following the other. John Williams called it "the biggest step forward since Fantasia itself."
That's the main event, but the program doesn't stop there. The orchestra also plays the Adagio - Allegro from Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, From the New World, one of the most recognizable pieces in the symphonic repertoire. Putting the two together gives you a bit of both worlds: a contemporary piece that leans into technology and a late-19th-century staple.
The concert is part of the SLSO's Concerts for Teens series, which they describe as an immersive symphonic event where music, creativity and technology collide. It's designed for ages 12 and up and is inclusive of people with sensory differences. If you're bringing a younger crowd, that's a good detail to keep in mind.
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Logistically, it's a straightforward afternoon: Sunday, January 31, starting at 3 PM. The whole thing runs about an hour with no intermission, so you're in and out in a single sitting. It's a pay-at-the-box-office event, and Powell Hall is in the Grand Center area of St. Louis.
