ArtsSaturday, November 7
The Phoenix Symphony will return Nov. 12 after donors stepped up
The 5AM Phoenix team
If you'd written off the season, think again. The Phoenix Symphony will return to the stage Nov. 12 after local donors pledged enough to lift the suspension of its 2026-27 season. That's less than three weeks after it said it would stop performing.
The Phoenix Symphony's season was suspended, then restored
- Oct. 20The symphony announces it is suspending its 2026-27 season.
- Nov. 1The symphony plays what was scheduled to be its final concert.
- Nov. 2The 66 musicians are laid off without pay.
- Nov. 6The symphony announces pledges that lift the suspension.
Sources: Your Valley, KJZZ, The Arizona Republic
The 66 musicians were laid off without pay Nov. 2. Concerts are set to run through Dec. 31, and the musicians have committed to help raise money to go further. A new commission, led by Sunbelt Holdings' John Graham and former Goldman Sachs partner Don Opatrny, will rework the finances.
“Now we must build a financial and operating model that allows the Symphony to thrive, not simply survive from one season to the next.”
Two concert runs mark the symphony's return
| Date | Concert | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 8 | Musicians' benefit concert | Monroe Street Abbey |
| Nov. 12 | Brahms' Serenade No. 1 | Musical Instrument Museum |
| Nov. 13-15 | Music of the Knights | Symphony Hall |
Sources: KTAR News 92.3 FM, KJZZ, The Arizona Republic
- Commission size: 11 members, two picked by Local 586
- Donors: not named yet, to be recognized later
Sources: KTAR News 92.3 FM, Your Valley, KJZZ, The Arizona Republic