For immediate release:
February 23, 2023
Contact: Julie Goetz, Director of Communications 
(412) 905-9058
jgoetz@pittsburghsymphony.org 

 

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INVITES AUDIENCES TO "A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO CLASSICAL" WITH ITS NEW CONCERT EVENT SERIES “PSO DISRUPT” 

PSO Disrupt Concert Event Series Opens with “Persist” in April with guest conductor Jader Bignamini and continues in May with “Riot” led by guest conductor Pablo Heras-Casado  


PITTSBURGH— Throw on some jeans or your finest outfit and come to Heinz Hall as you are for “PSO Disrupt”—a new concert event series with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra curated around a “disruptive” musical theme in a casual setting, with a shorter program and unique enhancements throughout the evening. The first “PSO Disrupt” concert event, “Persist,” will launch on April 15, 2023, featuring the music of Dmitri Shostakovich, one of classical music’s greatest creators.
 
“Pittsburgh is a center of innovation, and the orchestra world is similarly full of innovators and disruptors. What is also true is that there are many people who are curious about orchestral music and looking for a more social experience than a typical classical music concert. Combining dazzling symphonic masterpieces with the full Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with incredible guest artists in a casual, engaging atmosphere, ‘PSO Disrupt’ is a perfect on-ramp for anyone who wants to do classical music in a different way,” said Melia Tourangeau, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

  • “PSO Disrupt” is a series of two-hour concert events curated around a “disruptive” theme related both to the evening and the music, designed to be a more social and casual experience. “PSO Disrupt” concert events will take place on the Saturday evening of a classical music subscription weekend and feature: 
  • the full Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and guest artists in a performance of a shorter program length (75 minutes of music, with no intermission) and in more casual concert attire; 
  • a designated host, separate from the conductor, who will guide the audience through the event; 
  • remarks throughout the concert to provide deeper insight; 
  • front of house activities that are designed to engage with the concert event’s theme; 
  • partnerships with community organizations with activities, such as art-making, to enhance the experience;  
  • curated beverages that amplify the theme; 
  • and, relaxed policies for the performance including drinks allowed in the theater, photos without flash (no video) and exit and re-entry from the theater. 

The first concerts in the “PSO Disrupt” concert event series, “Persist” and “Riot,” will take place this spring during two BNY Mellon Grand Classics subscription concert weekends (BNY Mellon Grand Classics 16: Beethoven and Shostakovich and BNY Mellon Grand Classics 18: The Rite of Spring) with guest conductors Jader Bignamini and Pablo Heras-Casado, and Pittsburgh Symphony assistant conductor Jacob Joyce as host. 
 
Tickets: PSO Disrupt tickets are on sale now, starting at $25, at pittsburghsymphony.org, and through the Heinz Hall Box Office by phone at 412.392.4900/toll-free at 800.743.8560, or in person at Heinz Hall at 600 Penn Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh (Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m; Saturday 12 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.).
 
PSO DISRUPT: PERSIST

Saturday, April 15, 2023 
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 
music starts at 7:45 p.m. (played without intermission) 
Jader Bignamini, conductor  
Jacob Joyce, host
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 10 
 
Discover the courage and persistence of Dmitri Shostakovich, the 20th century Russian composer who lived and worked throughout the Stalin dictatorship. Publicly denounced by the state for his work, Shostakovich’s many works express darkness lit by the triumph and resilience of the human spirit. Widely viewed as a depiction of the brutal years of the Stalin regime, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 is a bold, explosive work with memorable themes, including tragedy, passion and triumph.  
 
“Make Your Mark”: Art educators from the Carnegie Museum of Art will collaborate with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for an art-making experience. Attendees will be invited to "disrupt" traditional concert listening by adding their visual interpretation of what they hear to the collective mural-sized visual "score." 
 
PSO DISRUPT: RIOT
Saturday, May 20, 2023 
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 
music starts at 7:45 p.m. (played without intermission) 
Pablo Heras-Casado, conductor 
Jacob Joyce, host 
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring 
 
Stravinsky’s innovative classic, The Rite of Spring, a ballet and orchestral concert work, was famously greeted at its premiere with such a shocked reaction that a reported riotous uproar ensued. An example of modernism in music, Stravinsky’s angular harmonies and syncopated rhythms in The Rite of Spring were stunningly innovative and are as striking today as when they were premiered.  


With deep gratitude: 

  • PSO Disrupt is supported in part by the Emma Clyde Hodge Memorial Fund. 
  • The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is grateful for overall support from local and state government entities: Allegheny Regional Asset District, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. 
  • Diehl Automotive Group is the official auto dealer of the Pittsburgh Symphony. 

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