Phoenix Symphony with Mendelssohn and Bruch

The Phoenix Symphony, established in 1947 in Phoenix, Arizona, is the state's only full-time professional symphony orchestra. It is celebrated for its diverse repertoire, spanning classical, pops, and innovative genre-bending performances. An ECHO Award recipient, the Symphony is recognized for artistic excellence, community engagement, and collaborations with renowned artists and institutions.

Felix Mendelssohn was a celebrated German composer, pianist, musical conductor, and teacher of the early Romantic period. Born into a prominent family in Hamburg in 1809, he was recognized as an extraordinary musical prodigy from childhood, composing masterpieces like the Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream by age seventeen. He played a central role in reviving interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, famously conducting the St. Matthew Passion in 1829, and went on to serve as the Music Director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig and founder of the Leipzig Conservatory. His acclaimed compositions, including the Italian and Scottish Symphonies, the Violin Concerto, and the oratorio Elijah, famously blend Classical structure with Romantic expression.

Max Karl August Bruch was a German Romantic composer, conductor, and teacher who wrote more than 200 works. He is best remembered for his virtuoso Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26, which has become a staple of the classical violin repertoire, as well as other enduring pieces like the Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra and Kol Nidrei for cello and orchestra.