The Plano Symphony Orchestra will open its 2026-27 season Sept. 19 with an all-American program at the Robinson Fine Arts Center, beginning a season that will feature five music director finalists and the orchestra’s first recording deal.
Music director finalist Stilian Kirov will conduct the 7:30 p.m. concert, featuring works by Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Samuel Barber and Leonard Bernstein. Pianist Sean Chen, winner of the 2013 American Pianists Awards and third-place finisher at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will join the orchestra for Gershwin’s Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra.
The season marks a leadership transition for PSO as longtime Maestro Héctor Guzmán moves into the role of music director emeritus. Each of the five finalists for the music director position will conduct one concert during the season.
PSO is also recording its first album Aug. 17-20 at the Meyerson Symphony Center under Guzmán’s direction through a new deal with Grammy Award-winning label Reference Recordings. The album will feature works by composers with ties to PSO and North Texas, along with a guest performance by three-time Grammy winner Branford Marsalis and the Branford Marsalis Quartet.
“This recording project is the next step in expanding our footprint beyond North Texas and is a milestone for this orchestra and the City of Plano,” PSO President and CEO Gregory Patterson said.
Tickets for the Sept. 19 concert range from $33 to $90, with $15 student tickets available in most sections. The Robinson Fine Arts Center is located at 1800 Alma Drive. Tickets and season information are available at planosymphony.org or by calling 972-473-7262.
