Phoenix Symphony Cancels Rest of Its 2026-27 Season: Board Cites Financial Shortfall, Final Concert Set for November 1

The Phoenix Symphony's board of directors has decided to suspend all remaining performances of the orchestra's 2026-27 season after its Sunday, November 1 performance of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in Concert," saying the organization does not have the financial resources necessary to continue the season, The Arizona Republic reported on October 20. The season is the orchestra's first with Virginia G. Piper Music Director Designate Paolo Bortolameolli, who conducted the season opener on the weekend of October 9.

Symphony President and CEO Peter Kjome called it "an extraordinarily difficult decision that will affect the lives of our musicians and staff as well as people across our community" in an interview with The Arizona Republic. Unpaid layoffs of the symphony's musicians will take effect on Monday, November 2.

Kjome said the board and management had worked for years to address the symphony's financial challenges through the CRESCENDO fundraising and endowment campaign and significant reductions in administrative costs, but despite increased ticket sales and philanthropic support in recent years, ongoing operating deficits have left the organization with substantial financial obligations that make continuing the season untenable. Board Chairman Mo Stein told the paper that ticket sales account for only about a quarter of revenues: "We could sell the rest of the auditorium out and we still wouldn't make enough money on performances to not have to do a significant amount of income from philanthropy."

The Phoenix Symphony is one of Arizona's largest performing arts organizations and performs at Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix. Details on ticket refunds and further arrangements for the canceled performances had not been announced in the report.

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：位于 Phoenix 市中心的 Symphony Hall，Phoenix Symphony 的常驻演出场馆（资料图）。Beyond My Ken 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Phoenix Symphony (file photo), by Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Latest in Performance

Queer Chinese Collective Stages Three Los Angeles Shows Reimagining Butterfly Lovers and the White Snake2026-11-02DIXSON Plays Two Sets at Blue Note Los Angeles Tonight: From Arena Stages to an Intimate Room2026-11-02