Join the Genesee Symphony Orchestra as they kick off their 2025-2026 Concert Season in which they celebrate Conductor and Music Director S. Shade Zajac’s 10th season of concerts. The season opens with a vibrant program featuring pianist Sarah Rhee performing the beloved Piano Concerto in A Minor Grieg. Music by Bernstein, Liszt, Whitacre, and Rimsky will also be showcased.

Genesee Symphony Orchestra

S. Shade Zajac, Conductor and Music Director

Sarah Rhee, Piano

Saturday October 4, 2025 7:00pm Stewart Steiner Theater GCC

Program:

Overture to Candide, Bernstien

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A Minor, Grieg

Les Preludes, Liszt

Sleep, Eric Whitacre

Capriccio Español, Rimsky Korsakoff

Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra

Friday October 24, 2026 7:30pm Orchard Park High School Auditorium

S. Shade Zajac, Conductor and Music Director

Rosanna Moore, Harp

Siegfried: Waldweben, Wagner

Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in E E Flat Major, Gliere

Symphony no. 7 in C Major, Sibelius

The Genesee Symphony perform their annual Holiday Concert filled with many of your favorite holiday tunes! This special performance will also feature GSO 2025 Young Artist Winner Gillian Vit perform the first movement of Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto.

Genesee Symphony Orchestra

Sunday December 7, 2025 2:00pm Stewart Steiner Theater GCC

S. Shade Zajac, Conductor and Music Director

Gillian Vit, Violin

Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra

Friday December 12th 7:30pm Orchard Park High School Auditorium

S. Shade Zajac, Conductor and Music Director

Laurence Tallman, Narrator

The Genesee Symphony continues with their celebration of Conductor and Music Director S. Shade Zajac’s 10th Season with a very special performance. The first half will see Mr. Zajac as soloist for the mighty Cello Concerto by Dvorak. His long time mentor and friend Nancy Pettersen Strelau will make her GSO debut as guest conductor. After the interval, Mr. Zajac will return to the podium to lead Tchaikovsky’s emotionally charged and passionate final Symphony, the Pathetique.

Genesee Symphony Orchestra

Saturday February 7, 2026 7:00pm Stewart Steiner Theater GCC

S. Shade Zajac Conductor and Music Director

Nancy Pettersen Strelau, Guest Conductor

S. Shade Zajac, Cello

Program:

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B Minor, Dvorak

Symphony no. 6 in B Minor “Pathetique”, Tchaikovsky

Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra

Friday February 13th 7:30pm Orchard Park High School Auditorium

S. Shade Zajac, Conductor

South Towns Youth Orchestra Students

Program to include music from films such as Sunset Boulevard, Casablanca, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and more!

Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra

Friday April 24th 7:30pm, Orchard Park High School Auditorium

S. Shade Zajac, Music Director

Program:

Symphony no. 6 in A Minor, Mahler

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra will close out their 2025-2026 Season with a thrilling and unique program filled with exciting and varied music. The concert will feature much loved pieces such as transcription of the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, by J.S. Bach, the wild Short Ride in a Fast Machine by John Adams, and Ravel’s Bolero; a personal favorite of Mr. Zajac. The program will also showcase more unfamiliar works such the master of tango Astor Piazzolla’s Sinfonia Buenos Aires and Mason Bates’ Mothership for Orchestra Electronics and improvisers. International Harpist Rosanna Moore will return to the GSO to give a world premier of a new harp concerto she commissioned by GSO Conductor S. Shade Zajac. Inspired by poetry from the legendary Doors front man Jim Morrison (Aka the Lizard King), I Am the Lizard King for Harp and Chamber Orchestra will be an exciting high point to this kaleidoscope program!

Genesee Symphony Orchestra

Sunday May 31, 2026 4:00pm Stewart Steiner Theater GCC

S. Shade Zajac, Conductor and Music Director

Rosanna Moore, Harp

Program:

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, J.S Bach Orc. Stokowski

Short Ride in a Fast Machine, John Adams

I Am the Lizard King for Harp and Chamber (World Premier), S. Shade Zajac

Mothership, Mason Bates

Sinfonia Buenos Aires, Op. 15, Astor Piazzolla

Bolero, Ravel