6 must-see concerts from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s 2026 season

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is starting April off strong with a spectacular performance of Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. The concert will be led by principal guest conductor Sir Donald Runnicles, renowned for his commanding interpretations of large-scale Romantic works. To bring this emotional odyssey to life, Runnicles will lead an enormous orchestra, joined by musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music. Experience the full force of this monumental masterpiece, including its legendary “hammer blows of fate” which is often considered the most dramatic moment in all of music. 

Two powerful soundscapes collide in this epic performance led by principal guest conductor Sir Donald Runnicles. Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto opens in an eerie stillness as Violinist Leonidas Kavakos navigates the concerto’s extremes, showcasing his ‘formidable technique’. The intensity rises as Tchaikovsky’s Fifth envelopes you in a new world with the symphony unfolding through a series of luminous melodies and dramatic turns, building towards a triumphant finale. 

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into bringing a major orchestral performance together, then here’s your chance. Join the Sydney Symphony Orchestra on April 28 for a behind-the-scenes look as conductor-in-residence Benjamin Northey shapes Holst’s The Planets, and a new percussion concerto by Nigel Westlake. This 90-minute experience offers a fly-on-the-wall look into the artistic process as the work comes together before your eyes. 

One of Sydney audiences’ most beloved pianists, Alexander Gavrylyuk, returns to the Harbour City to take on Rachmaninov’s notoriously difficult Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Described as ‘a virtuoso in the fullest sense’, Gavrylyuk will embark on an epic journey through 24 variations that draw inspiration from the ever-changing moods of the ocean. Australian conductor Nicholas Carter leads a broader orchestral program which charts a course through the dangerous and unforgiving ocean depicted in Britten’s Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes to the enchantment of Debussy’s La Mer. In its Australian premiere, Poème by Jeanne Demessieux will also be performed, a powerful reflection of the strident power and still depths of the sea.

Few composers have had such an impact on orchestral music as Igor Stravinsky and it was his vivid, story-driven ballet and orchestral concert The Firebird that catapulted him to international acclaim. Experience the masterpiece alongside a program that nods to the traditions that shaped Stravinsky. 

The concert opens with Liadov’s dizzying Kikimora, before turning to the spellbinding soundscapes of Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto. This bold concert marks the Sydney debut of cellist Maximilian Hornung, under the baton of conductor Andrey Boreyko.

Whether you’re a seasoned concertgoer or looking for a place to start, there are few who wouldn’t recognise the iconic opening notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Hear the first movement in full as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra dives headlong into the legendary work in a performance that’s set to bring the house down. 

The program also spotlights the atmospheric work of Australian composer Melody Eötvös’ The Saqqara Bird and Schumann’s hopeful yet melancholy Cello Concerto. Rising soloist Ivan Karizna will lend his talent to the latter, bringing a freshness to the beautifully compact concerto. 

Explore the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s full 2026 Season here.