SSO Pops: Kapustin, Gershwin and E.T.

The SSO’s 2026/27 season-closing concert begins with a majestic send-off: E.T. goes home riding John Williams’s soaring, unforgettable music for the classic 1981 Steven Spielberg film. Before Gershwin’s signature Rhapsody in Blue, Kapustin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 adds a heady dose of jazz with saxophones, drum set, guitar and just sheer musical fun. What better exponent to join us than pianist Frank Dupree with his infectious energy and sparkling enthusiasm?

The glitter continues with Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Kevin Puts’s cinematic Concerto for Orchestra, a 6-part gem that includes a “Hymn for the Hurting”, “Music Box with Aretta”, a tender Sicilienne and lively chases to bring the season to a terrific close.