A decade ago, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and its support group, Sound Investment, began a fruitful coalition that has produced annual composer residencies in this Southern city. Three works by Paul Lansky, two of them ASO commissions, were premiered, and in 2009-10, Lansky, the Princeton-based composer whose music previously centered on electronic and computer music, became ASO’s first composer-in-residence. Since then, the Sound Investment program has worked to ensure that premieres, commissions, and composers are embedded in each season.

Every year, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra features an up-and-coming composer and commissions a work. This season, that composer is Alabama native Martin Kennedy. Thursday night, the orchestra gives the world premiere of Kennedy’s Forest Dark and Stars Above. Kennedy spoke with WBHM’s Michael Krall about his approach to composing. Their conversation began with Kennedy describing the piece and features some of Kennedy’s other music.

Although Vai has also been cast in some of rock's most desirable real-life roles during his career - including wingman for legends ranging from David Lee Roth to Frank Zappa - he's the kind of iconoclast who could never be musically typecast. Emerging during an era crowded with guitar hot-shots, Vai's prismatic virtuosity and sonic wanderlust made him unique and marquee. His playing can evoke a rhapsody, wild animal or surrealistic painting. Or just some molten rock 'n' roll.

The Alabama Symphony has almost always met or surpassed expectations with high-level performances at its opening Masterworks concerts. Friday was no exception.

Gripping tangos, modern soundscapes, a new composition by Alabama native Martin Kennedy—and Steve Vai? One of the great guitarists of all time? You bet. Alabama Symphony Orchestra’s annual Sound Edge Festival expands the definition of a night at the symphony to our surprise and delight.

Do you have your tickets yet to hear the Alabama Symphony Orchestra perform Opening Masterworks: Don Juan & Concerto for Orchestra? Bham Now has five reasons why you should. Get those tickets and mark your calendar. Performances happen Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19 and 20, at 7 p.m. at the Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham.

Maestro Carlos Izcaray has been extended through the 2022-2023 season.

On Friday, September 21, Alabama Symphony Orchestra will be holding one of their most popular concerts of the year, Birmingham Does Broadway, at Samford University’s Wright Center, featuring Broadway musical classics like Les Miserables, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, King and I, Sunset Boulevard and much more.

Those yearning for live classical music after the summer hiatus must have been appeased Tuesday night at Brock Recital Hall, but not before a hefty dose of csárdás unexpectedly raised the excitement level.

Alabaster City Schools and The Alabaster Arts Council are proud to announce an Alabama Symphony Orchestra concert at the new Performing Arts Center at Thompson High School. The concert is part of the venue’s grand opening, and is the first time ASO has performed in the city of Alabaster.