The Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra will open its 2026–2027 Philharmonic Season on Saturday, November 21 at 3:00 p.m. with Philharmonic I: Symphony and Song at Christ Episcopal Church in Poughkeepsie.

The concert marks a special homecoming for Imre Palló, who served as conductor of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic from 1976 to 1991. Palló returns to the podium to lead the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra in a program that celebrates his connection to the orchestra while bringing together the drama of opera and the power of the symphonic paradigm.

“My return to the Hudson Valley feels like closing a circle in my life. Becoming Music Director of the then Hudson Valley Philharmonic was my first full time job, after having moved to New York in 1974. It was in the Hudson Valley where I started to experience the America that I fell in love with for the rest of my life,” said Imre Palló. “I am looking forward to my return and hopefully support renewed and lasting enthusiasm for the work and longtime survival of the Hudson Valley Symphony.”

The program will include the premiere of Richard Wilson’s “Fanfare for Imre,” composed in Palló’s honor. Pallo remarked that Wilson, “is like a brother to me and he undertook the labor to compose the opening piece of our concert, thus reminding us of the tradition that we had during my tenure, to start our concerts with a work of a Hudson Valley composer.” Also on the program is Gioachino Rossini’s spirited overture to “La scala di seta” and W.A. Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550, one of the composer’s most enduring and emotionally charged symphonic works.

For the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra, Palló’s return offers an opportunity to celebrate the orchestra’s long history in the region while looking toward its future.

“We are thrilled to welcome Imre Palló back to the podium, affirming his longstanding friendship and commitment to inspiring the Hudson Valley community through music. Maestro Palló helped shape the HVSO into the outstanding orchestra it is today. This reunion is especially meaningful as we begin our 26-27 Season of Harmonious Friendships,” said Executive Director Rachel Crozier.

The program also turns to the world of Italian opera, with soprano Aubry Ballarò and baritone Luis Ledesma joining the orchestra for arias and duets from Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto and La Traviata. Together, the program moves from Rossini’s wit and energy to Mozart’s earnestness and Verdi’s unmistakable lyricism and theatrical drama.

Founded in 1932 as the Dutchess County Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra has a long history of bringing musical inspiration to people of all ages throughout the Hudson Valley. Under various forms, the orchestra has served the communities in Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, and surrounding counties. In 1959, Claude Monteux brought the musicians to prominence, organized as the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Society, Inc., a fully professional regional orchestra performing Classics and Pops concerts and bringing educational programs to area school children. In 2024, the orchestra reorganized once again and became self-managed as the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra, Inc. The renewed HVSO collaborates with renowned conductors, guest artists, and other Hudson Valley institutions to build community relationships and continue the mission of the orchestra as it approaches 100 years.

Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra 2026–2027 Philharmonic Season Opener Info

Philharmonic I: Symphony and Song // Saturday, November 21, 2026 | 3:00 p.m.
Christ Episcopal Church 20 Carroll Street Poughkeepsie, NY

Imre Palló, conductor
Aubry Ballarò, soprano
Luis Ledesma, baritone

Program:

Richard Wilson | Fanfare for Imre (Premiere)
W.A. Mozart | Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550
Giuseppe Verdi | Arias and Duets from Rigoletto and La Traviata
Gioachino Rossini | La scala di seta, Overture

Tickets and additional information here