Boston Symphony Orchestra’s “Music for the Senses Festival” starts next week! From March 31 to April 14 the festival will be an exploration of music, color, light, and time. Anchored by two weekends of BSO performances, this festival invites attendees to expand their horizons through a series of concerts and events designed to stimulate the senses.

When is the Music for the Senses Festival?

The Music for the Senses Festival hosted by the Boston Symphony Orchestra runs from March 31-April 14.

What is on the schedule for the first weekend?

The festival kicks off with a program inspired by color, running from April 4 to 6. Opening with Anna Clyne’s evocative “Color Field,” inspired by the vibrant hues of Mark Rothko’s paintings, the evening concludes with Alexander Scriabin’s monumental “Prometheus, Poem of Fire.” A highlight of this performance will be the realization of Scriabin’s visionary concept of a color organ, bathing Symphony Hall in synchronized colored light, expertly designed by Tony Award-winning lighting designer Justin Townsend in collaboration with musicologist Anna Gawboy, Ph.D. Esteemed pianist Yefim Bronfman and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus will join forces to bring this synesthetic masterpiece to life. The program also features works by Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, offering additional musical interpretations of themes related to color and time.

What about the second weekend?

The following weekend showcases the talents of superstar pianist Yuja Wang, recent winner of the Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. Wang will take center stage to perform Olivier Messiaen’s monumental “Turangalîla-symphonie,” a colossal work commissioned by the BSO in 1949. This performance promises to be a breathtaking journey through Messiaen’s unique sound world, featuring the ondes Martenot played by Cécile Lartigau and live demonstrations by Gamelan Galak Tika, led by Gusti Komin, offering insight into the work’s diverse influences.

In addition to these headline performances, the festival will offer a range of intimate chamber concerts and panel discussions featuring experts in music, science, and the humanities. Highlights include a performance of Messiaen’s spiritually powerful “Quartet for the End of Time” by the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, featuring pianist Garrick Ohlsson, and a free discussion panel exploring the emerging field of music as medicine.

To enrich the festival experience further, the BSO has collaborated with Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts to curate a selection of artworks that complement the music performed during the concerts. From Jackson Pollock’s “Troubled Queen” to photographs of Hindu sculpture, these artworks will be featured on BSO.org and in program books, providing visual context and enhancing the overall sensory experience.

As a finale to the festival, international star Hilary Hahn will join Andris Nelsons and the BSO from April 18 to 20 to perform Brahms’ exquisite Violin Concerto, alongside works by W.A. Mozart and Anna Thorvaldsdottir. This performance promises to be a fitting conclusion to a season dedicated to pushing the boundaries of musical expression and engaging the senses in new and exciting ways.

Tickets for the Music for the Senses Festival are available now and can be purchased through the BSO’s official website or at Symphony Hall box office. If you will be visiting Boston for this amazing festival check out article on the Newbury Hotel.