Keith Lockhart and Boston Pops

The 2026 Boston Pops season, May 8–June 6, under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart, spotlights the multiplicity of performers and composers shaping American music today, and the uniquely American genres that distinguish our country’s musical history. A lineup of today’s most compelling stars from a range of musical traditions, including Jon Batiste, Ray Chen, Jacob Collier, Ben Folds, Pink Martini, Leslie Odom, Jr., and St. Vincent join the Pops for solo performances. Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane perform a special Miles Davis and John Coltrane Centennial tribute, accompanied by a jazz ensemble (please note this concert does not include the Boston Pops). The Pops offer family-friendly presentations of How to Train Your Dragon – In Concert and showcase beloved film music by composer John Williams and composers from the Golden Age of Hollywood in Film Night: Williams on Williams and a pre-season performance of Star Wars: The Story in Music to mark “Star Wars Day” on May 4 (“May the Fourth Be With You”). Always highlights of the season, Gospel Night returns for its 32nd year with soloists David and Tamela Mann, and Pride Night for its third with Tony award-winning Alex Newell and the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus.  

Tickets to the 2026 Boston Pops season are available beginning Wednesday, February 11 at 10 a.m. at 888-266-1200 and www.bostonpops.org.  

Statement from Keith Lockhart, Boston Pops Conductor: 

"I am excited about the diverse array of artists joining us for the 2026 Boston Pops season, and to have the chance to work with collaborators both familiar and new. We begin with the Boston Pops debut of violinist Ray Chen, whose showmanship, creativity, and appeal across different audiences fit perfectly with the mission of the Pops.  I am thrilled to share the stage with old friends—Leslie Odom, Jr., Ben Folds, Pink Martini, and Jon Batiste (in his Symphony Hall debut)—and to welcome Jacob Collier and St. Vincent in their Pops debuts. And it would not be a Boston Pops season without masterworks from the world of film music, Gospel Night, or our newest tradition, Pride Night. In this year of America’s 250th birthday, America's Orchestra looks forward to welcoming audiences of all ages and backgrounds to Symphony Hall for a blockbuster season."

Opening Night with Violinist Ray Chen

The Pops’ 140th season opens with violinist and online sensation Ray Chen in his Boston Pops debut (May 8 & 9, 7:30 p.m.). Coming to attention after first prize wins at the Yehudi Menuhin (2008) and Queen Elizabeth (2009) competitions, Chen has since appeared with major orchestras around the world (including the BSO in March 2025) and built a dedicated fan base through his virtuosic performances and compelling social media content. With the Pops, he will perform both classical showpieces and music drawn from his critically-acclaimed 2024 album Player 1, which fuses classical music and the immersive world of gaming and includes themes from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pokémon, and Squid Game.

All-Star Artists Return to the Pops: Jon Batiste, Leslie Odom, Jr., Pink Martini, and Ben Folds

Seven-time GRAMMY, Academy, and Emmy Award–winning singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist Jon Batiste makes his Symphony Hall debut with three nights of performances (May 12–14, 7:30 p.m.). Batiste is renowned for his genre-defying approach and his commitment to inclusivity and cultural exploration His ninth studio album Big Money won the 2026 GRAMMY award for Best Americana Album. He last performed with the Pops and Keith Lockhart for the 2021 July 4 Fireworks Spectacular, which was held live and broadcast worldwide from Tanglewood. 

On May 22, Tony and GRAMMY award-winning singer, songwriter, and actor Leslie Odom, Jr. returns to the Pops, bringing his velvet voice and world-class showmanship (May 22, 7:30 p.m.). Well known for his breakout role as Aaron Burr in the 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical Hamilton, Odom made a limited time return to the role in fall of 2025. He also recently produced and starred in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of the classic American comedy Purlie Victorious and released his first-ever live album, An Offering: Live at Speakeasy Studios.  Last July 4, Odom was a headline guest at the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Esplanade. 

The multicultural “little orchestra” Pink Martini makes their much-anticipated return to Symphony Hall after 21 years with lead singer Storm Large, presenting their signature mélange of catchy old-fashioned pop, global color, foot-tapping big band sounds, and Hollywood glamor (May 23, 7:30 p.m.). They are joined by versatile guest vocalist Jimmie Herrod, a 2021 finalist on America’s Got Talent. 

Last heard with the Pops on Keith Lockhart’s 30th anniversary celebration at Tanglewood last summer, multi-talented artist Ben Folds returns to Symphony Hall for a program showcasing his vivid arrangements and signature storytelling (June 3, 7:30 p.m.). This performance also features the winners of the Fidelity Investments Young Artists Competition. Always a highlight of the Spring Pops season, talented young musicians—chosen from high-school entrants across Massachusetts—receive mentoring from Lockhart, Folds, and others, culminating in their first performances at Symphony Hall. Applications for the 2026 competition are open until March 1 (see details). 

Exciting Boston Pops Debuts: Jacob Collier and St. Vincent

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer Jacob Collier makes his Boston Pops debut this season (May 27 & 28, 7:30 p.m.). Collier’s expansive discography has led to seven GRAMMY wins and attracted a wide range of renowned collaborators, including Coldplay, SZA, Shawn Mendes, Hans Zimmer, Joni Mitchell, Yo-Yo Ma, and more.  In addition to performing as a soloist with the Pops, Collier will improvise a piece with the orchestra in real time, following the example of his 2025 live improvisation with the National Symphony Orchestra, which has been viewed over 10 million times on YouTube. 

Three-time GRAMMY winner for Best Alternative Album St. Vincent (Annie Clark) joins forces with trailblazing conductor and composer Jules Buckley for a transcendent concert that marks both artists’ Boston Pops debut (June 4, 7:30 p.m.). This program, which premiered at the 2025 BBC Proms to great acclaim, features songs from St. Vincent’s extensive art rock catalogue, arranged for orchestra for the first time ever by Buckley.  

Film Favorites

In a special pre-season celebration of May the Fourth and all things Star Wars, Lockhart and the Pops perform an exclusive Boston Pops program that has become a fan favorite, Star Wars: The Story in Music. It features John Williams’ music from all nine Star Wars films, with accompanying narration written by Lockhart and delivered by acclaimed Boston actor Jeremiah Kissel (May 4, 7:30 p.m.). A must for all Star Wars fans and film music aficionados, the concert tracks Williams’ development as a film composer, while also surveying the sprawling saga and unforgettable characters of the franchise. 

The celebration of Williams’ music continues with Film Night: Williams on Williams (May 20 & 21, 7:30 p.m.). The program intersperses performances and montages of favorites from Williams’ iconic film scores like Harry Potter and Superman: The Movie with exclusive interview footage of the prolific conductor and composer. One of America's most decorated and influential composers of all time, Williams is still an active composer of both film and concert music, having recently written his first Piano Concerto, which was premiered by Emanuel Ax and the BSO in summer 2025 at Tanglewood and reprised last month at Symphony Hall. 

On May 30 and 31, Lockhart and the Pops offer DreamWorks’ How To Train Your Dragon – In Concert, a captivating and original story about a young Viking named Hiccup, who defies tradition when he befriends one of his deadliest foes—a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless (May 30, 7:30 p.m. & May 31, 2 p.m.). Together, these unlikely heroes must fight against all odds to save both their worlds. Featuring John Powell’s Oscar®-nominated score performed live to picture, How to Train Your Dragon – In Concert is a thrilling experience for all ages. How To Train Your Dragon © 2010 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. 

A Star-Powered Centennial Tribute to John Coltrane and Miles Davis

Trumpeter Terence Blanchard and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane star in Symphony Hall Presents: Miles Davis and John Coltrane Centennial, a program celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of two monumental and protean figures in jazz whose work defined key moments in the genre’s history (May 24, 3:00 p.m.). Ravi Coltrane makes his Symphony Hall debut, bringing a sound that is both deeply personal and rooted in his father’s groundbreaking style. Blanchard returns to Symphony Hall after an exceptional performance of John Coltrane’s symphonic music with the BSO last spring (please note, the Boston Pops does not perform on this program). 

Celebrations of Pride and Gospel Nights

The Pops’ third annual Pride Night kicks off Boston Pride month, an annual citywide celebration for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. History-making Broadway and Glee star Alex Newell, who in 2023 became one of the first nonbinary actors to win a Tony award for their role as Lulu in Shucked, makes their Boston Pops debut. The 300-voice Boston Gay Men’s Chorus joins for this joyful night of music celebrating the queer community (June 5, 7:30 p.m.). 

Following last year’s sold-out Gospel Night performance, power couple Tamela and David Mann once again close this year's Spring Pops season alongside conductor Charles Floyd and the talented Boston Pops Gospel Choir in the 32nd annual Gospel Night (June 6, 7:30 p.m.).  The Manns helped shape the sound of gospel music in the ‘90s, bringing it to mainstream audiences, and have become iconic, beloved characters in the Tyler Perry franchise. 

Ticketing Information

Tickets for the Boston Pops’ spring season at Symphony Hall are available at bostonpops.org or 617-266-1200 beginning on Wednesday, February 11 at 10 a.m. 

Pops concerts offer cabaret-style seating on the orchestra floor level with food and beverage service at the tables. Balcony seating is also available. Click here to view a Pops-style seating chart.  Please note that the May 4 Star Wars: The Story in Music performance will be Symphony-style seating. 

Groups of 20 or more may receive up to 10% off regular ticket prices and waived handling fees. Please call the Group Sales Office at 800-933-4255 for more details.  

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