The Phoenix Symphony canceled a Saturday, Oct. 17, performance of Symphonyfuse: Mahler X Notorious B.I.G. X 2Pac with guest conductor Steve Hackman due to what Symphony President and CEO Peter Kjome calls “unforeseen circumstances that just won't allow the performance to take place.”
The concert was to have been similar in nature to The Resurrection Mixtape, a crowd-pleasing mash-up of Gustav Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony and assorted works by two of hip-hop’s most beloved icons, both of whom were murdered in their early 20s.
Hackman presented The Resurrection Mixtape with the Phoenix Symphony in 2024.
“We had looked forward to presenting this return engagement and certainly had every expectation of this performance taking place,” Kjome says.
“When we did The Resurrection Mixtape, it was very popular with a lot of fans of the symphony and fans of this music in Phoenix. We know it's disappointing for those who purchased tickets and were looking forward to this, as we all were."
Kjome says he can’t elaborate on what circumstances forced the Symphony to cancel the performance.
“There are times when issues come up and we need to make changes to performances,” Kjome says. “It's not uncommon. In this case, the change was on such short notice that it wasn't possible to change to a different program. It wouldn't have been enough time for us to find different music, have our musicians receive it, advertise a different program, and we simply had to make the difficult decision to cancel the performance.”
What to do if you have tickets to Mahler X Notorious B.I.G. X 2Pac
Ticket holders were notified by email on Friday, Oct. 9, that the performance had been canceled and offered several options for what to do with the ticket.
Ticket holders may request a refund. It’s the Symphony’s hope, however, that they'll consider one of the following options instead: exchanging the value of the ticket for admission to a different concert, placing the value of the ticket in an account for use on future shows, or simply donating the value of the ticket to the Symphony.
“We have a remarkable season this year filled with many, many different programs,” Kjome says. “So we're encouraging those who purchased tickets to identify another concert they're interested in or to simply leave the fund on account to find something else they're interested in attending.”
The Phoenix Symphony’s 2026-2027 season opened last weekend with a concert conducted by Virginia G. Piper Director Designate Paolo Bortolameolli, an internationally acclaimed Chilean-Italian conductor Kjome has previously praised as “a conductor of remarkable musical insight and artistic leadership.”
Bortolameolli was selected at the end of an intensive three-year search.
“That was a very, very exciting weekend for us,” Kjome says.
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Phoenix Symphony 2026-2027 season concert schedule
The season continues on Thursday, Oct. 15, with a Chamber Series concert at Phoenix's Musical Instrument Museum.
Here's a look at the schedule in full:
Mendelssohn & Beethoven’s 2nd Symphonies
Features music from Mendelssohn: Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21; Schönberg: Chamber Symphony No. 1 for 15 Solo Instruments, Op. 9; and Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36.
Details: 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Musical Instrument Museum.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in Concert
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 at Symphony Hall.
Heroes & Villains: Music in Motion
Music from "Harry Potter," "Star Wars," "The Avengers" and "Superman." Costumes are encouraged for this Halloween weekend concert.
Details: 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Madison Center for the Arts.
Beethoven’s 7th Symphony & Chopin’s 2nd Piano Concerto
Concert program includes Higdon: Blue Cathedral; Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21; and Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, November 6 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Symphony Hall.
Brahms’ Serenade No. 1
Program includes Stravinsky: Concerto in E-Flat Major “Dumbarton Oaks”; Ives: The Unanswered Question; and Brahms: Serenade No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11.
Details: 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Musical Instrument Museum.
Music of the Knights: Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Elton John & Sir Paul McCartney
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13-14; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at Symphony Hall.
Muñoz Conducts Schumann & Barber
Concert program includes Revueltas: Sensamayá; Clyne: This Midnight Hour; Barber: Violin Concerto, Op. 14; and Schumann: Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 38 “Spring”.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 20 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at Symphony Hall.
Elf in Concert
Details: 2 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Nov. 27-29, at Symphony Hall.
Holiday Pops Spectacular
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5-6, at Symphony Hall.
Handel’s Messiah
Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10; Camelback Bible Church; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11; Mesa Arts Center; 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12-13. Pinnacle Presbyterian Church.
Holiday Baroque
Concert program includes J.S. Bach: Overture from Suite No. 4 in D Major, BWV 1069; J.S. Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring from Canata No. 147; J.S. Bach: Aria and Alleluia from Cantata BWV51 “Jauchet Gott in allen Landen”; Charpentier: “Noël sur les instruments” H. 534; Torelli: Concerto Grosso Op. 8, No. 6: Una Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale; Scarlatti: Cantata #15: Cantata Pastorale per la Natività di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo; and Gabrielli: Canzone a 3 Cori.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18-19; 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20, at the Orpheum Theatre.
New Year’s Eve Celebration with Champagne Toast
Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, at Symphony Hall.
Bruch & Mendelssohn with Rolf Haas
Concert program includes Mendelssohn: The Hebrides Overture, Op. 26 “Fingal’s Cave”; Bruch: Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46; and Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56 “Scottish”
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 15 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, at Symphony Hall.
Carnival of Creatures: Past & Present
Details: 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at Madison Center for the Arts.
'E.T.' in Concert
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 22-23; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, at the Orpheum Theatre.
Warlock, Charles & Elfman
Program includes Warlock: Capriol Suite; Charles: Nightlife; and Elfman: Suite for Chamber Orchestra.
Details: 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, at the Musical Instrument Museum.
The Music of Paul Simon
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29-30; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, at the Orpheum Theatre.
John Williams’ Epic 95th Birthday Celebration
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 5 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, at Symphony Hall.
Paolo, Pablo and The Rite of Spring
Concert program includes Márquez: Danzón No. 8; Márquez: Místico y Profano Guitar Concerto; and Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at Symphony Hall.
Clap, Count, Play! A Symphony Rhythm Party
Details: 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at Madison Center for the Arts.
Cirque Adventure with Troupe Vertigo
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Orpheum Theatre.
Katharina Conducts & Joyce Yang Plays Prokofiev
Concert program includes Shostakovich: Festive Overture, Op. 96; Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26; Auerbach: Icarus; and Bartók: Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, March 12 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14, at Symphony Hall.
Mendelssohn, Mozart & Haydn
Program includes Mendelssohn: Sinfonia No. 5 in B-Flat Major, 1st movement; Mozart: Serenade No. 10 “Gran Partita” in B-Flat Major K. 361; Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major K. 447; and Haydn: Symphony No. 101 in D Major “The Clock.”
Details: 11 a.m. Thursday, March 18, at the Musical Instrument Museum.
'Top Gun: Maverick' in Concert
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 19-20; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 21, at Symphony Hall.
Fleetwood Mac: A Symphonic Tribute
Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 3, at Symphony Hall.
Viviana Performs Mozart
Program includes Schubert: Overture in the Italian Style in C Major D. 591; Mozart: Flute Concerto in D Major K. 314; and Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 73a.
Details: 11 a.m. Thursday, April 8, at the Musical Instrument Museum.
The Taylor Swift Symphonic Experience
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 9-10; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 11, at Symphony Hall.
Bella, Britten & Sibelius
Concert program includes Izcaray: Geometric Unity; Britten: Violin Concerto, Op. 15; and Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, April 16, Coffee Classics: 7 p.m. Saturday, April 17; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 18, at Symphony Hall.
'Raiders of the Lost Ark' in Concert
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 23-24; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at Symphony Hall.
Litton Leads Shostakovich & Brahms with Michelle Cann
Concert program includes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15; and Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 65.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, April 30 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 1; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 2, at Symphony Hall.
Music of the Water: Cosmic Connections
Details: 2 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at Madison Center for the Arts.
Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 7-8; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 9, at Orpheum Theatre.
Mahler’s 5th Symphony
Concert program includes Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, May 14 (Coffee Classics); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 16, at Symphony Hall.
Mozart, Glass & Bartok
Program includes Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525 I. Allegro; Glass: Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra; and Bartok: Divertimento for Strings.
Details: 11 a.m. Thursday, May 20, at the Musical Instrument Museum.
Symphonic Genesis & Phil Collins
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 21-22; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 23, at Symphony Hall.
Game On!
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 28-29, Symphony Hall.
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Symphony forced to cancel hip-hop concert. Here's what we know
