Scottsdale’s Arizona Musicfest unveiled its 2026-2027 concert season, featuring entertainers like Bill Murray, Kristin Chenoweth and Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward.

“Arizona Musicfest has grown into one of Arizona’s premier cultural destinations, attracting internationally renowned performers and enthusiastic audiences from throughout the Valley and beyond,” said Allan Naplan, executive and producing director and CEO. 

“Following last season’s continued record-setting attendance of more than 50,000 ticket buyers, we’re excited to welcome audiences back for another remarkable season filled with extraordinary artists and unforgettable performances.”  

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Murray and acclaimed cellist Jan Vogler met during their travels and became friends in New York. Their program communicates the bridges artists have built between America and Europe. The performance also features acclaimed pianist Vanessa Perez and internationally renowned violinist Mira Wang. 

This season’s Broadway guests include Emmy and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth; Audra McDonald; Jeremy Jordan; and this year’s Tony Award winner for Best Actor in a Musical, Joshua Henry of “Ragtime.”

Michael Feinstein returns to Musicfest, accompanied by the Musicfest Big Band in a special tribute to the music of Hollywood.  

Additional featured soloists include crossover vocalists, Daniel Emmet, performing with the Musicfest Pops Ensemble, and six-time Las Vegas Headliner of the Year Frankie Moreno, in his “high-octane spectacular,” Elvis for a Day.  

Gravity: Three Wicked Voices brings together three leading ladies of the West End, all of whom have starred in “Wicked,” as well as other theatrical hits in London and on Broadway. 

The holiday season sparkles with two festive celebrations. The 19-time Grammy Award-winning Count Basie Orchestra returns to Musicfest with A Very Swingin’ Basie Christmas, followed by Las Vegas’ Human Nature in its holiday show, Christmas, Motown & More.

Nostalgia is celebrated as well with The Simon & Garfunkel Story, the Off-Broadway hit “Going Bacharach” and Revisiting Creedence. The season also celebrates iconic musical eras with The Boulevards, honoring the music of 1950s rock ‘n’ roll; the multimedia event The Sixties Show, featuring former members of The Who, The Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen’s band; and the return of Neil Berg, continuing his acclaimed two-part celebration of 1970s music.  

Each season, Arizona Musicfest assembles musicians from many of the nation’s top orchestras to form its acclaimed Festival Orchestra. Under the baton of Music Director Robert Moody, the 2027 Festival Orchestra Week features four programs. 

The opening show commemorates the bicentennial of Beethoven’s death with an all-Beethoven program featuring internationally celebrated pianist Gile Bae. Violin virtuoso Timothy Chooi joins the orchestra for a program showcasing the music of John Williams, Erich Korngold, Debussy and Ravel. 

Festival Orchestra Week continues with an imaginative program featuring Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” with symphonic interpretations of Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” 

For the orchestra’s closing performance, world-renowned cellist Bryan Cheng performs Dvořák’s monumental “Cello Concerto.” 

Outside Festival Orchestra Week, the season’s classical headliner is Grammy Award-winning violinist Gil Shaham, featured in a concert program with acclaimed pianist Akira Eguchi. Additional classical offerings include Lark, Roman & Meyer performing music spanning Bach to Bluegrass, and Musicfest’s popular Young Musicians Concerts. 

Finally, following the acclaimed success of Musicfest Theatricals’ productions of “Carousel” (‘25) and “Ragtime” (‘26), Arizona Musicfest and the Herberger Theater Center present two self-produced, fully staged theatrical concert productions during the 2026-27 season. These large-scale productions feature Broadway guest artists alongside the Valley’s top musical theater talent, accompanied by the Musicfest Pops Ensemble. 

The season opens in October with Man of La Mancha, starring Tony Award winner Paulo Szot as Cervantes/Don Quixote. Broadway’s Maria Bilbao (“Sweeney Todd,” “Man of La Mancha”) performs Aldonza/Dulcinea.  

The season concludes in late April with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s timeless masterpiece “South Pacific.” Casting to be announced soon. 

2026-27 Arizona Musicfest calendar 

Musicfest Theatricals presents “Man of La Mancha”: Oct. 23 to Oct. 25 

Revisiting Creedence: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30

Frankie Moreno: Elvis for a Day: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 

Festival Chorus: American Voices: 3 p.m. Nov. 15 

The Sixties Show: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20

A Very Swingin’ Basie Christmas: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 

Human Nature: Christmas, Motown & More:  2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12

Neil Berg’s The ’70s Part 2: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9 and Jan. 10

Jeremy Jordan: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14

Gil Shaham & Akira Eguchi: Beethoven Sonatas: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19

Gravity: Three Wicked Voices: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23 

Audra McDonald: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 

World On a String: Swinging Songs of Broadway: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1 

Kristin Chenoweth: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 and Feb. 6 

Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13

An Evening with Broadway’s Joshua Henry: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15

Going Bacharach: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 

Festival Orchestra No. 1: A Beethoven Celebration: 3 p.m. Feb. 21 

Festival Orchestra No. 2: Hollywood and the Sea: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23

Festival Orchestra No. 3: Orchestra ‘Inside Out:’ 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26

Festival Orchestra No. 4: Dvorak & Prokofiev: 3 p.m. Feb. 28 

Daniel Emmet: The Soundtrack of Our Lives: 7:30 p.m. March 4 

Lark, Roman & Meyer: 7:30 p.m. March 9 

Postmodern Jukebox: The Future is Vintage World Tour: 7:30 p.m. March 13 

Michael Feinstein: Hooray for Hollywood: 7:30 p.m. March 18 

The Boulevards: Classic Rock of the ’50s and Beyond: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 20

The Doo Wop Project: Echoes of the Streets: 7:30 p.m. April 2

Justin Hayward: The Voice of The Moody Blues: 7:30 p.m. April 4

The Simon & Garfunkel Story: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. April 10 

Musicfest Theatricals presents ‘South Pacific:’ various times April 23 to 25