Short answer: The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s 2026 holiday run is Home Alone in Concert on December 5 and 6, Cirque Nutcracker on December 11 and 12, and Holiday Pops on December 19 and 20, followed by Beethoven’s Ninth for the New Year’s Celebration from January 1 to 3, 2027. Most of these concerts are at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore; only the Friday, December 11 Cirque Nutcracker and the Saturday, January 2 Beethoven’s Ninth are at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.
BSO holiday concerts 2026 at a glance
| Date | Concert | Hall | Start times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 5 | Home Alone in Concert | Meyerhoff | 1:30 PM, 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 6 | Home Alone in Concert | Meyerhoff | 3:00 PM |
| Fri, Dec 11 | Cirque Nutcracker | Strathmore | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Dec 12 | Cirque Nutcracker | Meyerhoff | 1:30 PM, 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Dec 19 | Holiday Pops | Meyerhoff | 1:30 PM, 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 20 | Holiday Pops | Meyerhoff | 3:00 PM |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | Beethoven's Ninth: New Year's Celebration | Meyerhoff | 8:00 PM |
| Sat, Jan 2, 2027 | Beethoven's Ninth: New Year's Celebration | Strathmore | 8:00 PM |
| Sun, Jan 3, 2027 | Beethoven's Ninth: New Year's Celebration | Meyerhoff | 3:00 PM |
Click a start time to see the seats listed for that concert. Times are taken from each listing, so check the date and hall again before you buy, since the same program can switch between Baltimore and North Bethesda from one night to the next.
What each holiday program is
- Home Alone in Concert: Damon Gupton conducts the orchestra playing John Williams’ score live while the film plays on a big screen above the stage.
- Cirque Nutcracker: Jiannan Cheng conducts Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker music while the aerialists and acrobats of Troupe Vertigo perform with the orchestra.
- Holiday Pops: Stuart Chafetz conducts, with Broadway singer Megan Hilty, the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and the Centre Point Tap Dancers.
- Beethoven’s Ninth: New Year’s Celebration: Peter Oundjian conducts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with soprano Joélle Harvey, mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, tenor Issachah Savage, bass-baritone Dashon Burton and the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. The program opens with Valerie Coleman’s Umoja: Anthem of Unity.
Meyerhoff or Strathmore: which hall to pick
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall is at 1212 Cathedral Street in Baltimore and seats about 2,443. The Music Center at Strathmore is at 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda, next to the Grosvenor–Strathmore Metro station, and seats about 1,976. If you live closer to Washington, the two Strathmore dates are Cirque Nutcracker on Friday, December 11 at 7:30 PM and Beethoven's Ninth on Saturday, January 2 at 8:00 PM. Everything else in the holiday run is at Meyerhoff; see our Meyerhoff Symphony Hall tickets and Music Center at Strathmore tickets pages for other events at each hall.
Best picks for families and for a night out
The Saturday 1:30 PM matinees are the easiest fit for families with younger children: Home Alone on December 5, Cirque Nutcracker on December 12 and Holiday Pops on December 19. For an evening out, pick the 7:30 PM Saturday shows of the same three programs, while Beethoven's Ninth on New Year's Day at 8:00 PM is the BSO’s way to start 2027. The Sunday afternoon concerts at 3:00 PM, including Beethoven's Ninth on January 3, are a quieter alternative.
Before you go
- Photos: the BSO asks that you not take photos or video during the performance, though you can capture the opening remarks and the closing applause.
- Late arrival: follow the ushers’ instructions on late seating, which may hold you at the door until a break in the music.
- Your tickets: the delivery method and timing are shown on each listing, and your order confirmation explains how to receive them.
After the holidays
Music Director Jonathon Heyward is back on the podium in January for Grieg and Mussorgsky and Mahler’s Titan, and the season runs through Verdi’s Requiem from June 11 to 13, 2027. Every listed date is on our Baltimore Symphony Orchestra tickets page. BuyTickets.com is an independent resale marketplace, not the BSO, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall or Strathmore, so prices are set by sellers and can be above or below face value. The total you see before checkout includes fees, and every order is covered by our 100% ticket guarantee. See all BSO concerts and dates.