S&T Bank and the Lively Arts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania are once again partnering to bring one of the world’s great orchestras, the Grammy-winning Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, to IUP. The performance will be held on Saturday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Fisher Auditorium in the IUP Performing Arts Center.
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with IUP and the Lively Arts, supporting the return of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to Indiana County for the second consecutive year,” said Chris McComish, chief executive officer for S&T Bank.
“This collaboration upholds our shared commitment to welcoming the arts to our local area and beyond, offering inspirational evenings that give life to creative expression within our communities,” he added. “Thank you to the university and the PSO for the continued opportunity to build an appreciation for world-class musical entertainment in our own backyard.”
Touring Europe
The PSO has toured nationally and internationally for more than a century, including the orchestra’s 2026 European tour of 13 concerts in six countries.
The orchestra also brings music into the lives of students, families, educators, and community members across western Pennsylvania through its many programs, partnerships, and performances that reflect the PSO’s belief that music belongs to everyone.
Emily Ruth Rutter, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs at IUP, noted that the concert is a great example of the university and the community coming together to offer something that benefits both students and local residents.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra back to the IUP campus on October 24 as part of the Lively Arts series,” she said. “This world-class performance is made possible by the generous sponsorship of S&T Bank, and we are grateful for S&T’s partnership and recognition of the importance of the arts for enriching the cultural life of Indiana County and beyond.”
Show Highlights
Under the dynamic direction of Karina Canellakis, who has been said to be one of the most sought-after conductors of her generation, the evening’s program opens with the shimmering, atmospheric The Kingdom of Silence by Victoria Borisova-Ollas.
Acclaimed pianist Inon Barnatan then joins the orchestra for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, shaping each passage with what’s been called refined touch and expressive nuance.
The evening culminates in Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, carrying listeners into a world of vivid colors that blends Russian folk music, liturgical chant, and lush orchestral writing.
Ticket Information
To celebrate the partnership between IUP Lively Arts and S&T Bank, a coupon code “STBank2” will provide a $2 discount per ticket off ticket prices of $10–$20/ticket. This coupon code may be entered online at checkout. If calling, please mention the code “STBank2” to receive $2 off per ticket.
Advance tickets can be purchased online or by phone. If calling to order tickets, contact the Lively Arts office at 724-357-2787 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Advance tickets cannot be purchased in person. If any tickets remain on the day of the show, they will be available for sale in person one hour before the show at the door. IUP students receive one free ticket with their I-Card on the night of the show.
Get to Know the Conductor and Featured Artist
Conductor Karina Canellakis
Already known to many in the classical music world as a virtuoso violinist, Karina Canellakis grew up in New York City, where she learned conducting and score-reading from her father, Martin Canellakis. She was then encouraged to become a conductor by Sir Simon Rattle while playing in the Berlin Philharmonic’s Orchestre-Akademie.
She has been the chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra (Radio Filharmonisch Orkest) since 2019 and the principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 2021. Internationally acclaimed for her symphonic and operatic performances characterized by their interpretive depth and emotional impact, she is welcomed by the finest musical institutions across the globe.
Pianist Inon Barnatan
Inon Barnatan started playing the piano at the age of three when his parents discovered his perfect pitch. He made his orchestral debut at eleven. Barnatan appears regularly with the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors and was the inaugural Artist-in-Association of the New York Philharmonic from 2014 to 2017. Previous career highlights include return performances with the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, and the London Philharmonic.
As a collaborator, he continues his long-term partnerships with cellist Alisa Weilerstein in duo recitals at Ravinia Festival, Spivey Hall, and McCallum Theatre; and with soprano Renée Fleming at Cal Performances, Schubert Club, Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Lyric Opera of Chicago.
(Canellakis & Barnatan photos credit: Marco Borggreve)