Celebrating the Month of Maestro Bahl

Maestro Bahl took the helm of the Omaha Symphony in its 100th year and boldly led the orchestra through the COVID-19 pandemic and into a new century, making history as our 13th Music Director.

In just four seasons, Maestro Bahl racked up a long list of accomplishments. In addition to creating exciting and innovative concert experiences, recruiting 13 new musicians, establishing the popular post-concert After Hours series, introducing internationally renowned guest artists, and leading the orchestra in free outdoor concerts for tens of thousands of people in our community, Maestro Bahl has conducted five World Premiere compositions in Omaha – including Andy Akiho’s Sculptures, with a live recording that went on to earn three GRAMMY award nominations.

In September 2024, Maestro Bahl made the difficult decision to step down as Music Director at the conclusion of our 2024/25 Season to be more present with his family in Washington DC. We commend him for this decision, and we wish him the best.

Luckily for us, Maestro Bahl has a busy May this season! Before this season concludes, he will be conducting three concerts:

• Ben Folds on May 9 & 10
• Brandenburg 5 on May 18
• Negrón, Grieg & Shostakovich 5 on May 30 & 31 (our season finale!)

In these concerts and many in the past, you’ll notice firsthand two of Maestro Bahl’s most championed missions: a commitment to performing works from living American composers as well as creating a vibrant and transformative concert experience.

At our season finale, for example, you’ll hear a composition from Angélica Negrón, a living, Brooklyn-based composer. At that same concert, our guest soloist Joyce Yang will perform an After Hours in the Holland Center lobby, part of an intimate and unique experience pioneered by Bahl.

Maestro Bahl’s legacy of innovation and community collaboration is perhaps most exemplified by Sculptures, a work commissioned by the Omaha Symphony in honor of local artist Jun Kaneko.

This groundbreaking artwork enlisted composer Andy Akiho, who lived and collaborated with Kaneko himself while writing, to create a piece of music that both honored Kaneko and incorporated his sculptures as instruments.

You can hear a piece of Sculptures in Maestro Bahl’s playlist on Omaha Symphony Anywhere.

Maestro Bahl will still be involved with the Omaha Symphony as Artistic Partner in the 2025/26 Season. He will return to conduct two phenomenal performances: Piazzolla & Schumann at the Joslyn and our epic 25/26 Season Finale, Bahl Conducts Mahler’s “Titan,” at the Holland Center.

We invite you to join us this month to appreciate Maestro Bahl’s contributions to our organization as well as look forward to the bright future ahead of us. See you in the concert hall!