Utah Symphony’s 2026 Deer Valley® Music Festival Lineup Brings Fresh Energy to an Annual Summertime Tradition
Festival Debut Performances with Music Director Designate Markus Poschner; Complete Concert Performance of Chicago for the First Time on Deer Valley® Stage; and Headliner Artists Including Lyle Lovett, Chris Botti, and Idina Menzel
PARK CITY, UTAH (March 18, 2026)— As warm mountain air settles over Park City, the Utah Symphony announces its summer season at Deer Valley® Music Festival—a cherished retreat for music lovers from near and far. This summer’s lineup, set against the breathtaking Wasatch Mountains, offers a fresh mix of beloved orchestral masterpieces, Broadway hits, and sensational headliner artists.
The festival, running July 17 through August 15, 2026, offers laid-back concert experiences, inviting audiences to bring their picnics, spread out blankets, and take in the breathtaking mountain landscapes. This annual tradition is where music and memories come together.
Utah Symphony Music Director Designate Markus Poschner will make his Deer Valley ® Music Festival debut—conducting two performances of Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9 (famously known for it “Ode to Joy”), as well as a program that features Stravinsky’s dramatic Firebird Suite and welcomes back the innovative, Grammy Award-winning string trio Time for Three, performing a concerto written specifically for the group by Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Kevin Puts. Poschner, when he was named as the Utah Symphony’s next Music Director in 2024, expressed his deep interest in exploring the works of American composers—and also in taking inspiration from Utah’s natural beaty.
“It’s the perfect environment to perform the great masterworks—there’s so much inspiration,” says Poschner of the opportunity to lead the symphony in the scenic setting of Deer Valley® Resort. “The Deer Valley® Music Festival gives us a perfect opportunity to get in touch with new audiences, with young audiences, with every part of our society. This aligns with my personal philosophy of what a symphony orchestra should be.”
Poschner will also lead the first of four chamber orchestra concerts at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, featuring an all-Mozart program including the “Jupiter” Symphony and bringing Concertmaster Madeline Adkins into the spotlight for his Violin Concerto No. 2. Principal Viola Brant Bayless is soloist on a later St. Mary’s program, performing Dai Fujikura’s imaginative concerto Wayfinder, inspired by Polynesian navigation traditions.
In another first at the Deer Valley® Music Festival, the symphony will be joined by Broadway singers for a concert performance of the complete musical Chicago. Broadway lovers will also thrill at the return of Idina Menzel, sharing familiar selections from Wicked, Frozen, and more. Festival favorite Chris Botti blends jazz, pop, and classical influences into his signature style, and Lyle Lovett takes the stage with his unmistakable voice and nostalgic hits. The festival concludes with a celebration of powerhouse pop diva Celine Dion.
This summer’s Deer Valley® Music Festival concerts are expected to be in high demand and music lovers are encouraged to secure their tickets early.